Category Of Learning Disabilities Research Articles

Revisiting the definition of dyslexia.

The International Dyslexia Association definition of dyslexia was updated 20years ago and has been referenced frequently in research and practice. In this paper, researchers from the Florida Center for Reading Research consider the components of the definition and make recommendations for revisions. These include recognizing the persistence of word-reading, decoding, and spelling difficulties, acknowledging the multifactorial causal basis of dyslexia, clarifying exclusionary factors, and denoting comorbidity with other developmental disorders. It is also suggested that the academic and psychosocial consequences of dyslexia be highlighted to reinforce a preventive service delivery model. Lastly, the inclusion of dyslexia within a specific learning disability category is supported.

ANALISIS KESULITAN BELAJAR SISWA DALAM MEMAHAMI MATERI PERTUMBUHAN DAN PERKEMBANGAN MAKHLUK HIDUP KELAS XII MIPA SMAN 1 CIBUNGBULANG KABUPATEN BOGOR

This study aims to obtain information about students' learning difficulties on the material for the growth and development of living things that are studied in odd semester XII Mathematics and Natural Sciences and what factors are causing them. The method used in this research is descriptive method. The population in this study were all students of class XII MIPA in SMA Negeri 1 Cibungbulang in the academic year 2019/2020 with a sample of one class, namely class XII MIPA 1, amounting to 36 people consisting of 26 female students and 10 male students. Data in the form of student learning outcomes were collected using a description test instrument, amounting to 9 questions, while data regarding student responses to biology subjects and data to explore the factors causing student learning difficulties using a questionnaire or questionnaire. Data analysis using the description test found that 26 students out of 36 students achieved grades below the KKM which meant that 72% of students had learning difficulties. Based on the results of this study it can be concluded that 72% of students have difficulty learning in understanding the material for growth and development in living things. The most difficulty level of students is in the medium category (38.9%) followed by the low (25%) and high categories (25%) i. Only 11, 1% of students in the very low learning disability category. Student interest, student attitudes, student health, family support, completeness of facilities and infrastructure of teaching methods and the general condition of the student's home environment already support the learning process and are not factors in causing learning difficulties experienced by students. Factors that cause students 'learning difficulties turned out to be due to the test questions which according to students were difficult to do because 55.5% of the questions included analytical questions (HOTS) so that students' test scores were relatively low on growth and development material in living things.

RCNi Nurse Awards learning disability category shortlist announced

RCNi Nurse Awards learning disability category shortlist announced

Special Education Policy Change

Research suggests that disproportionate representation of culturally and linguistically diverse students in special education has been a recurring topic of concern in the field of special education within the United States. Over the past few years, this concern has shifted to focus on the disproportionate representation of English Language Learners (ELLs) in categories of mild to moderate disabilities, specifically within the category of learning disabilities. Although improvements in educational policy have been made through federal legislation, local rural school districts continue to battle this concern, especially those in rural areas. The following article focuses on the recommendations for development, implementation, and evaluation of local policy change to improve the disproportionate representation of ELL students within rural school districts.

Parenting Care Model is a Rehabilition for Learning Disabled Child

Each day, millions of children with learning disabilities face tasks that, for reasons unknown to them, never become automatic and always seem to stand in the way of their progress as students. For parents and teachers of a struggling child, the picture is not much clearer or any less frustrating. Rehabilition is beginning at home for the parents to detect their kids whether in learning disability category. Learning Disability kids need 3 things to survive in the real world by using parenting care due to parenting skill, learning skill and nutrition. Parenting skill is the way how the parents can hand the learning disability kids to manage their daily life. Learning skill is the knowledge on how to teach the kids to learn mathematics (calculation skill) and language (read, comprehension skill and writing skill). Lastly, learning disability kids also need the best nutrition for their brain system, neuro system, blood system and digestion system. Therefore, parenting care is the first aid for learning disability kids for survival on the reality with their normal kids` friends.

