This overview of articles in this special issue introduces the constructivist approach to educating students with learning disabilities. Catalysts for constructivism, the constructivist philosophy, and the whole language approach are discussed. The need for coherent integrated instruction in learning communities that is educationally purposeful,…

Synthesizes findings from 36 studies that validated the Dunn and Dunn Model of Learning-Style Preferences. Questions are raised regarding the validity of the model, the nature of the literature base, the interpretation of the meta-analytic findings, and the conclusions. The article concludes that the model has not been adequately validated.…

The constructivist educational theory of instructional scaffolding, where a teacher provides support to students on an as-needed basis and decreases support as the student's competence grows, is evaluated. Scaffolding is seen as being only one part of effective instruction for students with learning or other disabilities. Limitations to the…

This article describes instructional procedures for helping students with learning disabilities become more effective mnemonic keyword strategy users. The procedures involve providing a rationale, providing explicit strategy-attribution instruction, modeling strategy use with think-alouds, providing verbal practice, providing guided practice with…

Thirty studies that examined mathematics strategies for use with learning-disabled students are reviewed. The studies evaluated reinforcement and goal setting on seat work performance, specific strategies for computation and problem solving, mnemonic strategies, peer mediation, and computer-assisted instruction. Virtually all instructional…

The activities of a literacy project are described as examples of social constructivism. The role of social and dialogic interactions of teachers and students in literacy communities in which the production, rather than the reproduction, of knowledge is the goal of the instruction is emphasized. Examples of teacher and student dialog are provided.…

Based on a systematic search of literature published from 1988 to 1995, 20 math interventions for secondary students with learning disabilities were identified and analyzed. Effective methods include teacher-directed instruction, instructional design curriculum variables, three-term contingency trials, strategy instruction, self-monitoring…

The use of constructivism in mathematics instruction for regular and special education students, including those with learning disabilities, is explored. Issues addressed include the explicit-to-implicit continuum of constructivism, perceptions of constructivism relating to teachers and students, the setting demands of a constructivistic learning…

This article compares four theories relating vocabulary knowledge to reading comprehension and applies these theories to vocabulary development instructional approaches for various types of students with problems in reading comprehension. The four theories are the instrumentalist hypothesis, the aptitude hypothesis, the access hypothesis, and the…

This tribute to Samuel Kirk, an early leader in the field of learning disabilities, describes his prominent achievements in reading instruction, including research in remedial reading and identification of reading instruction principles such as stages of reading development, importance of prereading abilities, and the need for explicit, systematic…

The coordinated use of performance-based assessment and curriculum-based assessment is explored. Criteria are suggested for evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of each assessment method, and a framework for integrating the two methods is proposed. Specific recommendations are given for use with students having learning disabilities. (CR)

This paper reviews research involving the use of visual depictions such as webs, matrices, timelines, networks, and charts of relationships to teach content information to students with learning disabilities. As an adjunct to lecture-discussion instruction, these enhancements have been shown to result in greater student learning of content…

This article reviews 17 spelling intervention studies for students with learning disabilities and provides implications for improved spelling instruction in the areas of error imitation and modeling, unit size, modality, computer-assisted instruction, peer tutoring, and study techniques. (Author/JDD)

In this interview, two collaborators in research on teaching foreign languages to learning-disabled students are questioned regarding specific foreign language learning disabilities, possible subtypes, diagnosis, policies of colleges regarding students unable to meet foreign language requirements, and recent research in the field. (PB)

Insights from both cognitive psychology and learning disabilities intervention research are presented to improve understanding of the processes by which number fact fluency develops. Discussion includes assessment guidelines and learning strategies such as counting all, counting on, and alternative groupings. (Author/JDD)