The effectiveness of a self-instructional procedure in improving and maintaining the letter-formation skills of three students (10.4 to 11.7 years old) who were learning disabled and had handwriting deficiencies was investigated. (SW)

Cluster analysis of IQ and achievement test scores using the Jastak Assessment System, an approach purporting to derive behavioral descriptors of personality domains, was performed for 24 learning disabled and mildly retarded 7-to 17-year-olds. Disagreements between teacher and JAS ratings ranged from 37 percent - 71 percent for the clusters.…

A teacher describes the value of making home visits to her learning disabled students. She cites the positive aspects, including the student's anticipation of and preparation for the visit, the buildup of trust, and the chance to communicate with the student's family. (CL)

Ten children's books portraying positive images of learning disabled children are listed and procedures for facilitating discussion of the books with the entire class are outlined. (CL)

The authors of the Weller-Strawser Scales of Adaptive Behavior (WSSAB) review a study showing that learning disabled students over age eight were aware of their own adaptive strengths and weaknesses. They suggest that allowing students to complete the WSSAB provides teachers with valid data and students with self-awareness. (CL)

Examples are given of ways in which elementary teachers can develop art appreciation among their learning disabled students. Activities described are based on techniques of M. Montessori and involve labeling pictures, building an art appreciation vocabulary, and going on a museum trip. (CL)

Various vocational alternatives available to adolescent and young adult learning disabled persons are examined, along with suitable intervention strategies which may be utilized by the vocational rehabilitation counselor. (Author/MC)

A neurological exam was administered in 119 learning-disabled children and 152 controls and a Neuroimmaturity Index (NI) was constructed. Neuroimmaturity decreased significantly with age, and after controlling for age and sex, there was statistically significant differences in NI between the learning-disabled and controls. Patterns of disability…

After receiving varying combinations of positive and negative communications on reading achievement, classroom behavior, and learning style from a "resource teacher" on a 12-year-old boy identified as learning disabled, 129 classroom teachers completed the "Regular Educator Expectancy Scale-Revised." Results confirmed…

In three experiments on auditory free recall of words, involving 10 learning disabled (LD) and 10 nondisabled (ND) elementary students, the ND recalled more low and high cognitive effort words than LD students. Supports the hypothesis that ND and LD readers differ in processing capacity; however, cognitive effort improves results. (Authors)

Students may copy words while being incapable of communicating through writing, a deficiency which may be identified using three techniques for analyzing generative writing samples: (1) interpretation of cluster errors, (2) differentiation of linguistic disability from symptomatic frustration, and (3) use of word restoration exercises. Samples of…

Sentence-combining exercises, which require students to combine simple sentences in any way they wish, have helped learning disabled elementary children improve skills in writing, reading, and spelling. The exercises are flexible, motivating, and simple to design. (CL)

The article presents an assessment system and specific techniques appropriate for the classification and programing of mentally retarded, learning disabled, and emotionally disturbed students. Factors to be integrated in assessment are considered, sequencing aspects are noted, and suggestions are given for choosing asessment instruments. (CL)

A review of several studies on the effects of computer assisted instruction with learning disabled students is followed by a description of one school's experiences with software that requires little computer knowledge by the teacher yet allows for individualization of spelling and vocabulary drills and exercises. (CL)

When a contingent imitation and modeling procedure was used with a learning disabled eight-year-old, results indicated significant improvement in the number of correctly spelled words. On a transfer test, performance was slightly improved over pretest performance. However, analysis of error quality revealed substantial improvement in ability.…