<em>Addressing Disproportionality in Special Education Using a Universal Screening Approach</em>

The disproportionate representation of specific groups of students in special education has been an area of concern since Dunn's (1968) seminal article over 40 years ago. Despite the longstanding acknowledgment of this problem, schools and districts across the United States continue to report the overrepresentation of African American and Native American students (e.g., Skiba et al., 2005, 2008; Sullivan & Bal, 2013) and boys (e.g. Bruce & Venkatesh, 2014; Coutinho & Oswald, 2005; Hibel, Farkas, & Morgan, 2010) in special education. Acknowledging the problems associated with disproportionality, reauthorizations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004) have instituted policies that require schools to collect and report data on disproportionality in special education. Unfortunately, such policies have done little to remedy the problem to date, necessitating additional scholarship focused on potential contributing factors and solutions. Much of the existing research on disproportionality has focused on outcomes, rather than process factors. The present study sought to address disproportionate representation at the referral step of special education placement through the use of a data-driven process of identification, particularly for those who might qualify for services due to an emotional or behavioral difficulty.CURRENT DATA ON DISPROPORTIONALITYDisproportionality is defined as an overrepresentation or underrepresentation of a particular student group within a setting or outcome of interest, given that group's proportion in the total population. The overrepresentation of specific student groups in special education is problematic if the services provided by special education are not meeting the needs of, or are harming, those students (Algozzine, 2005; Bruce & Venkatesh, 2014). Special education services have been found to be most beneficial for students with milder academic-based disabilities served in minimally-restrictive environments (Fuchs & Fuchs, 1994). However, special education is largely perceived as ineffective for many students, with the consequences of being removed from general education outweighing the benefits of receiving additional services (Harry & Klingner, 2014; Hosp & Reschly, 2003; MacMillan & Reschly, 1998). The outcomes associated with special education placement indicate lower achievement across subject areas longitudinally (Wagner et al., 2006), with those qualified to receive special education services for emotional or behavioral problems often faring the worst academically (Bradley, Doolittle, & Bartolotta, 2008; Greenbaum et al., 1996; Wagner et al., 2005).Alarmingly, demographic characteristics such as race, gender, and primary home language are better predictors of special education placement than both academic performance and economic conditions (Bruce & Venkatesh, 2014; Hosp & Reschly, 2004; Skiba et al., 2005, 2008; Sullivan, 2011). When considering race as a predictor of placement, African American students are overrepresented in special education, particularly in the categories of intellectual disability (ID) and emotional disturbance (ED; Ahram, Fergus, & Noguera, 2011; Hosp & Reschly, 2003; Jasper & Bouck, 2013; MacMillan & Reschly, 1998; Skiba et al., 2005, 2008; Skiba, Simmons et al., 2006). In most studies, African American students are also more likely than their peers to be placed in more restrictive environments (Harry & Klingner, 2014; Serwatka, Deering, & Grant, 1995; Skiba et al., 2008), particularly for high incidence disabilities such as specific learning disabilities and mild emotional and behavioral disturbance (Albrect et al., 2012; Skiba, Poloni-Staudinger et al., 2006). Native American students are typically overrepresented in special education as well, particularly within the learning disabilities category (Harry & Kilngner, 2014; Skiba et al., 2008; Sullivan, 2011). …

An Evidence-Based Analysis of Self-Regulated Strategy Development Writing Interventions for Students with Specific Learning Disabilities

AbstractBackground: Approximately 5% of school-aged children in the United States receive special education services under the specific learning disabilities category. Additionally, 20% of all students experience difficulty with writing, spelling, and handwriting.Goal: This literature review provides a synthesis of single case studies evaluating the use of self-regulated strategy development SRSD) for students with specific learning disabilities.Method: Percentage of non-overlapping data PND) and Percentage of Data Exceeding the Median (PEM) were used as a common metric to evaluate studies meeting inclusion criteria.Results: Fifteen articles evaluating seven SRSD writing intervention strategies met study inclusion criteria. Both mean PND (89.69%, Range = 38% - 100%) and mean PEM (0.98, Range = 0.91 - 1.00) suggest that SRSD writing interventions are effective to highly effective.Conclusions: Althoudh additional research is needed, the results suggest that self-regulated writing strategies are an effective intervention to support students with specific learning disabilities experiencing difficulty with writing.

