The paper reviews various types of definitions of learning disabilities and presents the specific operational definition that was used in a study involving 1,105 adolescents on the relationship between learning disability and juvenile delinquency. The definition of learning disability is analyzed in terms of its principal components, types of…

In response to S. A. Cohen's paper on research problems in learning disabilities (LD), the author agrees that much research has shown inconsistent and inconclusive results, points out conceptual inadequacies in LD research, stresses the need to define the research population, and differentiates between constructs and behaviors. (DB)

In response to S. A. Cohen's paper on research problems in learning disabilities the author agrees on the need for better definitions and more experimental studies (rather than ex post facto correlational studies) but suggests that subgroups within the broad classification of learning disabilities be identified for research and instructional…

Survey data from five school system coordinators of special education in Alabama indicate incongruity between the criteria for identification of learning disabled adolescents proposed by J. Lee Wiederholt (1975) and the observed characteristics of 161 students, grade 7 through 12, already identified as learning disabled. (JG)

Three-hundred kindergarten children were screened with a test battery in order to identify children at high-risk of experiencing learning disabilities. (Author/DB)

The study involving 12 to 15 year old boys was designed to provide further information on the question of whether there is a link between adjudicated delinquency and learning disabilities. Ss were given an assessment battery which included three major parts: tests for determining presence or absence of learning disability, an observational…

Proposed is a study to evaluate the auditory systems of learning disabled (LD) students with a new audiological, diagnostic, stimulus apparatus which is capable of objectively measuring the interaction of the binaural aspects of hearing. The author points out problems with LD definitions that exclude neurological disorders. The detection of…

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;…

An operational index of discrepancy between ability and achievement using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children and the Peabody Individual Achievement Test (PIAT) was tested with 50 male and 10 female legally identified learning disabled (LD) children (mean age 9 years 2 months). Use of the index identified 74% of the males and 30% of the…

A study involving 1,337 students in Arizona was conducted to compare the classification of learning disabilities across several school districts, utilizing the then-proposed Bureau of Education for the Handicapped (BEH) formula. Three types of problems were apparent: the basic concept of learning disability varied across districts; the areas of…

Intake placement data were collected from the files of 1,966 students labeled and served as learning disabled in Child Service Demonstration Centers (CSDC) in 22 states. There appeared to be a lack of consistency in the characteristics of students labeled learning disabled. (Author)

Available from: Journal of Pediatric Psychology, Child Study Cente, 1100 N.E. 13th Street, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73117. The author discusses the concept of developmental dyslexia and attributes the wide variation in estimates of prevalence to the use of conflicting definitions of the disorder. (IM)

In an effort to examine the pragmatic effects of definitions of learning disabilities and identification procedures, information was gathered on the characteristics of 53 children (grades 1 through 7) who had been previously diagnosed as learning disabled. Results of tests such as the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children and the Illinois Test…

The paper evaluates the empirical and theoretical basis upon which several recent studies reject the hypothesis of a visual-perceptual deficit in reading disabilities. (Author)