Twenty-six children (ages 9-18) who had recovered from Reye's syndrome (characterized by lethargy, disorientation, personality changes, and decreased consciousness) were tested for possible memory deficits. In reviewing school histories, an unexpected finding was the disproportionately high number of students who were learning disabled before…

The topical review provides a general framework for understanding memory problems in reading disabled children by considering some factors that can influence memory performance, including the status of basic processing operations, use of appropriate control strategies, and richness of the knowledge base. Also examined is the relationship between…

The utility of educational software is associated with three components: (1) type of learning (cognitive development, individually facilitated acquisition of knowledge, teacher-facilitated acquisition of knowledge, memorization); (2) type of experience (self-directed or purposive environmental experience); and (3) user perception of software…

The teacher training program drew on the most effective techniques of special education, condensing them into a course on how to teach. The program, implemented with regular secondary teachers on a voluntary basis, provided on-site practical training with follow-up. Reflections are offered on reasons for the program's success and training models…

The article presents educators with specific strategies to consider in constructing teacher-made tests to optimize the performance of mainstreamed students. Guidelines relating to content and format of tests as well as test-taking behaviors are discussed. (Author/CL)

The paper reviews the epidemiology of pediatric closed head injury. Incidence rates, etiologic/pathophysiologic correlates, and associated risk factors are discussed. Suggestions offered for future research concern relationships among age, etiology, and pathophysiology in outcome studies and premorbid measures of personality/intellectual…

Neuropsychological assessment of cognitive and behavioral sequelae of pediatric closed head injury involves identification of manifest disabilities and relationships between these disabilities and core skills. Assessment of moderator variables is crucial for development of appropriate intervention strategies. Advocacy may be necessary to establish…

The article provides a brief review of data pertaining to educational adjustment for traumatically brain injured (TBI) children followed by a discussion of the major educationally relevant sequelae of head injury in children. Ten important features of appropriate educational programs for TBI children are described. (Author)

A psychotherapist suggests the use of a storytelling technique called "Creative Characters" to strengthen learning disabled children's cognitive and emotional functioning. The process of creating stories that represent key features of the child's world offers a means to strengthen both cognitive and emotional functioning, especially the…

Investigation of the language-spatial lateralization of 76 intermediate grade right-handed regular education students found that "good" students had normal left hemisphere language and right hemisphere spatial lateralization but "poor" students had nonnormal lateralization. Academic problems and behavior problems were correlated with nonnormal…

Comparison of the adaptive behavior of 114 learning disabled (LD) subjects with that of normal and mentally retarded children found that mean scores of LD subjects were intermediate between those of the normal group and those of the mentally retarded group. Scores were lower for secondary than for elementary level LD subjects. (Author/DB)

The study compared ten hyperactive learning disabled (HLD) children and 10 nonhyperactive learning disabled (NHLD) children with normal children. Results indicated that both HLD and NHLD third and fourth grade children process information significantly less efficiently than nonLD children. HLD children could be differentiated from NHLD children on…

The pilot study investigated receptive and expressive humor in students (total N=54) with learning disabilities, mild mental retardation, or no handicap. Among results were that older learning disabled students were more like mildly retarded students than normal peers; and that learning disabled students had more difficulty understanding…

Responses (N=22) to a nationwide survey of learning disability consultants indicated that 68% of states provided services for learning disabled preschool children; that funding included federal, state, local, and private sources; that various assessment instruments were used; and that consultants identified such major issues as possible negative…

The article discusses research on the chronic emotional, social, and physical changes associated with traumatic brain injury (TBI) as it relates to the planning and effective management of TBI patients' behavioral and social problems. At five years post-trauma most of 39 patients followed were still socially dysfunctional in one or more ways.…