This research commentary offers a rationale for focusing on individual students with learning disabilities (rather than teacher beliefs and behaviors or general achievement) in elementary grade cooperative learning settings. This focus resulted in the finding that many of these students were not having successful experiences and identified…

Compared two forms of word identification training to promote transfer of learning by dyslexic children. One program taught phonological analysis and blending skills and provided direct instruction of letter-sound correspondences; the other taught the acquisition, use, and monitoring of four metacognitive decoding strategies. Both approaches were…

Operation Breakthrough, in which graduate student interns teach life skills to adolescents with learning disabilities, provided an impetus for identifying a profile of learning and work habits necessary for production of an agile workforce. Agile learning for self-systems improvement calls for self-empowered learning, collaborative learning,…

This study compared perceived peer and teacher acceptance as well as self-esteem of 16 elementary students with learning disabilities (LD) who receive services in traditional resource rooms, 16 LD students taught in regular classrooms through collaborative consultation and cooperative teaching, and 16 regular education students. Results showed…

Comparison of eight-year-old children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (n=21), learning disorder (LD) (n=12), or both (n=27) on neuropsychological measures found that ADHD children were impaired in control and inhibition of impulses; children with LD in phonological awareness, verbal memory span, storytelling, and verbal IQ;…

Genetics, family dysfunction, separation/loss, learning disabilities, and lack of social support in school place adolescents at risk for depression. The article shares evidence that documents a link between structured cooperative learning and the resulting stronger social support relationships that evolve as peers help support, respect, and trust…

This study examined relations between disabled student services and career development centers (CDCs) at 92 postsecondary institutions offering services to students with learning disabilities (LD). Findings indicated that many students with LD are not accessing CDC services and that career development personnel have limited awareness of and…

Self-recording of success in meeting specific teacher expectancies during their school schedules by four middle school students with learning disabilities or behavioral disorders was found effective in increasing the percentage of teachers' expectancies exhibited. Maintenance was evidenced across students. Carrying schedules without self-recording…

This study, involving 30 elementary students with learning disabilities, found that students performed significantly better on mathematics tests given using a computer than by paper and pencil. It found no differences among variations of computer-assisted instruction, with either static or animated pictures and either utilizing or not utilizing a…

The effectiveness of Strategic Content Learning, an intervention model to promote self-regulated and strategic learning, was investigated. Six adults with learning disabilities chose a task of importance to current or future academic work and were provided individualized support on relevant tasks. Results indicated student gains in task…

This qualitative study used focus groups to explore student perspectives on family involvement in the transition from school to adult life. Four focus groups, including students with learning disabilities, emotional and behavioral disorders, and mild mental retardation, demonstrated the importance to students of family input and support.…

Describes the implementation and supports the effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral group counseling game, the Social Skills Game (Berg, 1989) in enhancing social skills, as measured by the Walker-McConnell Scale of Social Competence and School Adjustment, of third- to sixth-grade children with learning disabilities. (LKS)

Curriculum design principles developed by the National Center to Improve the Tools of Educators (NCITE) are recommended to evaluate and enhance basal reading programs for learning-disabled students. These principles provide a framework for fortifying instruction in ways that mediate difficulties that students encounter in phonological awareness,…

This response to five case studies and reactions to them finds agreement that special education in inclusive programs is, by design, no longer "special." It urges: (1) adding resources to strengthen the continuum of services; (2) special educators to join general educators to re-create schools; (3) instructional focus on individual needs; and (4)…

Reports a study of a gifted and a learning-disabled sixth grader and their constructions of and responses to their physical education teacher's grading practices. Interviews indicated they experienced similar emotional reactions to the physical education environment (frustration and disappointment over their grades and desire to eliminate grades…