This study examines the results of the Alternative Identification and Reporting (AIR) program, which promoted the nonuse of disability labels for students receiving special education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (i.e., students who would previously have been identified as having an emotional/behavioral disorder, specific…

Background: The Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ), formerly the Autism Screening Questionnaire (ASQ), is based on a well-validated parent interview, the Autism Diagnostic Interview (ADI). It has shown promise as a screening measure for autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in a research-referred older sample, though recent studies with younger…

This study examines the participation of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students with labels of Learning Disability (LD) in their English, Math, and Social Studies classes. The conceptualization of LD as a biological pathology in the dominant special education discourse has contributed to normative perceptions and reductionistic…

As the parent of a child who has or may have a disability, the federal and state laws give them certain rights--called procedural safeguards. If they would like a more detailed explanation of these rights, they should contact the principal of their child's school, a school administrator, their local special education director, or any of the…

Although depression is classified as an adult mental health disorder, middle to late adolescence is the age when symptoms most commonly surface. If teachers can recognize the signs of depression in students, Crundwell and Killu assert, they can provide a supportive, flexible school environment that enables depressed students to learn and thrive.…

Epidemiological studies indicate a worldwide increase in the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) over the past decade. ASDs are no longer considered rare conditions. Although the reason(s) for this rise are uncertain, research indicates that specialised intervention at an early age is vital for optimising the outcomes of children with…

The problem. Bradley, Danielson, & Hallahan (2002) suggested that research was needed to specify the impact of early identification and intervention on district costs, number of special education referrals, and the degree of intensity required to be effective. Horowitz (2007) stated that additional research was necessary in the study of students…

This paper discusses how school counselors can support students suffering from anxiety. The causes and prevalence of anxiety are presented as well as the differences between normal and problematic anxiety. The role of school personnel in early identification is discussed with particular emphasis on the responsibilities of the school counselor.…

Diagnosing autism and PDD-NOS at very early ages has become a major priority in the field of mental health. More recently, researchers have also come to realize the importance of identifying co-occurring conditions of psychopathology in this population. In the present study, 309 children between 17 and 37 months of age who had been identified as…

Behavioral symptoms of comorbid psychopathology of 651 children 17-37 months of age who were at risk for developmental disabilities were studied using the BISCUIT-Part 2. In Study 1, norms and cutoff scores were established for this new scale on this sample. In Study 2, frequency of response on the 52 items measured was reported. Problems in…

This article examines Gene x Environment (G x E) interactions in two comorbid developmental disorders--reading disability (RD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)--as a window on broader issues on G x E interactions in developmental psychology. The authors first briefly review types of G x E interactions, methods for detecting…

An examination of the peer discrepancy concept and the percentages of students (grades 1-6) declared eligible for special education with varying discrepancy ratios revealed that a 2.0 to 3.0 times discrepancy is a reasonable level for identifying low-performance students. (CL)

A study involving 10 children with language impairments revealed high correlations between scores on the CELI (Carrow Elicited Language Inventory) and spontaneous language samples (LS). Findings suggested, however, that although the CELI identifies children needing language intervention, it cannot replace LS in developing appropriate language…

Results indicated a limited role played by hearing aids in progressive hearing loss. Hearing aid use was not implicated in 31 (69 percent) of 45 progressive loss Ss, questionably implication in nine (20 percent), and probably implicated in five (11 percent). (Author)

A standard approach to the selection of children with specific language deficits was devised, based on a current definition of specific language deficit that depends heavily on exclusion criteria. A total of 132 language impaired children aged four to eight and one-half years were assessed. (Author)