Previous laterality studies have implicated the right hemisphere in the processing of metaphors, however it is not clear if this result is due to metaphoricity per se or another aspect of semantic processing. Three divided visual field experiments varied metaphorical and literal sentence familiarity. We found a right hemisphere advantage for…

Virtual reality (VR) technology has demonstrated effectiveness in a variety of technical learning situations, yet little is known about its differential effects on learners with different levels of visual processing skill. This small-scale exploratory study tested VR through quasi-experimental methodology and a theoretical/conceptual framework…

This study examines possible connections between second language competency and frequency and type of gesture use (illustrators, compensatory illustrators, adaptors, emblems, regulators, and affect displays). To this end, 75 students enrolled in beginning, intermediate, and advanced college-level Spanish courses were videotaped while conversing in…

This study tests the hypothesis that dyslexia and dyscalculia are associated with two largely independent cognitive deficits, namely a phonological deficit in the case of dyslexia and a deficit in the number module in the case of dyscalculia. In four groups of 8- to 10-year-olds (42 control, 21 dyslexic, 20 dyscalculic, and 26…

The Science in Action series is designed to teach practical science concepts to special-needs students. It is intended to develop students' problem-solving skills by teaching them to observe, record, analyze, conclude, and predict. This document contains a student workbook which deals with basic principles of life science. Six separate units…

This book, describing the result of extended research on how charts/graphs convey information, develops a scheme for describing/analyzing information contained in graphs/charts. A psychological theory of knowledge of the reader and the mental events which occur in attempting to read a graphic display are the two focal points of the book. A…

To measure how the complexity of a television image affects the viewer's ability to identify or recognize visual details within the image, two coders rated the form complexity of 30 public service announcements, basing their evaluation on the familiarity of the images in the announcements, the rate at which they presented new information, and the…

Piaget's theories concerning the child's development of spatial concepts are considered in comparison with related mathematical concepts. The analysis yielded discrepancies between Piagetian and mathematical use of terms. (SD)

Reading, writing, and computing, which are interrelated and can thrive on each other for literacy and intellectual growth, are in the process of becoming linked in instructional practice. As reading and writing become more demanding, their task is eased with computer use. The computer seems to provide the connection between composing,…

This exploratory study investigated whether there are differences between males and females in the strategies used to construct mental representations from three-dimensional objects in a dimensional travel display. A Silicon Graphics IRIS computer was used to create the travel displays and mathematical models were created for each of the objects…

This instrument is a revision of the Texas Preschool Screening Inventory (TPSI). It is a screening test designed to identify children who may be at risk for learning problems as they enter kindergarten or first grade. The manual describes the directions for administration, scoring, rationale, and reference for each component of the instrument. The…

Instructional intervention was offered to 77 educable mentally retarded children (7- to 13- years old) to determine if their academic achievement in reading could be increased when curriculum material was matched to their strongest perceptual modality. (LS)

The Specific Language Disability Test developed by Neva Malcomesius was administered to 195 regular sixth grade students for the purposes of standardization and correlation with achievement and intelligence test scores. (DB)

THE IMPLICATIONS OF RESEARCH IN THE VISION SCIENCES FOR READING INSTRUCTION ARE DISCUSSED ON THE BASIS OF (1) STUDIES ON THE PERCEPTUAL BEHAVIOR OF CHILDREN AND THE EFFECT OF LANGUAGE DIRECTIONALITY ON PERCEPTION, (2) STUDIES ON VISUAL CHARACTERISTICS, (3) STUDIES ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MOTOR COORDINATION AND READING ABILITY, (4) LONGITUDINAL…