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The present study investigated the effects of using an assistive software homophone tool on the assisted proofreading performance and unassisted basic skills of secondary-level students with reading difficulties. Students aged 13 to 15 years proofread passages for homophonic errors under three conditions: with the homophone tool, with homophones highlighted only, or with no help. The group using the homophone tool significantly outperformed the other two groups on assisted proofreading and outperformed the others on unassisted spelling, although not significantly. Remedial (unassisted) improvements in automaticity of word recognition, homophone proofreading, and basic reading were found over all groups. Results elucidate the differential contributions of each function of the homophone tool and suggest that with the proper training, assistive software can help not only students with diagnosed disabilities but also those with generally weak reading skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the consequences of classifying postsecondary students as learning disabled (LD) using five objective sets of criteria: IQ-achievement discrepancies (1.0 to 1.49 SD, 1.5 to 1.99 SD, and ≥ 2.0 SD), DSM-IV criteria, and chronic educational impairment beginning in childhood. The participants were 378 postsecondary students from two universities who had been previously classified as LD and were receiving instructional and/or testing accommodations. The agreement between diagnostic models was often low, both in terms of the proportion of students identified as well as which students were identified by the models. The discrepancy models identified the largest proportions of students as LD (10% to 42%), whereas fewer than 10% of participants met either of the other sets of criteria, and 55% of the participants were not classified as LD by any of the models. Implications for further research and practices in postsecondary settings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a snapshot of how all 50 states are progressing with the development and implementation of response-to-intervention (RtI) models 1 year after the final regulations for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act were passed. Data were collected through a review of existing state department of education Web sites and conversations with representatives in each state department of education. Information related to RtI model type, implementation status, professional development, criteria for eligibility, and specific features of individual state RtI models are presented. Findings indicate that most states are in some phase of RtI development, although approaches vary widely throughout the country. Implications for research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analogical reasoning—perceiving similarities in different situations and the transfer of such information—facilitates learning and understanding. However, children with learning disabilities (LD) typically demonstrate deficits in such information processing strategies. In this study, we investigated the analogical problem-solving differences between children with verbal learning disabilities (VLD), nonverbal learning disabilities (NLD), or non-LD. Results indicated better recall of component stories by children without disabilities but no significant differences between the NLD and VLD participants. However, the success rate for target problem solving was much lower for the NLD group than for the VLD and non-LD groups. The poor performance of the NLD children may be attributed to some of their characteristic weaknesses, critical for analogical problem solving. Yet the VLD group was significantly weaker in recall than the non-LD group, but this did not hamper their analogical problem-solving abilities. These findings confirm that analogical thinking requires more than memory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study used qualitative methodology to investigate the self-efficacy beliefs of early adolescents with learning disabilities (LD). We conducted a series of focus group interviews with 28 Grade 8 and 9 students with LD and individual interviews with 7 specialist LD teachers. Content analyses of the student and teacher data resulted in 2 a priori and 3 inductive themes: self-efficacy, calibration and levels of self-efficacy, students' self-awareness, attributions for failure, and problems and solutions. The students viewed themselves as low in self-efficacy and generally accurate in the calibration of their efficacy and performance, whereas the teachers viewed the students as overconfident about academic tasks. In contrast to the teachers, the students viewed verbal persuasion as a valued source of self efficacy. Students attributed their failures to lack of effort, whereas their teachers attributed student failure to uncontrollable deficits. Problems and solutions related to student motivation were discussed from student and teacher perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the potential for computer-assisted instruction (CAI) to enhance number combination skill among children with concurrent risk for math disability and reading disability. A secondary purpose was to examine the effects of CAI on spelling. At-risk students