Over the past decade, parent advocacy groups led a grassroots movement resulting in most states adopting dyslexia-specific legislation, with many states mandating the use of the Orton-Gillingham approach to reading instruction. Orton-Gillingham is a direct, explicit, multisensory, structured, sequential, diagnostic, and prescriptive approach to…

This meta-analysis synthesized over 40 years of research (k = 42 studies) in the social studies for students with learning disabilities. We analyzed the various mechanisms that researchers have used to improve outcomes in the social studies by conducting a subgroup investigation of interventions targeting the following instructional categories:…

The overrepresentation of youth with disabilities in the juvenile justice system is a persistent concern, but estimates of their involvement vary dramatically due to differences in how disability is conceptualized and when involvement in juvenile justice is measured. This study linked juvenile court and educational records for 230,760 students in…

Based on three areas of research (memory, selective attention, and metacognition), three strategy training interventions with learning disabled children are described: Lloyd's academic strategy training, Torgeson's strategy training, and Deshler's learning strategies model. Individual approaches may be appropriate only for selected subgroups of…

A theoretical matrix for conceptualizing issues within bilingual special education is outlined. Issues addressed include the difficulty of distinguishing learning disabilities from second-language-learning problems, nondiscriminatory assessment of language and intellectual skills, effects of bilingual interactions at home and school, and…

A literature search identified 39 studies assessing modality preferences and modality teaching. The studies, involving 3,087 disabled and nondisabled elementary/secondary level subjects, were quantitatively synthesized. Subjects receiving differential instruction based on modality preferences exhibited only modest gains. (Author/JDD)

This article illustrates the theoretical and empirical basis of cognitive strategy instruction and compares this basis to major principles of constructivism. Illustrations of self-instructional and other cognitive strategy instruction models are presented in the areas of reading comprehension, written language, and memory. Maintenance,…

The author criticizes an article defending the concept of learning disabilities and points out methodological concerns. He asserts that the term has not only not reduced ambiguities and inconsistencies in the definitions but has increased competition for diminishing federal and state support. (CL)

The article documents an intervention approach with learning disabled students which combines the effectiveness of Direct Instruction and mastery learning with the efficiency of technology (videodiscs and computers). Examples are given of effective technology use to teach earth science/chemistry, fractions, health, reasoning skills, and…

The report synthesizes information from 10 years of operating the Child Service Demonstration Centers (federally funded programs serving learning disabled students). Particular emphasis is placed on the areas of diagnostics, training, research, replication, student characteristics, and intervention models. (Author/CL)

The article is a response to R. Maggiore's article "Reliability of Proposed Short Form of Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities (ITPA)." The authors present evidence to rebut Maggiore's essentially negative conclusions regarding the reliability of the short form test. (For original paper, see EJ 194 153.) (Author/PHR)

Data are presented from the first-year of a 4-year research project that aims to design a model for describing exemplary communicative practice using signed classroom discourse in the teaching of students who are deaf. Episodes are presented to illustrate how 10 teachers engage in dialogic knowledge building and exemplary communicative practice.…

This literature review focuses on methodologies, instruments, and findings from research on the instructional contexts of elementary and secondary students with learning disabilities. The review covers the time that students were engaged in different activities in different settings, interactions between teachers and students, and students'…

In Study 1, 85 percent of 248 third-, fifth-, and twelfth- grade students identified as normal could have been classified learning disabled (LD). In Study 2, 88 percent of a low achieving fourth grade sample could have been identified as LD, with 4 percent not meeting any criteria for classification. (Author/CL)

Throughout the course of litigation (Frederick L. v. Thomas) the federal court has served as mediator in effecting sweeping changes in programs for learning disabled students. These changes have provided for special education of the learning disabled from school entry to age 21 and include provision for equal access to vocational training for…