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The aim of the research is to identify the reality of learning disabilities teachers' application of the diagnostic tests with of some variables (gender, experience, academic qualification) in Jubail city. The descriptive comparative approach was used for its suitability to the nature of the current research. The sample was chosen from the research community of (29) teachers from them. (18) male teachers and (11) a female teacher, in an intentional way. The results of the research indicated that there are statistically significant at (0.05) level differences in the application and use of diagnostic criteria between male and female teachers and were in favor of teachers, as well as the existence of statistically significant differences in the application and use of diagnostic criteria between male and female teachers in favor of the higher educational qualification variable, and in favor of the more experience variable According to that. [For the full proceedings, see ED626585.]

Intellectually gifted students are defined as those who demonstrate outstanding ability to grapple with competition or superior academic potential. But intellectually gifted individual with specific learning disabilities are the most misunderstood and neglected segment of the student population at the community. Students who are gifted and have learning disabilities are those who possess an outstanding gift or talent and capable of high performance, but who also have a learning disability that makes some aspects of academic achievement difficult. There are variable degrees of severity of learning and learning disabilities can exist in students of all ability levels. So learning disabilities may differentially affect all areas of knowledge acquisition. These students are more vulnerable to social and emotional problems. Learning disability may cause frustration, anxiety, depression, peer relations, introversion. Gifted students with disabilities tend to evaluate themselves more on what they are unable to do than on their substantial abilities. So in this review we examine some of the theoretical arguments, regulations and educational practices that affect students with learning disabilities who are gifted. [For the complete Volume 12 proceedings, see ED597979.]

School districts in the U.S. are mandated to identify young children with disabilities. Developmental screeners are typically used to screen for such skill deficits. Academic tests are used in older students. A significant challenge is identifying children with potential learning disabilities early in their school career. This study identifies a relationship between language skills on the DIAL-3 developmental screening in kindergarten and literacy skills one year later.

This document is the outcome of a conference that examined promising practices in services for children with developmental delays (DD) and gathered input for making policy recommendations related to the implementation of DD as a specific disability category for children ages 3 through 9. It begins by discussing changes to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1997 that allows states to serve children with developmental delays ages 3-9, and then summarizes presentations that address use of the DD category, the developmental delay project at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center at the University of North Carolina, state eligibility definitions, and findings from a state director survey on the DD category. The perspectives of different stakeholders are included and recommendations for further research are provided. Recommendations include: (1) monitor the percentages of children served under the DD label and changes over time, (2) coordinate national efforts to review assessment procedures for DD, (3) examine the use of the DD label across state and local education agencies, (4) conduct research on parent/student perspectives of DD classification, (5) compare eligibility criteria across states, and (6) conduct research on the effect of eligibility criteria on the number of children served. (CR)

This publication summarizes the proceedings of a Project FORUM conference that examined the needs of homeless children and youth with disabilities. The summarized presentations address the definition of homelessness, the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act, services for homeless students under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, educational services for children who are homeless in five states (Maryland, Illinois, Iowa, Pennsylvania, and Virginia), facts about homelessness that shape the nature and delivery of educational services, and challenges related to children with disabilities who are homeless. Proposed strategies are presented for meeting the following challenges: (1) increasing awareness about the educational needs and rights of children who are homeless and enrolling them in school; (2) sustaining multi-pronged advocacy through public education and training and legislative and administrative advocacy; (3) providing timely, appropriate, multi-disciplinary assessment for students who are homeless; (4) finding solutions to broad problems through collaboration between schools and the community; (5) increasing the valid and reliable data on issues related to homelessness; and (6) addressing mobility issues as they relate to identifying students with disabilities who are homeless. (Contains 16 references.) (CR)

This report is designed for use by policymakers and practitioners involved in issues of adult education, welfare reform, and employment training programs. The driving concerns of this report are issues associated with Spanish-speaking adults who are at risk for having learning disabilities. The focus on adults is critical, because such issues as diagnostic requirements and services available are very different for adults with disabilities than for children with disabilities. The ultimate goal of this project is to provide a means to enable persons with disabilities to successfully achieve self-sufficiency through education and work. To develop the needed tools for this effort, a 6-phase project was designed, and this report focuses on the first two phases: reaching a consensus among experts on diagnostic processes for Spanish-speaking adults to determine the presence of learning disabilities (LD); and determining from the existing screen instruments in Spanish which ones should be field-tested to for validity for predicting LD in Spanish-speaking adults. Several specific tests and types of tests are discussed at length. The report is divided into seven sections providing acknowledgements, an executive summary, an introduction, a conference overview, the notes of concern of some participants, findings on the diagnostic process, and screening tool recommendations for field tests. Seven appendices provide details on learning disability definitions, current diagnostic procedures, GED testing requirements, lists of conference participants and project staff. 52 references. (Adjunct ERIC Clearinghouse for ESL Literacy Education) (KFT)