were assigned randomly to math or spelling CAI, which they received in 50 sessions over 18 weeks. Acquisition and transfer effects were assessed. The results indicated that math CAI was effective in promoting addition but not subtraction number combination skill and that transfer to arithmetic story problems did not occur. Spelling CAI effects were reliable on acquisition and transfer spelling measures, with small to moderate effect sizes on transfer to reading measures. These results provide the basis for additional work with larger samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through multiple logistic regression modeling, this article explores the relative importance of risk and protective factors associated with learning disabilities (LD). A representative national sample of 6- to 17-year-old students (N = 1,268) was drawn by random stratification and classified by the presence versus absence of LD in reading, spelling, and mathematics according to ability-achievement discrepancies or low achievement levels. The dichotomous classifications were regressed on sets of explanatory variables indicating potential biological, social-environmental, and cognitive factors, problem behavior, and classroom learning behavior. Modeling revealed patterns of high risk for male students and students evincing verbal and nonverbal ability problems and processing speed problems. It was shown that, absent controls for cognitive abilities (such as provided by the ability-achievement discrepancy definition), definitions keyed to low achievement will substantially overidentify ethnic minority and disadvantaged students and will be confounded by significantly higher proportions of students who display oppositional and aggressive behavior problems. Alternatively, good learning behaviors uniformly provide substantial reduction in the risk for LD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined how strongly motivation, metacognition, and psychopathology acted as predictors of learning disabilities (LD). The results from five studies suggested that level of motivation (as shown through self-efficacy, motivational force, task avoidance, goal commitment, or self-concept) was highly accurate in classifying students with or at risk for LD. Metacognition and psychopathology were also strong predictors. Classification accuracy using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves ranged between 77% and 96%. These rates were much higher than the chance-level (i.e., 50%–55%) rates sometimes yielded by cognitive indices. Linear discriminant function (LDF) analysis substantiated classification accuracy. These results suggest that motivation, metacognition, and psychopathology are strong predictors of LD. Understanding the influence of these characteristics may help researchers and practitioners more accurately screen and treat students with LD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the operationalization of one of the key reforms initiated by the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 (U.S. Congress, 1975) and continued through the 2004 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (U.S. Congress, 2004)—namely, nondiscriminatory assessment. The original and current specifications in federal law require that tests be selected and administered so as not to be racially, culturally, or sexually discriminatory. The specific dimensions studied here pertain to the nondiscriminatory diagnosis of learning disabilities (LD) in English learners. A checklist of legal and professional guidelines for making assessments of English learners was used to evaluate 19 psychological reports made on English learners as part of the assessment process for special education eligibility in a small, urban elementary school district in California. The results of this study present a fairly compelling profile of how the writers of psychological reports—school psychologists—do not use extant legal or professional guidelines for making nondiscriminatory assessments of bilingual children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal stress was assessed in mothers of children ages 8 to 11 years with learning disorders (LD). Age-, gender-, and IQ-matched children with reading disorders (RD; n = 31), children with nonverbal learning disorders (NVLD; n = 21), and typically developing control participants (n = 23) participated. Mothers of children with LD reported higher levels of stress, although the specific nature of the stress appeared to vary by disorder subtype: Mothers of children with RD reported higher levels of general distress, whereas mothers of children with NVLD reported higher levels of dysfunctional interactions with their child. The severity of the LD was strongly associated with maternal stress in the sample of children with NVLD but not in the sample of children with RD. In the sample of children with NVLD, the best predictors of maternal stress were 2 variables associated with the child: The lower the child's Performance IQ, the higher the level of maternal stress. Furthermore, the level of the child's internalizing symptoms was also a strong predictor of maternal stress in the sample of children with NVLD. In our sample of children with RD, the 3 best predictors were all variables associated with the mother, including her age, her level