A review of studies on mental retardation published in the Soviet Union between 1970 and 1980 touches on physical and neurological issues, genetic studies, learning and memory, and emotional factors. General conclusions drawn include that more males are retarded or emotionally disturbed than females. (CL)

The review attempts to identify the myth, mystery, and substance of the salient issues regarding the diagnosis, treatment, and cause of hyperkinesis. In addition to a general discussion and categorization of the research findings, a set of criteria is established to assist with identification and clinical judgment. (Author/SB)

Mothers of 23 learning disabled and 23 nondisabled elementary school children were interviewed to determine their perceptions of their child's strengths and weaknesses, causal attributions for these strengths and weaknesses, predictions for future performance, and evaluations of their child relative to other children. Mothers of learning disabled…

Using INDSCAL (Individual Differences Scaling), the author investigated perceptions of disabilities of special education teachers, regular teachers, and nonteachers (N=120) under conditions of undefined and defined disabilities. (Author/SB)

The frequency of the child's excess behaviors had significant impact on the nature of identified educational programing priorities, while developmental level did not. (Author/SB)

To compare the effects of three tutorial reading programs, 53 elementary-aged disabled readers were assigned to hypothesis/test (H/T) instruction, oral reading (OR) practice, or word recognition (WR) training--or to a small-group H/T control. (Author)

Thirty learning disabled (LD) and 30 normal achieving (NA) elementary-aged pupils' attributions, expectations, affect, and persistence were assessed. Ability attributions for failure differed for LD and NA pupils. In addition, effort was judged as more important in determining success than failure for both LD and NA pupils. (Author/SB)

The gifted handicapped student is discussed in terms of developing staff sensitivity, formulating an identification process, and developing a transdisciplinary team approach to create an individualized educational program for each child. Within the identification process a major new element is the Teacher Observational Item (TOI) list. (Author/SB)

The author explores the historical and legal development of state responsibility and individual rights of public education. (RD)