Disproportionality of English Learners with Emotional and/or Behavioral Disorders: A Comparative Meta-Analysis with English Learners with Learning Disabilities

Disproportionate representation of English learners in special education has been a longstanding and ongoing concern. However, research examining disproportionate representation of English learners receiving special education services for emotional and/or behavioral disorders (EBD) has been limited. To address this gap, a meta-analysis of disproportionate representation of English learners in the EBD category was conducted and the results were compared with same sample results for students receiving special education services for learning disabilities (LD). Based on five studies, the results of the meta-analysis indicate that English learners are disproportionately underrepresented in the EBD category generally and when compared with students in the LD category. Differences in odds ratios were found across educational contexts (i.e., school-level, district-level, state-level, and nationally), indicating different patterns of representation. Implications and potential reasons for disproportionality are discussed.

Between Negative Stigma (Cultural Deprivation) and Positive Stigma (Learning Disability): The Historical Development of Two Special Education Tracks

This article posits an updated, broader perspective on the concept of learning disabilities (LDs) than that accepted in the local Israeli literature, revealing how it is immersed in class, ethnicity, and culture. This is shown through historical description, accreditation, and contrasting of the two special education discourses: the "cultural deprivation" discourse and the "LDs" discourse. There are three sections. Part One presents the theoretical, conceptual, and methodological background of the sociological and discursive debate about LDs. The social-constructivist model used in an analysis of the two categories is proposed as an alternative to the clinical-medical model. The definitions of LDs and cultural deprivation accepted in the Israeli discourse are presented in Part Two. The metamorphoses in the discourse about the category of LDs are uncovered through reference to their conceptual and historical antecedents. This part discusses the various understandings and constructions of learning difficulties. Part Three examines the textual representation of parents of children with disabilities in both cases, exploring the meanings of guilt, responsibility, and agency in each discourse. The conclusion clarifies the social and political significance of the distinct textual and rhetorical representations. It becomes evident that the discourse on LDs and the discourse on cultural deprivation are two special education tracks directed at different target audiences: the culturally enriched audience, well-off and educated on the one hand, and the Mizrahi audience of limited means and education on the other hand.

‘Unconscious’ inclusion of students with learning disabilities in a Malaysian mainstream primary school: teachers' perspectives

The inclusion of children with special needs in mainstream regular schools has been seen as the best practice in special education provision, most markedly since the 90s. International research has provided amassing evidence towards the advantages of inclusive model over a segregation model of special education provision. However, nearly two decades after the signing of the international pledge, namely the Salamanca Statement (UNESCO) towards accepting inclusive education, Malaysia has not yet fully gained the momentum to implement inclusive education for children with special needs, especially for children identified within the category of learning disabilities. Because of the delay in policy implementation, inclusive education remains sparingly practiced in some schools without formal support. This study aims to investigate a scenario of this practice in a mainstream primary school via interviewing the regular teachers. The ultimate aim of this investigation is to identify ways to move forward from the current practice of ‘unconscious inclusion’.

Why We Need Reliable, Valid, and Appropriate Learning Disability Assessments

This paper discusses issues regarding the validity and reliability of psychoeducational assessments provided to Disability Services Offices at Canadian Universities. Several vignettes illustrate some current issues and the potential consequences when university students are given less than thorough disability evaluations and ascribed diagnoses. The article details current service provider concerns that are leading to an erosion of confidence in both the diagnoses given and the category of learning disabilities (LD) in general. The author makes an impassioned plea asking psychology clinicians to ensure that, before making a final identification of Learning Disability, they communicate a diagnosis that is defensible, that the diagnosis is clearly grounded in empirically supported research findings, and that they can illustrate that all possible causes for lower test scores have been considered.