of reported psychiatric symptoms, and her overall level of social support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the fourth session of the National Research Center on Learning Disabilities Responsiveness-to-Intervention Symposium in 2003, Good, Vellutino, and Torgesen presented papers that addressed the question, "How should unresponsiveness to secondary intervention be operationalized in an RTI approach to LD identification?" In this commentary, I highlight important areas in which ideas converge across the three presentations. I argue that it will be important, as the field begins to grapple with a definition of "unresponsiveness" to secondary intervention, that we also specify who should get the intervention, what the intervention should consist of, when the intervention should occur, how long the intervention should last, and by whom the intervention should be applied. Only then can we accurately assess the merits of competing definitions of unresponsiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three studies compared 98 children with spina bifida myelomeningocele (SBM)—a disorder associated with high rates of math disability and spatial deficits—to 94 typically developing children on multidigit subtraction and cognitive addition tasks. Children with SBM were classified into those with reading decoding and math disability, only math disability, and no reading or math disability Study 1 showed that visual-spatial errors in multidigit arithmetic were not elevated in children with SBM. In Study 2, deficits in accuracy, speed, and strategy-use in single-digit addition characterized groups with math disability regardless of reading status. Accuracy and speed on single-digit addition was strongly related to performance on multidigit subtraction. A math-level matching design in Study 3 revealed less mastery of math facts by the group with SBM. The results are discussed with reference to cognitive and neuropsychological models of math disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuing unresolved problems in the field of special education include the continued use of discrepancy models; the need for better identification models; continued debate over programmatic issues, ranging from inclusion to self-contained models; and the continued overrepresentation of certain ethnic and racial groups in the learning disabilities (LD) category. This article focuses on students with mild learning disorders in general, and LD in particular, providing a perspective on how this problem has been addressed and suggesting a multilevel approach in which local context plays a central role. We suggest that overrepresentation is best conceptualized as an indicator of underlying issues rather than as the proper focal point of remediation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The final session of the National Research Center on Learning Disabilities (NRCLD) Responsiveness-to-Intervention (RTI) Symposium, "What are alternative models to LD identification other than RTI?" included four papers that discussed concerns over the exclusive reliance on an RTI approach to learning disability identification, considerations for analyzing proposed LD identification models, and various alternatives to LD identification. The work of the participating panelists is summarized in this discussant paper, and next steps for the NRCLD in light of these presentations are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper I comment on recent recommendations that students' responsiveness to instruction (RTI) provides a basis for identification of students as learning disabled. I repeat an earlier argument (Gerber & Semmel, 1985) that teachers embedded in schools are naturally variable in their capacity to respond to differences in students' response to instruction. This fact continues to be the only logical empirical foundation for the construct of learning disability. I describe a theoretical model of instructional tolerance that indicates why standardized protocol RTI strategies, specifically, cannot be achieved at desirable scale without incurring enormous costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, I discuss the 11 diverse responses to Reid and Valle's work on the discursive practice of learning disabilities (LD), implications for instruction, and parent-school relations. I highlight key ideas from each article and then focus on three common areas of interest shared by most respondents: the unacceptable status quo of schooling practices; desired changes in schooling practices; and knowledge production in the field of special education and its relation to schooling practices. In light of the many issues raised, I urge the need for a reflective turn in the field of LD and for openness toward diversification of thought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study explored the double-deficit hypothesis (DDH) in a sample of 146 college students with and without reading disabilities (RD). The results indicated that although both phonological awareness (PA) and visual naming speed (VNS) contributed to performance on measures of decoding and comprehension, their relative contribution was influenced both by the nature of the stimulus (word vs. nonword vs. text) and by the conditions of the task (timed vs. untimed). Similar results were