Eight years ago, the editors of this special issue published another special issue focused on the topic of response to intervention (RtI; Vaughn & Fuchs, 2003). At that time, there was considerable interest in the application of an RtI model for providing services to children at risk for learning disabilities. The potential benefits have led to…

This position statement of the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities identifies factors necessary for effective educational services for students with learning disabilities in general education classrooms; problems related to providing these services; and recommendations for actions required at the state, school district, and school…

This commentary on C. Addison Stone's paper on the scaffolding metaphor for the learning disabilities field concludes that the scaffolding metaphor is fundamentally flawed. The author proposes an alternative model, Strategic Content Learning, which is seen as more successfully promoting correspondence between instructional activities and the…

This article draws together three papers (EC 603 155, EC 603 157, and EC 603 158) on metacognitive theory in literacy, writing, and mathematics acquisition of children with learning disabilities. Topics discussed include self-regulation, the reciprocal relationship between self-regulated learning and motivational beliefs, and the classroom role of…

This response by the original author to six commentaries on his paper concerning the scaffolding metaphor for learning disabilities highlights common themes (such as the basic dynamics of meaningful learning) and revisits arguments for and against the utility of the metaphor. Suggestions for broadening the metaphor to address related issues such…

Use of the Foxfire approach to instruction is described as a means of developing learning communities that serve all children. Examples from several elementary classrooms illustrate instructional processes that integrate content with skill development for diverse students, including children with learning disabilities. Core principles of the…

Suggestions are made for different approaches for preparing the classroom teacher, the resource teacher, and the neuroeducator, a specialist in learning disabilities. He advocates that neuroeducators should have exposure to fundamental areas of neurology, intelligence, anatomy, memory, cognition, and movement education. (CL)

The author considers possible educational changes in serving learning disabled students and cites opinions of others such as P. Daniels, who advocates return to self-contained classrooms, and J. Goodlad, who suggests that schools are trying to do too much. (CL)

While conceptualizations of learning disabilities vary between brain deficit and brain difference, teachers, counselors, and clinicians should consider the degree and nature of the match that exists between the child's abilities and both the classroom methods and materials. (Author)

The author asserts that special educators must be aware of the standards of the regular classroom and must teach the learning disabled child based on those standards. However, he cites widespread confusion and ambiguity over such standards for promotion. (CL)

The author considers reasons for the time delay between research findings and classroom application, examines research on teaching math and spelling to the learning disabled (LD) student, and reviews the status of the controversy over process or modality training for LD students. (CL)

The article reviews the controversy over the information processing model as an approach to diagnosing and remediating learning disabled students. The Slingerland Screening Tests are suggested as an alternative tool for examining information processing skills. Advantages of the test include direct application to classroom tasks. (Author/CL)

An elementary school principal and mother of a son with learning disabilities (LD) offers a personal perspective on educational trends such as resource rooms, content mastery, and inclusion. The paper argues that regular classroom teachers are not trained to teach LD students and that adequate support for mainstreamed LD students would be…

This paper reviews the implications of definitions of learning disabilities for the Regular Education Initiative. Since heterogeneity (i.e., developmental imbalances, intraindividual gaps) is characteristic of this population, regular classroom modifications alone are unlikely to meet these students' needs and thus special services will continue…

In response to Crockett's analysis of the relation of science and the instruction of students with learning disabilities, we discuss reasons why teaching in special education is infrequently affected by science and research, and we propose a model of naturalistic decision making and make recommendations for bridging the gap between research and…