Acquiescence, the tendency to respond affirmatively regardless of the content of a question, was examined in 57 mentally retarded children (11 to 17 years old) and 91 nonretarded children (3 to 8 years old). Embedded within the standard interview schedule for both samples were two pairs of oppositely worded questions on the same topic.…

The presentation reviews the empirical data concerning the existence and types of language problems experienced by learning disabled (LD) and reading disabled (RD) children. An introductory section provides criteria for classification as LD in research samples and a discussion of research data sources in the field of language assessment. Section…

A detailed explicit definition of learning disability (LD) is presented in terms of the diagnostic procedures and decision points used in identifying that category among a group of juvenile delinquent and control group adolescent males. The described procedures include a review of existing records, interviews, and diagnostic assessments.…

This report describes the development of a computer based system designed to train electronic troubleshooting procedures. The ACTS uses artificial intelligence techniques to develop models of student and expert troubleshooting behavior as they solve a series of troubleshooting problems on the system. Comparisons of the student and expert models…

The practice and interpretation of intelligence testing of educable retarded and learning disabled children is examined in this report. The current and future state of intelligence testing is discussed in terms of its predictive, diagnostic, and remedial functions. The first section places a consideration of individual testing formats within a…

The 27 papers in this collection (26 of which were presented at the conference) are organized according to the eight topical sessions: (1) Improving Ability Measurement Using Different Item Formats, (2) Alternative Models for Adaptive Testing, (3) Psychological and Subgroup Effects, (4) Performance Testing by Interactive Simulation, (5)…

Measurements of various parameters derived from different reaction time (RT) paradigms are found to be correlated with psychometric measurements of general mental ability. Such RT-derived measurements, when combined in a multiple regression equation, predict some 50 percent or more of the variance in intelligence. This relationship of intelligence…

The psychological testing of blacks and other minorities inflicts dehumanization upon them by subjecting them to culturally-biased examinations. These tests are defended on "scientific" grounds, although it is evident that they are simply a form of institutionalized racism. Standardized tests of intelligence reflect a middle-class white bias that…

Large numbers of black children are being inappropriately labeled as handicapped. One study in California has shown that as many as 75% of the minority students in public school programs for the educable mentally retarded were not, in fact, retarded. In many instances a student's behavior, rather than pure academic performance, was the primary…

This paper studies the relationship of artificial intelligence (AI) to the study of language and the representation of the underlying knowledge that supports the comprehension process. It develops the view that intelligence is based on the ability to use large amounts of diverse kinds of knowledge in procedural ways, rather than on the possession…

An information-processing assessment of the construct validity of aptitude tests is presented. It is stated that aptitude tests have been rather successful because they possess high construct validity, although the constructs in terms of which the tests may be most profitably understood are information-processing rather than psychometric ones. It…

A 21-item measure of pre-school children's "self-concept as a learner," known as the Behavioral Descriptor Scale, was developed and evaluated. The child's teacher and an assistant were required to complete the scale for the child at two different times. Satisfactory levels of reliability were gained for each scale item. Test-retest…

Regression lines for the prediction of Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT) standard scores by Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale scores were compared across race for matched groups of 60 black and 60 white children selected from among a large number of children who had been referred for psychological services by their classroom teachers. The white…

Fluid intelligence (Gf) is a general relation-perceiving capacity determined by each person's cortical, neurological connection count development. Its processes are involved in reasoning, concept formation and problem-solving, where acculturation has little effect. Crystallized intelligence (Gc) manifests knowledge and general comprehension,…

A RELIABLE NORMATIVE TEST COVERING A SAMPLE OF TEACHING SKILLS IN READING INSTRUCTION FOR GRADES 2-5 WAS CONSTRUCTED AND VALIDATED. THE HYPOTHESIS WAS MADE THAT TEACHERS BECOME MORE SKILLFUL IN SOLVING TEACHING PROBLEMS AS THEY GAIN EXPERIENCE. IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT A VALID TEST OF TEACHER SKILLS IN READING SHOULD THEREFORE REFLECT THIS PROCESS.…