Development of reading speed in Italian children with dyslexia was estimated using individualized growth curves for 38 children with dyslexia tested longitudinally from 2nd-8th grade and compared with controls. Their reading speed development followed a linear trend of .3 syllables per second per grade, half the increment observed in controls.…

This article provides information on the transcription of Spanish, common dialects of Spanish, Spanish-influenced English, and English-influenced Spanish. It emphasizes that by using appropriate transcription notation, speech-language pathologists will be aided in differentiating phonological variation from phonological disorder in individuals who…

This article discusses diagnostic overshadowing, a robust bias that negatively affects the accuracy of clinicians' judgments about concomitant mental illness in persons with mental retardation and mental illness. Reviewing 12 studies, it examined moderators of diagnostic overshadowing and found clinician's cognitive complexity negatively affects…

A study of 4,151 school districts found a clear association among ethnicity, gender, and mental retardation. Sociodemographic variables were also strongly associated with the proportion of students identified. A logistical regression model that included sociodemographic predictors was significantly better than models with gender and race alone.…

This article examines factors associated with the substantial under-identification, referral and service for students with emotional-behavioral adjustment problems (EBD). The validity of the EBD categorical certification is questioned. Disincentives to identification of behavior disorders are noted. It concludes that schools should abandon the EBD…

The conventional use of standardized testing within a discrepancy analysis model is reviewed. The Response-to-Intervention (RTI) process is explained, along with descriptions of assessment procedures within RTI: functional assessment, authentic assessment, curriculum-based measurement, and play-based assessment. Psychometric issues relevant to RTI…

Research has shown that people often do not claim labels associated with mental retardation or learning difficulties. We discussed the interpretation that this rejection is an example of a denial process, the purpose of which is to protect self-esteem. Alternative explanations for this lack of identification were offered, based on an understanding…

The recent influx of students with disabilities into postsecondary education has generated a concomitant increase in the demand for psychoeducational assessments that include a measure of cognitive ability, either to identify ability-achievement discrepancies or to rule out alternate or comorbid diagnoses. The most commonly recommended cognitive…

Urban school building administrators are aware of sociocultural dynamics that affect today's urban schools, but they seem to lack the will to make the necessary changes that could buttress programmatic stability and integrity. For some, the debate focuses on the issue of equity in the pursuit of educational excellence for all children. For others,…

Asperger's Syndrome (AS) is a relatively recent term in education and psychology and has gained more interest since it became a recognized exceptionality in the United States in 1994. It is classified with autism under the term "Pervasive Developmental Disorder" (PDD). The primary criteria for diagnosis include linguistic, social, and behavioral…

This final report describes activities and accomplishments of the Services for Children with Deaf-Blindness project, a 1-year federally supported project in Louisiana to improve identification and curriculum for these children by providing technical assistance and training to parents, school systems, and agency personnel. Project activities…

This study reviews literature concerning identification processes and appropriate learning strategies for gifted/learning disabled students. The literature review addresses current trends for identification and inclusion, student characteristics, and suggested placements. The analysis continues with an examination of the needs of a 17-year-old…

This report presents the December 1, 1995 special education data collected annually by the state of Maryland as part of the state's Special Services Information System. Information is compiled on special education students ages 3-21 in all 24 local education agencies and state operated programs. Definitions of key terms used to classify student…

Graphomotor output was assessed in children with attentional problems using the Repeated Patterns Test (RPT). Forty-eight subjects, ages 8 to 13, who met standard criteria for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), participated, of whom 24 had primarily Inattentive Type and 24 had Combined Type ADHD. Both groups had intact visuomotor…

This literature review, from 1990 to the present, discusses the characteristics of autism and the comorbidity of mental retardation and autism. Specific medical syndromes that complement the heterogeneity concept are described, including epilepsy, fragile X syndrome, Rett syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, and Asperger syndrome. The paper presents some…