obtained using an individual differences approach, or when between-group comparisons were made of individuals with deficits in PAor VNS. The relative representation of DDH subgroups in groups of adults with RD varied based on the classification criteria used to define RD. These results support the DDH, extend its applicability to adults, and have implications for diagnostic decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescents with word-reading skills below grade level were randomly assigned to one of three conditions. Those receiving interventions practiced reading 100 multisyllabic words, either by analyzing graphosyllabic units in the words or by reading the words as unanalyzed wholes. The third group received no special instruction. Posttests revealed that graphosyllabic instruction helped students to decode novel words, remember how to read words with practice, and remember the spellings of words when compared to controls. In contrast, whole-word instruction yielded no benefit on transfer tasks compared to controls. Effects were observed primarily among adolescents reading at a third-grade--equivalent level and less so at a fourth- and fifth-grade--equivalent level. Results are consistent with a connec-tionist view of word learning and indicate the importance of providing struggling readers with instruction and practice in how to fully analyze the graphosyllabic constituents of words. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in the United States and the Canadian Chartre of Rights and Freedoms, there is a new work environment for individuals with learning disabilities (LD) in North America. This qualitative study sought to compare the employment experiences of 25 U.S. adults with LD and 24 Canadian adults with LD. Areas of comparison were job getting, experiences on the job, and job advancement. Remarkably, the U.S. and Canadian adults with LD had nearly the same employment experiences. In essence, each set of data mirrored the other despite marked differences in U.S. and Canadian federal disability legislation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This replication study examined whether 158 college students classified as learning disabled (LD) who were granted course substitutions for the foreign language (FL) requirement would display significant cognitive and academic achievement differences when grouped by levels of IQ-achievement and achievement-achievement discrepancy and by level of performance on an FL aptitude test (Modern Language Aptitude Test; MLAT), phonological/orthographic processing measures, and in FL courses. The results showed that there were few differences among groups with differing levels of IQ-achievement or achievement-achievement discrepancy (i.e., < 1.0SD, 1.0–1.49SD, and > 1.50SD) on MLAT and American College Testing (ACT) scores, graduating grade point average (GPA), or college FL GPA. The results also showed that between groups who scored at or above versus below the 15th percentile (i.e., < 1.0SD) on the MLAT, there were no differences on measures of graduating GPA, college FL GPA, native language skill, ACT score, and Verbal IQ. Demographic findings showed that 44% of these petition students met a minimum IQ-achievement discrepancy criterion (≥ 1.0 SD) for classification as LD. These findings suggest that many traditional assumptions about LD and FL learning are likely to be false. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A clinic-referred sample of 109 children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was followed into adolescence for the ascertainment of alcohol and other drug use and abuse. Learning disability (reading or math) in childhood was examined as a predictor of adolescent substance use and substance use disorder for alcohol and marijuana. No statistically significant group differences for children with LD versus those without LD emerged even after using different methods to compute LD. IQ/achievement discrepancy scores were similarly not predictive of later use or abuse. However, children with ADHD who had higher IQs and higher levels of academic achievement in childhood were more likely to try cigarettes, to smoke daily, and to have their first drink of alcohol or first cigarette at an early age. Children with ADHD who had higher reading achievement scores were less likely to have later alcohol use disorder. Although these findings are necessarily preliminary, due to the small number of children interviewed, the pattern of results suggests that level of cognitive functioning-rather than discrepancy between IQ and achievement-is important for the prediction of later substance use and abuse, at least in this clinic-referred sample of children with ADHD. Further, different mechanisms of risk related to cognitive functioning may be operating for experimentation with legal drugs such as alcohol and tobacco, regular cigarette smoking, and problematic alcohol use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tests the hypothesis that children referred for evaluation of learning problems who have obtained scores on standardized tests of achievement will show neuropsychological profiles that are comparable to those of children who obtain scores below the normal range for age. Problem of strategy for identifying children with learning disabilities.

