The author offers information on 11 modification techniques that may make commercial software programs more appropriate for learning disabled students. (CL)

The field of learning disabilities (LD) needs to focus on four issues concerned with research and practice: (1) differentiation of LD from other problems, (2) identification of LD subgroups, (3) effects of specific interventions with specific subgroups, and (4) recognition of social/cultural influences on LD identification and services. (Author/DB)

Since current instructional, environmental, medical, and neuropsychological interventions do not yield predictable benefits for learning disabled children, there is a need for naturalistic research on the prevention and correction of learning disabilities and learner differences. School personnel should focus on program development, evaluation,…

Personnel preparation in learning disabilities should stress a broad theoretical understanding of individual differences, interdisciplinary collaboration, and working with families. These goals can best be met by generic programs with specialization only in terms of severity of learning impairment. An outline for such a 2-year program is given.…

Basic changes needed to recruit, train, and retain high quality professionals in the field of learning disabilities include: improving education's professional image; explicit articulation of program rationales, content, and processes; and political lobbying for improved public support. (Author/DB)

Ten psychometric criteria (such as item analysis, concurrent validity, and interexaminer reliability) were used to compare four preschool screening tests: "Comprehensive Identification Process", "Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning--Revised" (Dial--R), "Denver Developmental Screening Test", and "Miller Assessment for…

The auditory receptive language skills of 40 learning disabled (LD) and 40 non-disabled boys (all 7 - 11 years old) were assessed via computerized versions of subtests of the Goldman-Fristoe-Woodcock Auditory Skills Test Battery. The computerized assessment correctly identified 92.5% of the LD group and 65% of the normal control children. (DB)

The Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery was administered to 41 learning disabled college students. A modified subtest profile was used to facilitate the examination of the pattern of subtest scores for the Cognitive Factor Cluster Scores. Results suggest examiners should carefully inspect subtest scores and not rely on cluster scores to…

E. Burns' (1984) attempt to explain the below average mean IQ scores reported for samples of learning dsabled (LD) students through the use of the bivariate normal probability distribution was examined. Alternative explanations which focus on issues related to the referral, identification, and placement of children are presented.(Author)

The paper deals with the contribution of empirical psychology to the problems of instruction and proposes a conceptual framework to promote helpful interactions between experimenters and teachers of children with learning difficulties. Both groups share a common concern, the definition of tasks by testing instructions in action. (Author/DB)

A survey of 200 student folders revealed that elementary school (ES) nonpromotion is primarily associated with low academic achievement and IQ, whereas junior high school (JHS) nonpromotion is mainly correlated to behavioral suspensions and absenteeism. Improved performance occurs in the year following an ES nonpromotion but not following a JHS…

Speech production/articulation was examined in 20 reading disordered children and 20 control subjects (mean age for all subjects of 14 years). The reading disordered subjects made significantly more speech production errors than normal subjects on all tasks, suggesting underlying deficits in phonological processing. (Author/DB)

The study examined relationships between two modes of information processing, simultaneous and sequential, and two sets of reading skills, word recognition and comprehension, among 40 second and third grade students. Results indicated there is a relationship between simultaneous processing and reading comprehension. (Author)

Kindergarten children (N=103) were administered three tests of visual-motor integration: Bender Gestalt Test, Beery Developmental Test of Visual Motor Integration and Geometric Design subtest of the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence. Issues discussed include interscorer reliabilities, correlations among scores, correlations…

The article provides an overview of the McDermott Multidimensional Assessment of Children (M-MAC), a microcomputer system for integration and analysis of information from over 30 psychological and educational sources. M-MAC's classification functiions are introduced and reviewed. Special features for diagnostic practice, professional training, and…