The Academic Behaviors and Skills of College Students (ABS-C) Scale is a measure that assesses in- and out-of-classroom behaviors and skills that may be affecting current academic standing. The measure inquires for self-perceptions of why college students may be having difficulty in courses. The ABS-C Scale demonstrates promising utility as a…

Universal screening measures can be used to identify students at risk academically due to learning disabilities or other difficulties. Research and legislation support the use of screening measures early in students' education to ensure they receive any supports necessary to bolster their academic achievement. When selecting a screening measure,…

Despite the growing body of research on writing assessment, little attention has been devoted to developing and validating measures for beginning writers. This study examined the technical adequacy of a Sentence Writing measure with 233 students in kindergarten and first grade. The reliability, validity, and sensitivity to growth were investigated…

The author traces reasons to support his contention that the state of the art in assessing learning disabled students is not good. Among issues examined are the following: use of tests for purposes other than those for which they were intended; technical adequacy of currently used tests (standardization, reliability, validity); the use of deficit…

Kinnealey reports on a study comparing tactile functions of 30 learning-disabled and 30 normal eight-year-olds as measured by the Southern California Sensory Integration Tests and the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery. Reliability and validity of the two measures were examined. Results showed a significant difference between the tactile…

A common practice in the field of learning disabilities is analysis of ability-achievement discrepancies. The reliability of such difference scores is an important statistic in such decision making. In the study, selected ability and achievement devices were administered to a sample of 99 fourth grade low achievers (half of whom were identified as…

This study examined effects on 62 elementary students with learning disabilities undergoing triennial reevaluation of the change from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children--Revised to the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children--Third Edition. Results indicate changes in the correlation with Woodcock-Johnson--Revised Tests of Achievement…

The article describes the Coping Inventory, an observation instrument used to assess 48 coping behaviors and to develop a profile which generates goals and objectives in a preschool learning handicapped child's individualized education plan aimed at increasing coping competence. (Author/SB)

This monograph describes the third edition of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-III) and its relationship to reading/learning disabilities. It is designed for educators and students in education who want to go beyond the numerical values of the WISC-III intelligence quotients and understand the implications of the scores for the…

Describes development and testing of maze-like semantic maps for assessing reading comprehension of content-area information. Results involving 144 students (38 with learning disabilities) showed that maps could be produced and scored with high reliability. Criterion-related validity based on a standardized test was weak, but moderate-to-strong…

The Survey of Teenage Readiness and Neurodevelopmental Status (STRANDS), which includes a questionnaire and structured interview designed to assist in assessing learning problems in high school students, was administered to 54 older adolescents either normally achieving or with learning disabilities. Results provided preliminary support for the…

This article provides the equations necessary to derive a single composite score based on two achievement scores measuring the same discrepancy area in students with learning disabilities. Also provided are the equations necessary to determine the composite score's reliability and its correlation with an IQ score. (CR)

The paper examines seven pressing issues in the educational assessment of children with learning and behavior disorders. Research and court cases are cited in the discussion of the following issues (sample subtopics in parentheses): focus of assessment (for clarification, identification, and classification purposes); types of abilities evaluated…

Two studies were conducted to examine the efficacy of direct measurement, standardized achievement tests, and aptitude-achievement discrepancy scores in distinguishing learning disabled (LD) and nonlearning disabled (NLD) students in grades 3 to 6. For both reading (Study I) and written expression (Study II), students' scores on direct and…

The reliability of four measures of written expression was examined (total words written, mature words, words spelled correctly, and letters in sequence). Subjects included elementary-age students in several school districts, some of whom were learning disabled. Results revealed high coefficients for test-retest reliability, parallel-form…