This article summarizes single-subject-design intervention studies that include students with learning disabilities. Effect sizes of 85 studies were analyzed across instructional domains (e.g., reading, mathematics); sample characteristics (e.g., age, intelligence); intervention parameters (e.g., number of instructional sessions, instructional components); and methodological procedures (e.g., internal validity, treatment integrity, sample representation). The major findings were as follows: (a) All domain areas except handwriting yielded effect sizes at or above Cohen's .80 threshold for a substantial finding; (b) instructional components related to drill-repetition-practice-review, segmentation, small interactive groups, and the implementation of cues to use strategies contributed significant variance (15%) to estimates of effect size; (c) strategy instruction (SI) models better predicted effect size estimates than direct instruction (DI) models when the results were qualified by the reported intellectual and reading levels of the participants; (d) high-IQ discrepancy groups yielded lower effect sizes compared to low-IQ discrepancy groups in the domain of reading, whereas the reverse effect occurred when treatment outcomes were not reading measures; and (e) the low-IQ discrepancy groups yielded higher effect sizes for a Combined DI and SI Model when compared to competing models. The results are supportive of the pervasive influence of cognitive strategy and direct instruction models across treatment domains and of the notion that variations in sample definition moderate treatment outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing research on the instructional accommodation process of college students with learning disabilities focuses on attitudes and theoretical models without delineating actual practices. To date, the discussion of facilitating factors and barriers to this process has been broad and lacking specificity. Surveys were mailed to 485 faculty members at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, who received an instructional accommodation form from the office of Learning Disabilities Support Services in the fall of 1995. The survey focused on faculty members' reported degree of ease or difficulty in implementing instructional accommodations, their perceptions regarding adequacy of support, and their own beliefs and understandings concerning the need for and benefit of providing instructional accommodations. The results indicate that beliefs about the helpfulness of and need for instructional accommodations were associated with the provision of the accommodations. Also, a perception of support from the University influenced the ease of providing instructional accommodations. A significant difference was found between the behavior of tenure-track faculty and non-tenure-track faculty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine current practices in the use of psychoeducational evaluations for service delivery, we surveyed 91 service providers to college students with learning disabilities. The three purposes of the survey were to determine (a) whether service delivery decisions are based on information from psychoeducational evaluations, (b) which sections of the psychoeducational report are most useful in making service delivery decisions, and (c) the respondents' satisfaction with the tests and measurements for service delivery. The findings supported the common belief that data from psychoeducational evaluations serve as the primary basis for both eligibility and specific accommodation determinations. Respondents reported that all sections of the psychoeducational evaluation written report were useful, with the least useful section being test scores and the most useful being the summary of cognitive strengths and weaknesses. However, the section used most often for service delivery decisions was the professional's recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Definition of terms and the selection criteria for operationalizing the standard of disability are critical to accessing accommodations. The purpose of this article was to examine the research surrounding definitions and selection criteria for learning disabilities and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder at the postsecondary level. Implications from and for the courts follow a critical analysis of the professional literature. The need for researchers to utilize theory-based models to investigate the multivariate relationships between and within constructs underlying current definitions and eligibility criteria is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to determine whether students classified as learning disabled (LD) who were permitted to substitute courses for the college foreign language (FL) requirement at one university would display significant cognitive and academic achievement differences when grouped by level of discrepancy between IQ and achievement, by discrepancy between achievement according to different measures, and by level of performance on phonological--orthographic processing measures, on the Modern Language Aptitude Test (MLAT), and in FL courses. Results showed that there were no differences among students with different levels of discrepancy (i.e., < 1.0 SD, 1.0-1.49 SD, and > 1.50 SD) on MLAT and American College Testing (ACT) scores, graduating grade point average (GPA) or college FL GPA. Results also showed that among students who scored below versus at or above the 25th percentile on phonological-orthographic processing measures, there were no differences on measures of IQ, ACT, MLAT, and GPA, as well as most measures of academic achievement. Implications for the use of the LD label to grant FL course substitutions or waivers, use of the MLAT in the diagnostic and course substitution/waiver process, and the validity and reliability of traditional criteria for the classification as LD are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we compared the cognitive, academic achievement, and demographic profiles of 46 students from one university who had been classified as learning disabled (LD) and had received permission to substitute courses for the university's foreign language (FL) requirement (petition group) with the profiles of 21 students from the same university who had been classified as LD and had fulfilled the university's FL requirement by passing FL courses (nonpetition group). Results showed no significant differences between the two groups on measures of reading, mathematics, written language, American College Testing score, and graduating grade point average when IQ was used as a covariate. More petition than nonpetition students had at least a 1.0 SD discrepancy between IQ and achievement and had been referred only for FL learning problems. More nonpetition than petition students had taken an FL in college and received accommodations in the FL. The two groups together appeared to constitute a heterogeneous group of learners, with more than half failing to meet a minimum discrepancy criterion for classification as LD. The discussion addresses the classification system for LD, the process for determining the presence of FL learning problems and how to address them, and directions for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A national longitudinal database was used to compare the aspirations and attainment of individuals with and without learning disabilities (LD) 2 years after high school completion. Analyses revealed that individuals with LD reported lower graduation rates, were more likely to aspire to moderate- (men) or low-prestige (women) occupations, and were more likely to be employed and less likely to be enrolled in some type of postsecondary education program than their nondisabled peers. High educational aspirations in Grade 12 and successful completion of an academic or college-prep high school program were equally important in predicting 2-year postsecondary status for adolescents enrolled in postsecondary education regardless of disability status. However, depending on disability status, different predictors were identified for individuals who were either employed or out of the workforce. These results point to a continued need for transition planning and support for young adults with LD and suggest ways in which professionals can anticipate and adjust for identified differences in aspirations and postsecondary attainment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the settlement between National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the United States Department of Justice over issues relating to the eligibility of high school students with learning disabilities and their participation in college freshman athletics. Major criteria for certification; NCAA and the Americans With Disabilities Act.

