Nationally certified school psychologists received case study material containing both relevant and irrelevant information for diagnosing a learning disability. The psychologists were asked to indicate the probability that the client was learning-disabled, their confidence in the diagnosis, and their decision-making strategy. Results indicate that…

A review of research since Ayers' (1972) report on sensory integration (SI) concludes that SI is not supported as an effective treatment for academic problems of children with learning disabilities. It is not clear whether SI is more effective than perceptual-motor approaches or maturation alone. (SK)

Fragile X Syndrome, a common inherited disorder involving a fragile site on the x-chromosome, results in significant speech and language problems and diminished cognitive/intellectual functioning. Improved accuracy of diagnosis and the strong heritability component means that schools increasingly will be faced with the issues involved in educating…

Administered Differential Ability Scales (DAS) to 83 children and adolescents with learning disabilities. Identified six subgroups: generalized, high functioning, normal, underachievement, borderline, and dyseidetic. Not all subgroups displayed expected discrepancy between intelligence and achievement associated with current definitions of…

This response to Stanovich (EC 607 092) considers the relationship between rationality and intelligence. It sees rationality as a relatively minor part of intelligence and proposes the concept of practical intelligence (or the lack thereof) as an alternative to Stanovich's concept of dysrationalia. (DB)

This paper responds to reactions to the proposal of a new learning disability, dysrationalia, by suggesting that alternative ideas of "practical intelligence" are equally inexact, that rationality must be defined broadly, and that epistemological relativism can be carried too far. (DB)

Administered Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised, Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Battery, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, and Wide Range Achievement Test to 934 learning-disabled students between ages 8 and 16. Principal-components analysis with varimax rotation indicated existence of seven factors: Verbal Reasoning, Academic…

Discusses the need for change in assessment procedures for students with mild or moderate handicaps, and makes recommendations for change. Suggests that ongoing holistic assessment that interacts with instruction is a vehicle by which teachers can discover what their students really know and document their actual progress. (RS)

Describes the use of computer-generated procedures designed to reduce inappropriate behavior and facilitate learning in the juvenile correctional educational setting. A step-by-step methodology and an extensive list of print, software, and thermographic resources are included to facilitate classroom implementation. (Author)

This article highlights the scientific contributions of nineteenth-century German researchers in describing neuropsychologic dysfunction and in conceptualizing and cerebrally localizing clinical syndromes associated with learning disabilities. Noted are contributions of Pierre Paul Broca, Carl Wernicke, Ludwig Lichtheim, Hugo Karl Liepmann, B.…

Employed naturalistic methods to investigate general education teachers' (n=26) willingness to reintegrate into their classrooms students with learning disabilities and whether student behavioral and academic data impact those attitudes. Found that teachers were initially unenthusiastic or neutral about reintegrating students into their classroom;…

Three papers present the positions of national organizations on full inclusion of students with learning disabilities in regular education classrooms, including the Learning Disabilities Association of America, Council for Learning Disabilities, and National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities. All three papers call for a continuum of…

Argues that ideology is a primary basis for definition in public discourse. Presents a case study of the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act to illustrate this. Examines and discusses three potential explanations for this ideology and its implications. (SC)

Describes the Cognitive Credit Card, an individualized approach to helping students with learning disabilities select and apply appropriate learning strategies. The CCC is a credit card-sized laminated set of cognitive or metacognitive cues for a specific topic. Feedback from students, teachers, and parents has been highly positive. (DB)

Examines WISC-III profiles for children with learning disabilities (LD; n=66) and non-LD children (n=51); degree of intersubtest scatter was normal and similar for both groups but the pattern of scores differed. Also examines children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Results reflect the difficulty of ruling out LD at a young age.…