This is the first in a series of briefs the Houston Education Research Consortium (HERC) will release on long-term English learners (LTELs). The full study will examine LTELs in Texas, with particular focus on 10 Houston-area public school districts. Currently, there is no formal definition of LTEL in Texas. The purpose of this brief was to…

This chapter examines how studies focused on the same topic--disproportionality in special education--can generate vastly different conclusions about its sources and causes. By analyzing existing disagreements in the field, we explore essential questions about what constitutes high-quality and relevant evidence when seeking to understand how,…

Korean society and schools have become more demographically diverse than ever. To support this increasing cultural diversity in schools, the Korean government has been developing multicultural education policies since 2006. This study aims to examine how multicultural education has been articulated by the government and how the national vision has…

The challenge of actively involving students with communication disorders in the formal education systems prompted this desktop study on some of the challenges and problems associated with students with communication disorders in the classroom. This paper examines the relationship between communication disorders and learning from a very basic and…

Properly defining a population ensures that resources, such as funding and access, meet the needs, expectations, and intended outcomes for those represented. Ethical concerns arise when a target population, such as the English Language Learner population, is defined in numerous yet incomplete ways, and differently in research and in state policies…

The participation of students with speech impairments in recess can often be both challenging and rewarding for the students and teachers. This paper will address common characteristics of students with speech impairments and present basic solutions to improve the experience of these students in the recess setting. Initially the definition,…

This document covers the data terms used in the "VET in Schools 2009" report. The primary purpose of this document is to assist users of the report to understand the specific data terms used within it. Terms that appear in the report are listed in alphabetical order with the following information provided for each: (1) Definition: a…

Two studies were conducted to examine the extent to which the category "learning disabilities" (LD) meets the major criterion for classification systems, specifically that the category demonstrates at least one universal and one specific characteristic. Analyses were conducted on psychometric data for 248 students in regular 3rd, 5th,…

This article presents an overview of the definitional and boundary issues of the term "school violence" as used in research applied prevention programs and provides an overview of what is known about the occurrence of violent and related high-risk behaviors on school campuses. (Contains extensive references.) (Author/CR)

The author reviews the history of the category of educable mental retardation (EMR), asserts that students with this label are more like children with academic or behavioral difficulties than they are like their more retarded peers, and suggests an approach focusing on returning EMR students to the regular school curriculum. (CL)

The booklet, designed to accompany a videotape, explains the similarities and differences among students with learning problems, specific learning disabilities (LD), mild mental retardation, or behavioral disorders. Specific implications for special education in Illinois are outlined. The underlying problem of over-identification of LD students is…

Discusses the definition of dyslexia, reintroduces the concept of marker variables, proposes a strategy for developing an updated marker variable system, presents a preliminary working set of dyslexia marker variables, and calls for eventual adoption of this or similar marker variable systems to facilitate future research efforts. (Author/CR)

This article provides the American Psychiatric Association's definition of attention deficit disorder (ADD) and then gives an overview of ADD by considering the three types of ADD, the developmental impact of ADD, factors contributing to ADD, identification and assessment of students with ADD (emphasizing multimethod and consideration of…

This article critically analyzes available definitions of learning disability. The general problem of definition is discussed first, followed by a discussion of individual definitions from the earliest to the latest. It is concluded that the definitions fail to provide substantive insight into the nature of the condition. (Contains extensive…

This article describes a continuum of definitions of giftedness from conservative to liberal and discusses how these definitions relate to the development of the 3-ring conception of giftedness. In this definition, above average ability, task commitment, and creativity are seen as 3 interactive clusters of traits that gifted students may exhibit.…