Simultaneous auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) to click stimuli at 30 and 60 decibels were recorded from 16 full-term neonates with 4 different electrode arrays. Results indicated that ABR waveforms were morphologically similar to those recorded in adults. Waveform expression was variable with different electrode recording montages. (Author/DB)

A study used maternal- and child-health clinics covering 98% of the Norwegian population for screening pervasive developmental disorders. In the population of children ages 3-14 years, the minimum prevalence estimate for childhood autism was 4 to 5 per 10,000, and did not confirm the high estimates suggested more recently. (Author/CR)

A review of 32 epidemiological surveys of autism and pervasive developmental disorders found four surveys yielded estimates for childhood disintegrative disorder (CDD) ranging from 1.1 to 6.4 per 100,000. It is concluded that CDD is very rare and its prevalence is 60 times less than that of autistic disorder. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

This study compared students diagnosed with learning disabilities (n=2,053) and students without learning disabilities (n=2,200) on the Learning Disability Index (LDI). Subsamples of specific reading and math disabilities permitted further assessment. Analysis indicated the LDI resulted in a correct diagnostic decision only 55 to 64 percent of the…

This article offers a list of World Wide Web sites with general collections of resources on students with dual exceptionalities and also on sources of information on specific disabilities. (Contains 3 references.) (LC)

Reviews the history of the terms "impairment,""disability," and "handicap" in the stuttering literature and proposes alternate definitions that are more consistent with the use of the International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities, and Handicaps. A model is proposed for discussing the outcomes of various…

Recent years have seen a surge of interest in assessment instruments for diagnosing autism in children. Instruments have generally been developed and evaluated from a research perspective. The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Generic (ADOS-G), Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R), and Gilliam Autism Rating Scale (GARS) have received…

This paper reports on the development of a battery of phonological processing tasks to screen adults with dyslexia. Tasks examined reversed spoonerism, phonological choice, working memory, and vocabulary with confusable alternatives. All tasks showed high discrimination between adults with dyslexia and a control group. Tasks also correlated with…

Despite advancements in empirical studies of developmental dyslexia, progress on methods of dyslexia assessment have been hampered by ongoing debate concerning diverse issues such as the role and validity of IQ in the assessment process, labelling and definitions (Miles, 1994; Stanovich, 1991, 1992). With the emergence of cross-linguistic studies…

This article explores the issue of missing from and missing out on education. It argues that too little is known with regard to the characteristics of children and young people missing from schooling. It postulates that many of these pupils will have social, emotional and behavioural difficulties which are largely unrecognized and thus not…

This research note describes the design and testing of a device for unobtrusive, long-term ambulatory monitoring of voice use, named the Portable Vocal Accumulator (PVA). The PVA contains a digital signal processor for analyzing input from a neck-placed miniature accelerometer. During its development, accelerometer recordings were obtained from 99…

Ms. K. has attended ABE (Adult Basic Education) classes for almost one year and has had significant difficulty in making progress in reading. She has passed some of the GED tests, but has struggled with others due to having insufficient time to complete them. She currently works as a teacher's aide in a daycare center. Her goal is to pass the GED…

Students with fine motor problems can benefit from occupational therapy. Yet not all students receive the services because of a lack of teacher awareness about the problems and the services. This study aims to evaluate a workshop designed to improve teacher awareness about fine motor problems and occupational therapy. The study involved three…

We evaluated problem behavior exhibited by 6 individuals with developmental disabilities using the behavioral economic conceptualization of unit price. Descriptive observations were conducted during interactions between the participants and their primary care providers in a clinical laboratory, the participants' homes, or school. Data were…

This report has been provided to the Legislature on an annual basis since 2000 when the legislature amended the language of G.L. c.71B to align Massachusetts special education terminology with the federal "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act" ("IDEA"). The Department is required to submit an annual report on compliance…