A multidimensional approach to assessment of children with learning difficulties is examined. The approach explores factors along five dimensions: (1) learner characteristics (motivation, social-emotional maturity, cognitive abilities and styles); (2) task-based contributors (match of tasks to maturational levels and to cognitive style); (3) family-based contributors (quality of nutrition and stimulation, sociocultural differences, emotional climate); (4) physiological learner-based contributors (organic, hereditary, and biochemical factors); and (5) school-based contributors (quality of teaching, human characteristics). Described are a variety of assessment alternatives, including nonstandard use of norm-referenced and criterion-referenced instruments (e.g., task analysis and item modification), task analysis and trial teaching within the student's classroom curriculum, assessment of adaptive behavior, systematic observation in natural settings, sociometric techniques, self-constructed peer/parent/teacher rating scales to address specific issues, and active involvement of the student, parents, and teachers in hypothesis testing. Such informal evaluation strategies are seen to allow for examination of matches and mismatches between task, setting, and learner which contribute to learning success and failure. (CL)