Most definitions of emotionally disturbed youngsters suggest that disturbances in the child's behavior patterns cause academic and social problems which affect the child and his peers. While the process of identification may be facilitated by operational criteria within a definition, these factors are noticeably absent from definitions of…

This paper explores generic factors that prevent children from normally reaching their full potentials. Early childhood is a period when children should normally grow in an environment which is secured, friendly, filled with warmth, and nurturing to enhance the holistic growth of all children. There are many theories, ideologies, and policies to…

This study outlines the literature relevant to the Cross-cultural issues and the politics of SEN and the different perspectives arising from the literature on this widely debated issue are addressed. In addition, the origin of the term "special educational needs" (SEN), its definitions and the types of special education needs are…

This study examined and compared patterns of errors in the oral definitions of newly learned words. Fifteen 9- to 11-year-old children with language learning disability (LLD) and 15 typically developing age-matched peers inferred the meanings of 20 nonsense words from four novel reading passages. After reading, children provided oral definitions…

This study of 182 secondary special education students with emotional and/or behavioral disorders investigated their classification by their school districts, in particular how well they were distinguished and represented by their federal categories. The districts used four classification groups (emotional disturbance, other health impairment…

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the differences between students with LD and SLI on emotional psychopathology and cognitive variables. In particular, the study examined whether cognitive, emotional, and psychopathology variables are significant discriminatory variables of speech and language disordered groups versus those…

"Learning disability" is a general term that describes specific kinds of learning problems. A learning disability can cause a person to have trouble learning and using certain skills. The skills most often affected are: reading, writing, listening, speaking, reasoning, and doing math. Following a brief story about a child with a learning…

Examined three definitions of learning disabilities (LD), ability-achievement discrepancy, low achievement, and scatter, to determine common variance among 48 LD children and 96 non-LD children. Factor analysis resulted in two distinct groupings of LD students; low achievement accounted for over four times as much variance as ability-achievement…

This paper summarizes and evaluates the research on the relationship between allergies and learning disabilities. The paper considers definitional and conceptual issues, anecdotal reports, experimental studies, and the Feingold hypothesis. It concludes that the role that allergies play in learning disability is complex and interrelated with other…

Although the label "learning disabled child" has no clear definition the child so labeled most probably needs to acquire language competency. (Author/CS)

Briefly reviews conceptual and operational limitations of classic approaches to classifying learning disabled children. Examines new classification research with learning disabled populations which is investigating alternative classification schemes through systematic and empirical hypothesis-testing paradigms, and sparking renewed interest in…

Three studies investigated 98 children's and 252 adults' implicit knowledge about learning disabilities. Overall, the studies suggested that professionals outside the field of special education, as well as nondisabled children, have fairly well-developed ideas about what constitutes a learning disability. Exemplars of tacit knowledge matched most…

It is argued the proposed definition of dyslexia is restricted to developmental dyslexia in which a student struggles to learn to read and does not apply to acquired dyslexia in which a previously normal reader loses reading functions. The need for classification schemes for defining specific learning disabilities is emphasized. (Contains…

This study examined the prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in special education children (n=581) and children (n=135) referred to a tertiary-care specialty clinic for learning disabilities and ADHD. Prevalence rates varied depending on whether teacher ratings alone, parent ratings alone, or a combination were used.…

The joint efforts of twentieth-century public school administrators and private philanthropy in initiating reforms to provide for children with learning disabilities are examined. The development of these reforms is traced from the establishment of special classes for the backward to the creation of programs for the learning disabled. What this…