Journal of Learning Disabilities

Secondary students with learning disabilities are at a disadvantage in science classes because they have difficulty reading and acquiring information from textbooks. One way to help those students is to adapt textbook passages to make them easier to comprehend. This article reports the findings of a study exploring the effectiveness of two types of textbook adaptations—graphics and study guides—compared to self-study. The results indicated that graphics helped secondary, life science students achieve significantly better scores on multiple-choice tests than either study guides or self-study. No significant differences were found between the scores for study guides and self-study.

The influence of a modeling technique on the acquisition of long division by eight students with learning disabilities was studied. The instructional intervention, which included demonstration, imitation, and key guide words, was found to be effective. Initial assessment scores of division problems were 0%. With the application of the intervention, students mastered (2 out of 3 days at 100) each long division skill in minimal time (ranging from 2 to 9 days).

This study investigated parents' participation in and perceptions of the conference on initial placement and the Individual Education Plan (IEP) and their knowledge regarding the decisions made during the conference. Twenty-six conferences were observed for children referred for possible learning disabilities. Observational data included the time parents spent asking questions, commenting, and responding to other team members. The number of parental questions and responses was also recorded. Immediately following the conference, parents participated in a structured interview. Observational data suggest that the majority of parents asked few questions and responded little during the conferences. However, interview data indicated that for the most part parents were satisfied with the conferences and had no further questions. Results are discussed relative to the intent of P.L. 94-142 and research on the IEP conference that was conducted soon after enactment of the law. A retrospective look at the law that mandated parent involvement and implications for future policy are presented.

Rapid expansion of secondary learning disability programs has left little time to document current practices. This study examined perceptions of 135 teachers of students with learning disabilities working in middle-junior high and high school programs regarding the following: (1) the presence of specific attributes often associated with successful programs, (2) their professional views on field-related issues, and (3) suggestions for program improvement. Data were examined to determine if teachers' perceptions differed based on program type (i.e., resource, self-contained), level (i.e., middle-junior high, high school), or setting (urban, suburban, rural). Perceptions regarding the presence of selected attributes and recommendations for program improvement provide an agenda for professional dialogue.

A year-group of children was followed from before kindergarten entry to late 8th grade. The Holbrook Screening Battery, admininstered at age 4, correctly predicted 89% of good readers and 75% of poor readers at grade 8. The 12 poorest readers were 4.1 years below grade level and 6.9 years below the mean of the group, in spite of early identification and special help. Their progress was compared with that of two groups who had appeared to be at risk, but who were average readers at grade 8. The main characteristics differentiating poor readers from good were birth history, family history of learning disability, birth position, speech delay, and socioeconomic status.

Learning disabled and average learners in grades 2, 4, and 6 were asked to tell the meanings of 12 proverbs. Responses were evaluated for correctness, metaphoric quality, articulation, and awareness of task demand. Results indicated a moderately significant difference in metaphoric correctness of response between the two ability groups only at the 6th grade. Subsequently, quality of responses was analyzed using scoring dimensions derived from Piagetian theory. Those analyses revealed developmental lags in the learning disabled group, one which seemed to disappear by the 6th grade, and one which did not, and which may involve factors necessary but not sufficient for proverbial comprehension. Educational implications and directions for future research are suggested in the light of current metacognitive and brain lateralization approaches to the education of learning disabled children.

The relationships among knowledge, perception, and performance of assertive behavior in children with learning disabilities were examined. Thirty-two boys were administered a self-report assertiveness inventory to assess social knowledge. Social performance was measured via an unobtrusive role-play test. The youngsters' teachers also rated the youths' social skill level. Subjects rated videotapes of peers displaying assertive and unassertive behavior. This served as a measure of social perception of assertiveness. Lastly, sociometrics were collected. Data analyses revealed no significant interrelationship among the three components of social competence. Teacher ratings of subject assertive behavior were positively and significantly related to likeability as rated by sociometrics, but the relationship between subject response to the unobtrusive role-play test and likeability was nonsignificant. Despite these equivocal findings, assertive behavior was more highly valued than nonassertive behavior. Cognitive ability was also found to be a positive predictor of social perception. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Research with intellectually average underachievers indicates that reading problems are often associated with neuropsychological deficits. The present study investigated this relationship for intellectually superior (IQ ≥ 120) males. Twenty reading achievers and twenty reading underachievers, controlled for age (8 to 12), socioeconomic status (SES), medical history, and emotional problems were compared on a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests. The results revealed significant global (p < .01) and specific (p < .05) differences in favor of achievers. These findings indicate that neuropsychological deficits are associated with reading underachievement among intellectually superior male underachievers. Practical implications are discussed.

A battery of 10 neuropsychological/perceptual tests was administered to a sample of 57 reading disabled children, aged 6 through 11 years. These test scores were associated, at mild to moderate levels, with measures of academic achievement. Data pertaining to socioeconomic status (SES) were also obtained. Whereas SES related significantly to achievement and intelligence, it was clearly uncorrelated with performance on the neuropsychological tests. This lack of association is discussed; the potential confounding variable of a restricted range of neuropsychological performance does not apply. Results are addressed in light of the significant association between SES and neuropsychological/perceptual performance in non-learning-disabled children.