On December 3, 2004, President Bush signed into law the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA, 2004). The revised law is different from the previous version in at least one important respect. Whereas practitioners were previously encouraged to use IQ-achievement discrepancy to identify children with learning disabilities…

This article presents an overview of some methods and results from our continuing studies of genetic and environmental influences on dyslexia, and on individual differences across the normal range that have been conducted over the past 25 years in the Colorado Learning Disabilities Research Center (CLDRC) and in related projects. CLDRC…

This article presents communication tools that general and special education teachers can use as they collaboratively plan for instruction and modifications for students with learning disabilities in inclusive settings. The first two tools are planning forms that describe the student as a learner; the third tool is a classroom information form…

Children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at increased risk of academic difficulties and special education placement (Barkley, 1998). One academic area, written expression, has received little research attention. This study assessed the effectiveness of a validated strategy instruction model--Self-Regulated Strategy…

This article describes a privately operated residential program called College Living Experience, a for-profit company, caters to a growing number of students with learning disabilities, Asperger's syndrome, and various emotional or behavioral disorders. The program has a team of full-time staff members helping students with their social and…

Practical and engaging, this book contains 21 case studies that help students apply curriculum theory to classroom reality. Each case is authored by an in-service teacher, reflecting on ways to improve instruction by making changes to various aspects of the curriculum. These real-life examples investigate up-to-date curricular issues ranging from…

This document updates "Accommodations: Assisting Students with Disabilities. A Guide for Educators," published by the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) in 2003. This document is written to assist school district personnel and parents when making decisions about the use of accommodations by students with disabilities in instructional…

One reason students give for attending a community college is that the mathematics requirements appear to be less rigorous. Many of the author's students have told her that they have chosen to seek an associate's degree first because they do not feel confident that they could successfully complete the mathematics requirement at a four-year…

This paper opposes the use of discrepancy formulas to identify students with learning disabilities (LD) and stresses the importance of clinical judgment by members of the multidisciplinary evaluation team (MDT). It presents the LD identification procedures required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, examines why formulas are not…

This study examined how 30 general education and 30 special education elementary grade teachers rated the importance of social skills to classroom success and positive relationships of children with learning disabilities, and also considered how teachers determine ratings of difficulty of acquisition of social skills by children with learning…

This study examined the concurrent validity and diagnostic efficiency of the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test (K-BIT) with 75 elementary and middle school students with learning disabilities, who had been referred for triennial multidisciplinary re-evaluations. High and significant correlations were found between the K-BIT and the Wechsler…

This theme issue for people working in the field of adult literacy focuses on the impact of learning disabilities (LD) on an adult's social skills. It explores various social, emotional, and daily living concerns which adults with learning disabilities may face. The following articles are included: (1) "Social Skills and Adults with Learning…

This brochure summarizes law, policy, and practice concerning inclusion policies for students with specific learning disabilities (LD). It summarizes requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act concerning the availability of a continuum of placement options and placement in the least…

A study examined the effects of positive teaching techniques, non-confrontational teacher attitudes, and a pleasant classroom environment on the self-esteem of special education students. The study examined 15 special needs high school students from low socio-economic backgrounds. The hypothesis was that the self-esteem of these students would not…

Although school counselors have more contact with children and adolescents than most other human service professionals, they are frequently left out of discussions on diagnostic coding. Ways in which school counselors can use the codes in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV (DSM-IV) are explored in this text. The book…