A total of 155 educators in rural Kentucky participated in 4 inservice education sessions on learning disabilities and adaptive teaching, delivered via an interactive telecommunications network. Participants' reactions indicated that interactive television was an acceptable format for delivery of inservice education. (Author/JDD)

The application of learning styles to the teaching of reading to students with reading disabilities is critiqued in light of four factors: (1) inability to adequately assess learning styles; (2) failure to acknowledge the necessity of phonics instruction for beginning readers; (3) failure to consider the nature of reading disabilities; and (4)…

The Carolina Longitudinal Learning Disabilities Project identified 42 first- and second-grade students with learning disabilities (LD) and compared their development over 5 years with that of randomly selected peers. Different variables were predictive for the two groups. Teacher perceptions of intelligence, measured intelligence quotient, grade…

The main outcomes of the Prague (Czechoslovakia) longitudinal studies following over 1,000 children for almost 30 years are summarized. The children were either born from unwanted pregnancies, with alcoholic fathers, born out-of-wedlock, or in divorced families. A theory of psychological subdeprivation is offered and applied to children with…

Eighteen language/learning-disabled adolescents were compared with 18 nondisabled adolescents and 18 linguistically matched nondisabled preadolescents on requesting assistance from listeners who vary in power and familiarity. The language learning-disabled adolescents were sensitive to social and contextual features and modified their requests…

Discusses the application of Britain's National Literacy Strategy for pupils with special educational needs, especially the additional guidance recently published which suggests ways of including these students in the "literacy hour" or conducting "parallel" groups. Continuing questions raised by teachers of students with…

A study of 76 college students with learning disabilities (LD) participating in a liberal arts college LD program found that students with more inclusive, less structured supported programs within the secondary school settings were more successful in graduating from college. Although neither performance nor full-scale IQ interacted with these…

Discussion of reading assessment of students with learning disabilities considers theoretical models of reading, curriculum-based assessment, and miscue analysis. A comparison of the reading strategies of two second-grade readers using miscue analysis is detailed. Emphasis is on instructionally relevant student assessment. (Contains seven…

Offers curriculum design steps and describes barriers to and solutions for infusing learning disability teacher preparation programs with assistive technology (AT), because AT devices and services have major implications for individuals with learning disabilities regarding life span issues, environmental and curricular accessibility, and…

This follow-up article outlines goals, principles, and techniques for improving curriculum and instruction for secondary students with learning disabilities so that the following affective goals are fostered: intrinsic motivation, internal locus of control, academic and social self-concept, self-esteem, a sense of competence and confidence, an…

Argues that gender bias among referring agents is a major factor in the unequal distribution of males and females in learning disabilities programs. Discusses the role of male hyperactive or disruptive classroom behavior in the disproportionately large number of males referred to learning disabilities programs. (Author/CR)

Preassessment teams are a collaborative problem-solving resource for teachers who have students with learning or behavioral problems. A survey of 48 rural preassessment team members found that they perceived themselves as a very effective support system for their colleagues, but desired more training in designing behavior management strategies…

Survey of 121 secondary teachers in 15 Montana rural school districts found that 75% of teachers had provided accommodations for students with learning disabilities in the past, teachers were willing to provide 7 of 20 suggested accommodations in the future, and most teachers felt support services were adequate. Accommodations used most often…

Describes what is known about current funding levels and funding sources for special education, projected trends of increasing demand for special education services, concerns about the current efforts to reform funding, and movements toward census-based funding. Criteria for evaluating state special education funding formulas are proposed. (GR)

This article discusses the court case of a woman with learning disabilities who applied to take the New York State Bar Examination and was denied testing accommodations. The issues in the case are examined, including the refusal of the New York State Board of Law Examiners to provide adequate accommodations. (CR)