Eleven fifth- and sixth-grade learning-disabled students composed and revised stories using handwriting, dictation, and word processing. Dictated stories differed from other formats on product measures such as length, quality, and grammatical errors. Differences between handwritten and word-processed stories were found on the process measures of…

Mothers of learning-disabled (N=15) and normally achieving (N=16) elementary-school boys administered an academic task to their children, and mothers' expectations and attributions for their sons' performance were assessed. Mothers of learning disabled pupils held lower performance expectations, provided more negative nonverbal responses, and more…

The paper details teaching methods that have proved successful in teaching money management skills to secondary special education students (e.g., use of real money, organization of money before counting, transitions when counting different bill denominations, instruction in various bill combinations, sequence of introducing coin combinations, and…

Understanding learning strategies used by gifted students can help teachers improve effectiveness in all learners. Six traits common among the gifted and modifiable in students with learning difficulties include (1) superior concentration skills; (2) field independence; (3) reflection; (4) internal locus of control; (5) active learning; and (6)…

Communication breakdowns occurring in the speech of seven language learning-disabled children (aged 9-11) were examined in conversation and narration and compared to normal peers. Length of communication unit and rate of communication breakdowns per communication unit were greater in narration than conversation compared to controls. No differences…

Guidelines for effectively integrating learning-disabled or behavior problem students into regular classrooms are discussed. They include meetings between regular and special education teachers, class rules, discipline, clear directions, individualized instruction, direct instruction for skill acquisition, peer tutoring, structured activities,…

A social skills curriculum for learning disabled students involves assessing strengths and weaknesses, choosing target skills, and teaching target skills. In the area of nonverbal communication, suggested activities can help students understand facial expressions, gestures, and vocal intonation. Opportunities should be provided to practice new…

The study analyzed oral reading miscues in both first and second reading languages of 20 Hispanic successful and 20 learning disabled readers in the intermediate grades. Significant differences were found for English reading in grammatical relationships, comprehension, and grammatical function. (Author/DB)

A program was developed for a 14-year-old learning disabled student with severe discipline and absenteeism problems who was enrolled in a rural elementary school. He successfully earned points toward rewards for appropriate behavior while working in the mainstream classes, in the resource room, with younger children, and in the office. (VW)

Concept of "special education" focuses on schools' duty to develop programs that include and educate even the most difficult of the disabled. The concept of "school failure" puts the responsibility on the students, excluding them, though they also have a "disability.""Zero reject" concept, which includes all students, is recommended. (PS)

Suggestions for successfully teaching severely reading disabled adolescents are presented in terms of: preparing for instruction (analyze students' instructional and achievement histories, identify current reading demands); providing direct instruction (solicit active student involvement, individualize instructional activities); and monitoring…

Briefly outlines the National Research Council's 1979 study of minority student representation in special education classes. Outlines results from recent study analyzing the ethnic make-up of children labeled "learning disabled" in a large school district in Texas. Results indicate that a disproportionate number of minority students are…

Sampled high school students (N=192) to determine whether the Self-Directed Search (SDS) and Self-Directed Search-Form Easy (SDS-E) are alternate forms for learning-disabled high school students. Found initial evidence that the SDS-E may be more appropriate than is the SDS for use with learning disabled high school students. (Author/ABB)

Describes a metacognitive strategy that has shown the ability to improve the reading comprehension of poor readers and learning disabled adolescents. (FL)

Two case studies involving preschool children with developmental learning disabilities (one with nystagmus and one with a hearing impairment) point to the need for appropriate ability as well as disability identification and assessment procedures (both had been diagnosed as mentally retarded) the potential of early diagnosis and intervention for…