Reports on studies of students classified as having learning disabilities who had received course substitutions for the college foreign language requirement. Demographic profiles of students; Standardized test results; Group comparisons.

Argues that colleges and universities should offer special language programs designed to help students with foreign language learning difficulties. Foreign language learning difficulty; Modified foreign language instruction; Value of foreign language study to liberal education.

Reports the observations gathered from 11 children referred to consulting services because of learning difficulties at school and diagnosed with nonverbal learning disabilities (NVLD). Children's performance on tasks requiring visuospatial working memory and visual imagery; Developmental delay.

Presents the results of a follow-up study that compared programs and services for students with learning disabilities (LD) in graduate and professional schools between 1985 and 1995. Level of awareness about LD; Specificity of assessments required for the identification of students who receive services; Program visibility.

Explores high school graduation requirements for students with learning disabilities in the United States. Carnegie course unit requirements used by several schools; Option given to local education agencies for establishing more stringent requirements than called for in state guidelines; Variations in the exit documents awarded to students with learning disabilities.

Investigates the effect of five proofreading conditions on the spelling performance of college students with learning disabilities on a composition activity. Handwriting with no additional assistance; Handwriting with a conventional print dictionary; Handwriting with handheld spelling checker; Word processing with no additional assistance.

Examines the issues raised with freshmen policies implemented by the National Collegiate Athletic Association and its impact on students with learning disabilities. Use of test score cutoffs; Minimum grade point average for core courses; Responsibility of high schools; Lack of alternative eligibility procedures for accessing elements of the program.

Analyzes the assessment profiles of two groups of adults with learning disabilities. Criticisms of the giftedness and learning disabilities construct; Aptitude, achievement and behavioral characteristics.

Presents a description of cognitive, academic, and personality characteristics of adults with learning disabilities referred for services through the state/federal vocational rehabilitation system. Neuropsychological approach to the assessment process; Personality characteristics based on the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory.

Presents a review of the literature on life skills curricula and instruction in relation to students with learning disabilities. Summary of life skills literature; Life skills terminology; Common observations and recommendations about life skills instruction; Augmentation and infusion in life skills instruction; Research methodology and priorities; Conclusions; References.

Presents a description of the issues and challenges faced by university students with learning disabilities (LD) in Canada. Reaction of university community to students with LD; Provisions made for LD students; Higher education policy and programs for LD students; Challenges faced by institutions with LD students; Conclusion; References.

Examines the social adjustment and self-concept of adults who received special education services under the learning disabilities designation and who had regular education programming. Differences between groups on the social adjustment measure; Self-concept scores of a small subset of subjects in the learning disabilities group; Predictors of global social adjustment.

Examines the social competence of students with learning disabilities (LD), low achievement (LA) and average to high achievement (AHA) from the perspectives of parents, teachers, peers and self. Use of theoretical model of social competence including social skills, behavior problems, peer relations and self-perceptions.

Analyzes a case study of an intellectually gifted man with learning disabilities, with demonstration of symptoms of amnesic-semantic aphasia. Family, work and medical background of the man; Results of Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale; Neuropsychological implications of the man's impairment in episodic long-term memory.

Studies the neuropsychological difference between college students with learning disabilities (LD) and those with mild head injury (MHI). Effectiveness of tests on language ability and psychomotor speed as discriminators between LD and non-LD subjects; Sensitivity of MHI subjects to information processing tests.

Describes the effects of a criminal diversion project on recidivism rates for late-age adolescent defendants with learning disabilities. Completion of a targeted psychosocial, educational and vocational treatments; Comparisons with regard to criminal recidivism rates; Variety of demographic and criminal justice characteristics.

Determines the comparative prevalence of tobacco, alcohol and marijuana use among a sample of students with learning disabilities and nondisabled students. Use of psychosocial variables to predict substance use; Results of a discriminant function analysis.

Demonstrates the influence of intelligence quotient (IQ) on differences in reading abilities among students with learning disabilities and normal academic achievers. Lexical and sublexical parameters; Routes used by non-English speaking children in lexical access; Influence of IQ on word analysis.

Tests the hypothesis that a classification scheme developed for the subtyping of learning disabilities would result into discrete and homogeneous groups in terms of cognitive functioning and achievement among adults and adolescents. Comparison of groups with arithmetic disability, reading disability with normal achievers.

Focuses on how professionals can assist students with learning disabilities who have psychosocial issues that appear to be affecting their academic progress and life adjustment. Involvement of learning disabilities service providers; Steps in student referral; Team interventions.