This study examined how 14 Hispanic adolescents either with or without learning disabilities fared academically and socially during the transition from elementary to middle school. Students had been in a sixth grade consultation/collaboration inclusive classroom. Findings suggested that both groups of students experienced the transition similarly…

Provides suggestions on how to interweave data collected from authentic student writing samples (student or teacher portfolios) into classroom instructional planning and implementations. Shares practical hands-on ideas for teachers of students with learning disabilities and/or low achievers. Notes examples of student performance authentication…

Accommodations are test-administration changes that do not change the underlying construct being measured. The Individuals with Disabilities legislation and regulations provide little guidance on implementing assessment accommodations for students with learning disabilities. Certain research-based checklists or rating scales help link…

This article critiques the theoretical basis of the Fast ForWord program, a computer-assisted language intervention program for children with language-learning impairments. It notes undocumented treatment outcomes and questions the clinical methods associated with the procedures. Fifteen cautionary statements are provided that clinicians may want…

A study conducted two years after high school of 441 young adults with learning disabilities (LD) and 10,737 typical young adults found that individuals with LD reported lower graduation rates, were more likely to aspire to moderate or low-prestige occupations, and were more likely to be employed rather than in postsecondary programs. (Author/CR)

This study compared two groups of school dropouts: 35 youth with, and 60 youth without, learning disabilities. The two groups were comparable on most measures of family background, school experiences, and postschool outcomes. Some differences were found in family intactness, current job titles, and future ambitions. (DB)

Eight school-aged boys with learning disabilities (LD) with a discrepancy between verbal and performance IQ and with more language difficulties were less successful on a mother/child problem-solving task. Their mothers exhibited lower communication clarity in their instructions to the children than the mothers of the eight boys with LD who did not…

Eighty-five college graduates with learning disabilities rated their general knowledge and understanding of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as it relates to hiring and employment practices. Half to two-thirds of respondents reported being unaware or poorly informed on all questions. Only half reported receiving ADA information and…

Key components are outlined that represent the mindset of effective educators of students with learning disabilities, including: addressing the social-emotional needs of students, having empathy, recognizing educators have a lifelong impact on the development of resilience in students, avoiding accusations, blame, and labels, and striving to meet…

This article presents the strategies instruction model as an effective intervention for students with learning disabilities. It describes the model's components (curriculum, instruction, environment), its theoretical basis, the teacher's role, teacher-student interaction, and appropriate contexts. Studies of the model's effectiveness are…

This study compared the perceptions of 308 adolescents with learning disabilities, 355 average achievers, and their 57 teachers on student level of effort, strategy use, and academic performance. Findings indicated that the students with learning disabilities demonstrated positive academic self-concepts, whereas teachers' judgments were…

This article uses a self-organizing systems (SOS) framework to explain the complexity of learning disabilities (LD) and suggest that traditional classification schema may be inadequate. It explains principles of self-organizing systems and reviews research concerning reading and math disabilities and the roles of language, attention, working…

A college professor relates his experiences of being diagnosed with learning disabilities while in high school, which affected his education, eventually making possible doctoral degree attainment. As a special education teacher and school psychologist, he cites the challenge of meeting post-secondary obstacles in transition planning for students…

Similarities and differences between discursive practitioners and scientist-practitioners are discussed in reference to a variety of issues. The scientist-practitioner's approach to generating and evaluating new knowledge is illustrated with two partnerships: (a) between the University of Washington Multidisciplinary Learning Disability Center and…

This article reports the results of an in-depth, descriptive study of long-term welfare recipients. A random sample of 284 respondents, all of whom had received public assistance for at least 36 months, were interviewed. Results illustrate personal barriers to self-sufficiency, including physical health problems that prevent work, severe domestic…