Among findings of a study investigating the effects of labeling children as learning disabled (LD) or emotionally disturbed (ED) on the assessment by 128 Ss of four case studies was that behaviors of emotionally disturbed children were more disturbing and less accepted when they were thought to be exhibited by a LD child than by an ED child. (IM)

An analysis of the research literature suggests that a variety of sign systems have been used with retarded individuals of varying ages. The application or success or failure of that therapy does not seem to be determined by a particular treatment model and/or set of guidelines. (Author)

The extent to which computer simulated classification decisions within special education were differentially affected by information presented at the time of the referral was investigated. Decisions about 16 different cases were evaluated and found to be a function of referral information rather than child performance data. The outcomes are…

Three student experimenters individually trained and tested eight fourth grade children who had been randomly selected and labeled either learning disabled or normal. (Author/CL)

Decision makers and psychologists (N=224) who had previously participated in at least two placement team meetings individually completed a computer simulated decision making program on a child referred for a suspected handicapping condition. Ss were randomly assigned to 16 different conditions varying on the basis of the referred child's sex,…

Forty special education teachers were asked to make decisions about a fourth grade boy who was portrayed as learning disabled or emotionally disturbed and who exhibited either high or low competence. Classroom placement decisions and future performance predictions were found to be a function of the child's perceived competence. Results were…

Through analysis of behavior checklists completed by 90 teachers' 30 supervisors and psychologists, and 100 university students, behavior indicative of deviance in children was studied with respect to the relative degree of "disturbingness" which each was judged to reflect. (Author/SBH)

Three investigations examined the effects of IQ and chronological age (CA) on the calculation of severe discrepancy levels of 102 hypothetical and 125 actual severely learning disabled students (5 to 17 years old). Results indicated that IQ was highly influential on obtained severe discrepancy levels (SDLs) and related percentage discrepancies;…

Presented is basic information to be used by teachers in interpreting research articles. (Author/BD)

In an investigation of the effects of categorical labels and assigned attributes on the social acceptability ratings of 96 regular fourth-grade children, positive attributes were found to help maintain favorable ratings in spite of unfavorable behavior. (Author/CL)

The relationship between the diagnostic label assigned to a child (emotionally disturbed--ED, learning disabled--LD) and the type of behavior exhibited by that child was investigated with 128 special education graduate students. Ss were asked to complete one of four randomly assigned case studies in which the label assigned to the child and/or the…

Educational decision makers (N=224) participated in a computer simulated decision making experience to ascertain the extent to which referral information on a child with a suspected handicapping condition biased classification decisions. Ss were randomly assigned to 16 conditions varying on the basis of the child's sex, socioeconomic status,…

This article defends research evaluating similarities and differences in psychometric performances of students with learning disabilities (LD) and students with low achievement (LA), which concluded that psychometric test performance alone was an insufficient basis for differential diagnosis. Recent criticism of the research by Kenneth Kavale and…

This article discusses concerns with the No Child Left Behind definition of scientifically based research and its preference for random-assignment experiments. It proposes that instead of playing the victim, critics should illustrate the important findings that have advanced the field using research methodologies other than randomized experiments.…