Assessing African American Students for Specific Learning Disabilities: The Promises and Perils of Response to Intervention

Response to Intervention (RtI) consists of multi-tiered instructional delivery systems in which educators provide research-based interventions to students that increase in intensity depending on students' instructional response. RtI is currently being implemented in schools across the United States. RtI's shift away from standardized testing offers new opportunities to consider the ways in which African American students are serviced within the general education setting, the assessment methods deemed appropriate when considering African American students for special education under the Specific Learning Disability category, and how multi-tiered intervention can address the overrepresentation of African American students in special education. This article provides an overview of a three-tiered RtI model, explores the promises and challenges of using RtI with African American students, and delineates a research and direct service delivery agenda to facilitate the development of RtI models that consider the educational needs of African American students.Keywords: African American studies, early childhood/elementary, learning and academic achievement, special education and disabilityMethods used to assess African American students, particularly in relation to special education, have generated controversy among educators, parents, and policymakers for decades (Graves & Mitchell, 201 1; Valencia & Suzuki, 2001). Such controversy stems, in part, from perceptions that standardized measures of intelligence, which are often used to help determine students' eligibility for special education services, are biased toward African Americans, and the use of these measures contributes to the disproportionate representation (i.e., over or underrepresentation of specific groups in disability categories) of African Americans in special education (Keams, Ford, & Linney, 2005; Larry P. v. Riles, 1979; Pitre, 2009; Powers, Hagans-Murillo, & Restori, 2004). The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEIA, 2004) along with No Child Left Behind's (NCLB, 2001) emphasis on accountability through mandated monitoring of academic outcomes for the most vulnerable student populations, including students with disabilities, has brought Response to Intervention (Rtl) to the forefront of policy and practice (Meyers, Meyers, Graybill, Proctor, & Huddleston, 2012). Rtl models consist of multi-tiered instructional delivery systems in which educators provide, and assess frequently the impact of, research-based interventions to students that increase in intensity depending on students' instructional response. IDEIA 2004 encourages states and local educational agencies to use processes, similar to Rtl, that provide instructionally relevant assessment data to identify a specific learning disability (SLD). Therefore, Rtl can serve as an alternative to the traditional assessment method (i.e., administration of standardized intelligence and achievement tests) used to identify students for special education under the category of SLD (Hartlep & Ellis, 2012; IDEIA, 2004). Although Rtl is now one option for assessing African American students for SLD, in order to implement Rtl in a culturally responsive manner, educators, parents, policymakers, and researchers must carefully and seriously consider both the benefits and challenges of Rtl for African American students.In this article, the authors explore the promises and perils of using a three-tiered Rtl model with African American students. The discussion is framed around SLD assessment and classification decision-making because IDEIA 2004 endorses Rtl for SLD identification only, and almost half of African American students identified for special education are serviced under the SLD category (U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Office of Special Education Programs, 2011). To provide context as well as a rationale for Rtl, a brief discussion is presented regarding intelligence testing in relation to African American students and the special education identification and placement process. …

What Samuel A. Kirk Really Said About Mental Retardation and Learning Disabilities: A Response to Danforth, Slocum, and Dunkle

What Samuel A. Kirk Really Said About Mental Retardation and Learning Disabilities: A Response to Danforth, Slocum, and Dunkle

Poor Responders in RTI

States and districts have been encouraged to consider responsiveness to scientifically based instruction and intervention (RTI) as one of many markers of eligibility for special education under the category of learning disabilities. In this article, the authors describe variations in determining responsiveness, and cultural and linguistic characteristics of poor responders. They argue that even though early intervention helps many students to improve their academic skills and behavior, we know little about whether RTI reduces the incidence or severity of LD or whether it identifies students with LD more reliably than earlier practices.

