This paper discusses the knowledge, skills and understandings of Foundation Stage teachers in relation to children's speech and language development. Results from a questionnaire to 294 teachers reveal limited initial and post qualification training. Teachers' knowledge of specific aspects of children's language revealed that key areas for…

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) firmly insists that performance analyses use disaggregated scores. Disaggregation, according to NCLB, involves measuring and reporting achievement for separate subgroups of children so that achievement problems in any one subgroup are not disguised when averaged or aggregated with higher achieving children in…

Before a child receives special education or related services, he or she must have an evaluation. The evaluation will help determine if a child needs special education. A parent or a member of the school staff may make the request for an evaluation. The child's parent must give consent in writing for the first evaluation. The evaluation will…

Interviews with 75 teenagers and young adults were performed to investigate how young people with dyslexia experienced school in terms of well-being, educational achievement, self-esteem, peer relations and belief in their future. Results from earlier studies suggest that secondary emotional problems are common. The first six grades in school were…

This paper provides a brief historical outline of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), its definition, its behavioral characteristics, and a guide to creating successful learning environments for these students. Diagnostic criteria for ADHD are listed and discussed, and incidence figures of 3 to 5 percent of all school-age children are…

In an effort to respond to Vermont teachers' and tutors' need for learning disabilities instruction, the Stern Center for Language and Learning developed a model program to teach adults with learning disabilities. The program included 12 hours of instruction presented over Vermont interactive television to over 100 adult basic education (ABE)…

The effects of broadening the definition of eligibility for services from the Washington State Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) are analyzed. Five different definitions are discussed. The existing definition includes: (1) "statutory conditions," which includes persons who are mentally retarded or have difficulty carrying out…

The purposes of this study were to: (1) identify the educational characteristics of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Undifferentiated Attention Deficit Disorder (UADD); and (2) to discuss the clinical implications of the current DSM-III-R diagnostic procedures of these disorders. Specifically, the differences in…

This booklet provides an overview of the causes, symptoms, and incidence of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and addresses the key features of OCD, including obsessions, compulsions, realizations of senselessness, resistance, and shame and secrecy. Research findings into the causes of OCD are reviewed which indicate that the brains of…

This paper reviews the characteristics and needs of students with high functioning autism. First, it lists 18 common characteristics of autism, then it stresses that autism is defined by the general pattern of characteristics. Next, it discusses how people with high functioning autism differ from those with autism. These differences include higher…

This consensus statement on early identification of hearing impairment in infants and young children was developed by a nonadvocate, non-Federal panel of 58 experts during a 3-day meeting in 1993. The panel concluded that: (1) all infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit should be screened for hearing loss prior to discharge; (2)…

This manual describes the screening procedures used to identify infants and children in need of further diagnosis and treatment for hearing loss in Minnesota. It is intended for use by Community Health Service agencies, school health programs, Head Start agencies, and voluntary agencies, and should be used as a post-training reference. Newborn…

This newsletter article describes early identification of children who have hearing impairments in Oregon. Oregon was selected to demonstrate a model system for early identification that had been developed in Utah. A new birth certificate was designed, which enabled the Oregon Health Division to screen for risk factors for hearing loss. A…

This paper describes the process of developmental assessment of infants and young children from a parent's perspective. The artificial and arbitrary nature of most assessments is bemoaned as failing to adequately recognize children's abilities that may be readily evident to parents in more natural settings. Assessments emphasizing children's…

This fact sheet summarizes basic information on Attention Deficit Disorders (ADD), including prevalence and characteristics, causes, identification, treatment, outcomes, and suggestions. Children with ADD comprise approximately 3-5 percent of the school age population, with boys significantly outnumbering girls. Of 14 characteristics of ADD, the…