The article proposes a simplified handwriting method for learning disabled children having difficulty with conventional cursive writing. The approach is based on the vertical downstroke rather than the diagonal slant and emphasizes the natural connection between manuscript letters. (Author/CL)

The study compared stories written on either a word processor or handwritten by 15 children (ages 8-12) with learning disabilities. Use of the word processor resulted in fewer spelling errors for children with severe spelling problems and longer stories for children having problems with the mechanics of the writing task. (Author/DB)

Fifty hyperactive and learning disabled children (8 to 12 years old) were selected for study because of severe handwriting difficulties. The children received methylphenidate (Ritalin) or placebo under double blind conditions. Twenty-six students (52 percent) showed improvement in overall handwriting following the administration of methylphenidate…

The study evaluated use of a card displaying seven self-instructional questions designed to prompt students to think about their handwriting. Use of the card with two learning disabled elementary school males resulted in improved handwriting which persisted over time even after the card was no longer available. (DB)

Annual evaluation for 5 years of the handwriting of 121 Dutch primary school children revealed that children with dysgraphic handwriting had lower fine motor ability, exhibited poorer structural performance, and, in higher grades, showed less preference for a personal style, than did other writers. Children with and without dysgraphic handwriting…

An example is given of the use of task analysis and functional analysis to pinpoint the environmental cause of what appeared to be a perceptual handicap in an elementary grade girl. (DB)

A study involving 190 learning disabled (LD) children (ages 7 to 13 years) and 38 of their teachers was conducted (1) to demonstrate that product and process teaching are complementary strategies, (2) to illustrate a framework that assists teachers in determining if the process components of a task are related to pupil failure, and (3) to validate…

Four studies examined reading disabilities in elementary school children from the perspective of componential skills of reading. A principal-components analysis of the performance of 139 children on reading-related tasks yielded two factors: decoding and comprehension. Factor analyses indicated that orthographic skills and processing speed could…

The study compared the effectiveness of sensory integrative therapy with a parallel physical education program or a no-treatment condition with 55 5- to 10-year-old learning or perceptually motor disabled children. Results indicated no significant differences among groups except that reading progress of children already able to read was improved…