The future of the LD field: screening and diagnosis.

Abstract

Respondents to the future survey expressed the view that improvements in screening and differential diagnosis are essential if the field is to make meaningful progress. Specific concern was cited about problems of definition and about the degree to which current assessment procedures and criteria produce false positives. For this article on the field's future, we asked Bob Algozzine and Jim Ysseldyke to review the history and current status of such practices and to share their views about subsequent directions. After reviewing the state of the art, they conclude that because LD screening and diagnostic activity are so flawed and limited, it is time to redirect resources toward corrective and preventive educational interventions. That is, they see no reason to believe current trends in screening and diagnosis will improve programs for individuals experiencing learning problems, and thus they recommend the resources used for screening, diagnosis, and classification be diverted to efforts to make all education more special. Although this is a position others in the field have advocated, it remains a radical, minority view, and we anticipate it will be a good stimulus for discussion of basic issues related to future research and practice.—Howard S. Adelman & Linda Taylor, Guest Editors.