The Legal Basis of Response to Intervention: Analysis and Implications

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) of 2004 makes significant and controversial changes to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Two very significant changes in this law are provisions that (a) allow school districts to spend up to 15% of their IDEA Part B funds on early intervening services in general education settings and (b) prohibit states from requiring that school districts use discrepancy formulas to determine if students are eligible for special education services in the category of learning disabilities. Additionally, Congress recommended that school districts use a response to intervention procedure in both early intervening services and for the identification of students with learning disabilities. In this article we first describe two significant reports that recommended that Congress abandon the current eligibility system in special education for students with high-incidence disabilities. Second we explain how Congress and the U.S. Department of Education changed the special education eligibility system for learning disabilities in the IDEIA and the regulations that implemented the IDEIA. Third we review due process hearings and court cases that have addressed response to intervention. Fourth we offer recommendations to teachers, administrators, and teacher trainers to ensure that they meet the letter and spirit of these new requirements of the IDEIA.

Why Is There Learning Disabilities? A Critical Analysis of the Birth of the Field in Its Social Context

This chapter presents an interpretation of why the category of learning disabilities emerged, that differs from interpretations that currently prevail. It argues that the category was created in response to social conditions during the late 1950s and early 1960s which brought about changes in schools that were detrimental to children whose achievement was relatively low. The category was created by white middle class parents in an effort to differentiate their children from low-achieving low-income and minority children. The category offered their children a degree of protection from probable consequences of low achievement because it upheld their intellectual normalcy and the normalcy of their home backgrounds, and it suggested hope for a cure and for their ability eventually to attain higher status occupations than other low achievers.

The Miner’s Canary

The authors reviewed the overrepresentation research published between 1968 and 2006 to answer two questions: (a) What are the characteristics of overrepresentation studies? (b) How do studies frame the problem? Systematic procedures were used to search four international databases, and criteria were applied to identify relevant studies. Findings suggest that overrepresentation research has been mostly published in special education journals, the number of studies has increased over time (particularly since 2000), most overrepresentation research focused on the learning disabilities category and on African Americans, and most studies used quantitative designs. Overrepresentation research has been framed in three ways: a sociodemographic model in which characteristics of individuals and contexts are examined, a critical perspective in which power issues related to race are addressed, and a framework that examines the role of various professional practices in the creation and maintenance of overrepresentation . Implications for research, practice, and policy are discussed.

Coast to coast

Marie Hooper and Heather Sullivan – the winners of the learning disability category at the nursing standard nurse of the year 2007 awards – have developed a hugely successful epilepsy resource in Cornwall

How Variable are Interstate Prevalence Rates of Learning Disabilities and other Special Education Categories? A Longitudinal Comparison

This study compared interstate variability of prevalence rates for special education categories from 1984 to 1985 through 2001 to 2002, using the coefficient of variation ( CV), which is designed to compare variances when the means of the groups compared are radically different. The category of learning disabilities, presumed by many to be the most variable, was consistently the least variable. Furthermore, as a group, high incidence categories were less variable than low incidence categories. The results strengthen the conclusion of Hallahan, Keller, & Ball (1986) that using state-to-state variability of disability prevalence rates as justification for criticizing learning disabilities identification practices is largely unfounded. Policy implications for methods of learning disabilities identification are discussed.

The Representation of Migrant Students in Special Education in the State of Texas

Migrant children are considered one of the most at-risk populations in the United States. They face multiple obstacles of poverty, poor health, mobility, and limited English proficiency, which contributes to the difficulties that migrant children may encounter in the educational system. Limited research has been conducted regarding migrant students with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which the migrant student population was identified as having disabilities in Texas. Analyses were conducted on a state level, district level, and disability category level. Data were obtained from the Texas Education Agency. The sample consisted of 223 districts that had a total of 9,078 migrant special education students. The state-level analysis found that migrant students, collectively, were not disproportionately represented in special education when compared to the overall state percentage of migrant student representation in general education. The district-level analysis, however, indicated that there was a disproportionate representation of migrant students that received special education services in many school districts in Texas. Moreover, the disability category-level analysis indicated that there was a higher percentage of migrant students that received services under the learning disability category than would be expected.