Thirty-four (Study 1) and 37 (Study 2) pairs of three-year-old children with and without mild learning problems were presented with a battery of five or six simple cognitive tasks. Children without learning problems performed at a significantly higher level on 17 of the 18 measures. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

An unadjusted low-achievement criterion was compared with a regression-discrepancy criterion for identifying learning disabled children. The use of an unadjusted achievement raw score criterion resulted in misdiagnosing many children as learning disabled, while failing to identify many others. Different sets of predictor variables were associated…

In this introductory article, a response-to-instruction approach to learning disabilities (LD) identification is discussed. An overview of the promise and potential pitfalls of such an approach is provided. Benefits include identification of students based on risk rather than deficit and early identification. Questions concern the integrity of the…

Three-year-old children (n=41) with mild learning problems and 41 typical children were given a battery consisting of seven simple cognitive tasks shown to contribute toward the differentiation of children with and without mild learning problems. Picture identification, oppositional concepts, identity discrimination, and semantic…

This document presents the transcript of a hearing before the House Subcommittee on Education Reform concerning learning disabilities and early intervention strategies, specifically possible reforms of the special education referral and identification process as part of the reauthorization process of the Individuals with Disabilities Education…

The use of the processing component for learning disabilities (LD) definitions is discussed by examining its theoretical basis, large-scale implementation, and researched classroom effectiveness. Results indicate the processing definition of LD does not differentiate students with LD from low achievers, is inconsistently implemented, and does not…

Poor readers who met low achievement and IQ-discrepancy definitions of reading disability (n=54) were compared with non-impaired readers (n=325) on development of eight precursor and reading-related skills. Results indicate no evidence for differences between the two groups of poor readers in the development on the eight skills, with three…

Ninety-one Finnish preschoolers were assessed prior to receiving formal reading instruction. Verbal and nonverbal measures were used as predictors for the time of instruction required to accurately decode pseudowords. Phonological awareness differentiated precocious decoders from early decoders and ordinary decoders. Late decoders differed from…

This article reviews problems in identification of learning disabilities and considers proposed alternatives to present procedures. It argues that the major problems of over identification, variability, and specificity, can be eliminated by increasing specificity and consistency of state criteria and strict adherence to identification criteria on…

The purpose of this study was to determine if there were differences between learning disabled and nonlearning disabled students in skill areas and total scores on the Brigance K & 1 Screen for Kindergarten and First Grade. The study investigated whether students with learning disabilities would show significant weaknesses in language-based…

Outcomes for infants with birth weights less than 800 grams, consequences for their families, and implications for primary care providers are considered. Early identification of difficulties, such as disorders of sensory integration and learning disabilities, and early intervention are advocated. Follow-up when the child is school-age is also…

A study examined the identification rate of mental retardation, learning disabilities, speech or language impairments, and emotional disturbance of 4,161 Head Start children as they completed first grade. Only 26% of the children meeting research diagnostic criteria in these four major categories were identified by the schools. (Author/CR)

This study examined the early profiles of 270 kindergarten students screened for learning difficulties in kindergarten with SEARCH (an early identification measure) of which 32 had inadequate reading skills at the end of second grade. The SEARCH instrument tended to underidentify children from higher socioeconomic backgrounds and overidentify…

This book is a compendium of papers presented March 18-20, 1996, at the eighteenth annual Spectrum of Developmental Disabilities course. Research findings are presented that address identification, diagnosis, management, and prognosis of specific reading disability. Individual chapters include: (1) "Dyslexia: The Evolution of a Concept" (John…

This article reviews the identification of students with learning disabilities, gifted children, and problems facing the remediation of their difficulties. An outline is given of an approach that applies neuroscience to understanding and treating the root cause of learning disabilities. A case study of a child labeled dyslexic is presented.…