The Interactive Diagnostic Model, intended to facilitate disability interaction between teacher and clinician on behalf of the young language handicapped child, is described. Four levels of interaction are discussed: identification, diagnosis, management, and follow-up. (JW)

Two studies addressing the clinical validity of discrepancy criteria for identification of children with developmental language disorders (DLD) are reported: one with 256 preschoolers clinically defined as DLD, and one with 363 8-year-old controls. Factors contributing to underidentification in Study 1 and overidentification in Study 2 are…

This paper reviews the substantial body of research on clinical judgment and decision making in medicine and psychology and urges the incorporation of clinical judgment into the speech-language pathology field. The accuracy of clinical judgment, methods of its study, and suggestions for incorporating it into professional training are considered.…

This article discusses preinstructional assessment (PIA) for determining appropriate curricula, particularly oral and written language curricula, for exceptional students. Collection and analysis of oral and written language samples for PIA are described. Ongoing monitoring of progress in the domain is discussed as a means to make instruction…

This paper presents data on contextual assessment issues, particularly in the area of communicative intent, that affect clinicians working with young children. Variables often overlooked in assessment are discussed, including task characteristics, opportunities available to the child, event context, maintaining joint attention, and responsivity.…

The paper addresses the Comprehensive Services Program which takes an interdisciplinary approach to meeting the needs of preschool hearing impaired and language delayed children. The program is reported to be comprised of two major areas--assessment of the child's development and functioning level and educational intervention. Assessment is…

The educational evaluation and remediation of written language disorders in learning disabled students are considered. It is suggested that a written language assessment should involve a thorough educational history and a complete psychoeducational evaluation. Attention is directed to written language assessment and remediation for handwriting,…

Assessment of 67 elementary-aged subjects with behavioral/emotional disturbances admitted to a school and day treatment program within a psychoeducational center found that 54 percent exhibited some kind of speech and/or language disorder. Implications for diagnosis and treatment are discussed. (JDD)

Determining the language skill deficits of learning-disabled students may be difficult. They have many appropriate language skills, but may miss the subtlety of language. This is exemplified by their lack of awareness of morphemes and the important information that less-stressed morphemes provide. Developing or selecting a program to improve their…

Characteristics of Hispanic students referred for special education services during 1983-84 in several large urban school districts with large minority populations were examined. Also examined was the predictive ability of various statistical models with respect to the eventual diagnostic outcomes of the students. File data were collected for…

A review of the research on learning-disabled students suggests that these students often exhibit language deficits that are not readily obvious. These language deficits create problems in understanding social interactions and written and oral directions as well as problems in expressing ideas both orally and in written form. The term language…

Developmental Sentence Scoring (DSS) is a measure of spoken syntax that provides a numeric variable, provides some developmental data, and serves an organizing function for asking and answering clinical questions. DSS is useful in making diagnostic judgments, selecting goals and planning treatment, and measuring intervention efficacy. Difficulties…

Seven contributors treat teacher diagnosis of educational difficulties. Robert Smith and John Neisworth review the fundamentals of informal educational assessment; Neisworth describes the educational irrelevance of intelligence; and Smith discusses perceptual motor skills. Also included are James Lister on personal-social-emotional skills, G.…

This handbook may serve as a guide in helping teachers to identify children with learning disabilities. Hypothetical cases are presented, giving specific examples of academic and behavioral problems which may be caused by such learning disabilities as visual perceptual disorders, auditory perceptual disorders, motor disorders, orientation…

A model for assessing the interactive sources of communication development in young children is proposed, focusing on the reciprocal behaviors of both adults and children. The model integrates theoretical and empirical findings and is designed for parallel diagnostic and treatment purposes in five areas: social play, turn taking, nonverbal…