As more and more dual language learners enter the school system, now is the ideal time for this second edition of the bestselling textbook--essential for preparing speech language pathologists (SLPs) and educators to work with young children who are bilingual or learning a second language. This comprehensive, student-friendly text takes the…

As the parent of a child who has or may have a disability, the federal and state laws give them certain rights--called procedural safeguards. If they would like a more detailed explanation of these rights, they should contact the principal of their child's school, a school administrator, their local special education director, or any of the…

Learning disability is a classification that includes several disorders in which a person has difficulty learning in a typical manner. Depending on the type and severity of the disability, interventions may be used to help the individual learn strategies that will foster future success. Some interventions can be quite simplistic, while others are…

Dyslexia is a term that has been applied since the early part of the 20th Century to many students with reading difficulties. The term comes from medicine, but its broadest application is within education. Many educators, however, remain confused about the term in spite of the fact that major advances in the understanding of dyslexia have been…

"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…

The bibliography lists books and journal articles which are available on loan (to Illinois residents only) from the Illinois Birth to Three Clearinghouse. The 79 items listed focus on many aspects of autism, such as diagnosis, possible genetic links, social and pragmatic deficits, sleep problems, developmental therapy, drug therapy, behavior…

Parents can prepare their preschoolers for educational assessment by: determining reasons for the assessment; collecting relevant information and questions for the assessment team; discussing the testing program with their children and making sure they are comfortable; and discussing assessment results fully with the professionals when they have…

Before a child receives special education or related services, he or she must have an evaluation. The evaluation will help determine if a child needs special education. A parent or a member of the school staff may make the request for an evaluation. The child's parent must give consent in writing for the first evaluation. The evaluation will…

Written by an attorney and a school psychologist, the article provides help for parents of handicapped students seeking an independent evaluation. Topics include when to seek an evaluation, private vs. school based evaluations, expectations, finding evaluators, evaluating professional services, credentials, training expertise, and establishing a…

"Specific Learning Disability" is by far the largest category of conditions served in special education. Unfortunately, few parents (and educators) really understand what learning disabilities are. Many erroneously believe it is a "politically correct" term for "mildly mentally retarded" or "dull normal." Further, while most laypeople have heard…

This bibliography, intended for families, lists 65 resources on assessing children for the presence of a disability. Resources are intended to ensure that all members of the Individualized Education Program team, including parents, have an appropriate base of information. Resources were published from 1983 through 1994 and are grouped into the…

This paper discusses the importance of early identification and early intervention for at-risk learning disabled children. In order to ensure an adequate education for all children, parents and teachers must become diagnosticians who identify and meet the needs of at-risk children early enough to prevent serious problems. Eleven questions were…

Parents seeking private (nonschool) evaluations of their child should (1) determine what methods and instruments will be used for the assessment; (2) ensure communication among professionals working with the child; (3) understand the extent and limits of confidentiality for information supplied by themselves and the child; and (4) clarify costs.…

Parents can prepare themselves to participate more effectively in the special education planning process. Guidelines for parents presented in the form of questions to be asked prior to and at the annual review address the need for eliciting clarification, descriptive information, and program implications, and understanding procedures, goals, and…

This information brief describes some of the most common learning disabilities that can cause reading problems and lists organizations that can provide help. The paper first looks at types of learning disabilities in children and youth, categorized as input, integration, memory, and output disabilities. Methods of detecting and treating learning…