This study reports clinical characteristics of developmental right-hemisphere syndrome, a nonverbal learning disability, in 20 children (mean age 9.5 years) who also manifested attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, graphomotor problems, and slow performance. Diagnostic criteria included emotional and interpersonal difficulties, paralinguistic…

Analysis of the personal narrative of an adolescent labeled as learning disabled finds that her discourse conforms to linguistic expectations deemed acceptable in school and identifies themes of personal experience associated with isolation, undervaluing, and oppression. The narrative structure was reminiscent of the oral tradition. Giving voice…

This qualitative study analyzed unstructured, open-ended interviews with 11 children in grades 1 through 6 identified as having specific learning disabilities. Analysis suggested that the children fabricated stories about where they went during resource time, not being able to read, and being called names and feeling bad about themselves.…

This study reviews research indicating that specific instruction in reading comprehension strategies is effective in improving comprehension for students, including those with learning disabilities. The reading strategies of highly competent readers are identified, and effective application of transactional strategies instruction with weak…

This article describes a highly structured approach for improving the revising skills of students with learning disabilities that combines peer response, strategy instruction, and word processing. The strategy guides students in both the social and cognitive aspects of response and revision. Two studies demonstrating the effectiveness of the…

This article describes the Reading Strategies Program, which teaches decoding skills to primary-level students with learning disabilities with a methodology intended to teach children to apply the skills to literature. Cognitive strategies also are used to apply comprehension skills to the material and to write about the material read. (JDD)

This article examines the history of transition policy and legislation, current postsecondary outcome experiences, and transition planning services to improve outcomes for youths with learning disabilities. The article concludes that the key catalyst of any transition program lies in thorough and ongoing assessment of individual needs, strengths,…

Results from a study involving 32 learning-disabled, 17 gifted, and 14 normally achieving students from grades 4 and 5 support the idea that learning-disabled children's problem-solving performance reflects a weak integration of metacognitive skills with online processing and problem solution. (SLD)

Social competence of 239 students with and without learning disabilities (LD) was followed from kindergarten through fifth grade. Students with LD demonstrated the same trends in social competence as non-LD students. Students with LD differed significantly from average-high-achieving non-LD students on social skills and behavior problems, but not…

This study investigated effects of speech synthesis on proofreading efficiency among 33 postsecondary students with learning disabilities. Using a speech synthesis system enabled subjects to detect a significantly higher percentage of errors, though having text read aloud by another person remained the most effective way to find…

University students with learning disabilities (n=29) wrote essays either without assistance, using human transcribers, or using a speech recognition system. Students received significantly higher holistic scores using speech recognition than without assistance; text analysis suggests speech recognition may have encouraged the use of longer words.…

Consistent evidence relates insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) to lower intellectual functioning in children, although performance is still in the average range. Children with IDDM have received specialized classroom assistance at school. Boys with diabetes appear at greater risk for learning problems than girls. Evidence suggests both…

Discusses ways that teachers can create an interest in reading among students with reading difficulties and how they can attend to these students' low self-esteem. Provides seven guidelines for building supportive environments in which disabled readers develop reading enjoyment and maintain good self-concept. (HB)

The author of EC 608 658 reflects on her interest in the social life of students with learning disabilities, the relationship of her study to other studies on social behavior and self-concept, the finding that students with learning disabilities attribute both internal and external factors for successful outcomes, and the importance of attribution…

Discusses the characteristics of learning disabilities in the areas of coordination, language, attention, and perception, and explains how the Montessori method can be used to educate young children with these disabilities. The method relies on a developmental approach that ensures the child a wholesome environment in which to thrive. (MDM)