This packet was assembled to share the contents of an audio conference sponsored by the National Early Childhood Technical Assistance System (NECTAS) on October 1, 1997. The purpose of the audio conference was to identify strategies for improving communication and working relationships with the health care community, including HMOs, to ensure the early identification and referral of young children with special needs to early intervention and preschool services. Presenters included Ellen Hunt Landry, Corinne Garland, Carl Cooley, and Dan Olsten. Approximately 40 people participated in the call and many submitted questions that helped to shape the content of the conference. The packet includes: (1) an audiotape of the complete conference call; (2) copies of the resource materials submitted by the presenters; (3) a list of the presenters; and (4) a list of participants with contact information. (Author/SG)

This symposium proceedings reports on the background, purpose, and implementation of meetings held on May 19-21, 1997 that focused on race, language, and special education. Participants from school districts in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont formed teams that included two or more of the following: local directors of special education, principals, parents, superintendents, counselors, social workers, bilingual specialists, and psychologists. Technical assistance providers and State Education Agency staff also participated in the symposium. Presentations and workshops focused on helping participants better understand the Office for Civil Rights' role, process and procedures, and provided information that would enable district/state teams to develop preliminary plans in the areas of teaching and procedural strategies, community/family involvement, staff development, information gathering, and evaluation related to race, language, and special education. Specific presentations included: "Literacy Development and the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Student" (Patricia Landurand); "Community Involvement and Parent Empowerment" (Beth Harry); "The Past, Present and Future of Nondiscriminatory Assessment" (Richard A. Figueroa); "Effective Literacy Instruction of Bilingual Students in Special Education" (Nadeen T. Ruiz); and "Approaches to Self Evaluation for School Districts" (Beth Harry). The report includes a synopsis of all presentations and plenary sessions, a summary of the "next steps" generated by state and district teams, and a summary of evaluation feedback from the participants. (Presentations contain references.) (CR)

This conference proceedings document includes an introduction, papers from all the presenters and respondents, and masters of the overheads used in the presentations. Three videotapes (with a total running time of approximately 4.5 hours) of all the symposium presentations are also included. Presentations include: "The Ecology of Human Performance Framework: A Model for Identifying and Designing Appropriate Accommodations for Adults Learners" (Winnie Dunn and others); "The Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Their Application to Educational Issues" (Wendy Wilkinson and Cynthia Dresden), which addresses the definition of disability, documenting disability, testing issues, eligibility criteria, and communication issues; "Intervention Issues" (Richard Cooper), which discusses different disability types, degrees of intervention, and new accommodations; "From Discrimination to Acceptance: Serving People with Psychiatric Disabilities in Adult Education" (Karen V. Unger); and "Is Adult Secondary Education and Adult Basic Education for All?" (Sandra Delgado). With the exception of the last presentation, all presentations include two responses. (Most papers contain references.) (CR)

Shortened versions of papers from a symposium on literacy and disabilities are provided. Paper topics include: (1) a literacy bill of rights; (2) balanced instruction for diverse learners; (3) historical trends in vocabulary selection; (4) inclusive/collaborative service delivery for language/learning disabled school-age children; (5) literacy, technology, and the educational team of a student with cerebral palsy; (6) classic poetry activities for young people with emergent literacy and language intervention needs; (7) early literacy and communication in a child with Rett Syndrome; (8) listening comprehension evaluation in reading diagnosis; (9) literacy in adults with intellectual disabilities; (10) emergent literacy in preschoolers with hearing loss; (11) implementing a multilevel, multimethod literacy program for students with mild to moderate mental retardation; (12) using cultural arts and technology in developing strong, lifelong literacy skills; (13) using reading recovery for elementary school-aged children with multiple disabilities and hearing impairments; (14) facilitating poetry writing for students with special needs; (15) making special education regular and regular education special by joining the two philosophies; (16) how the experiences of people with disabilities may lead to an emancipatory literacy; (17) dynamic assessment and instructional modifications for students with seizure disorders; (18) early identification and evaluation of attentional and motor-perceptual deficits as markers of learning disabilities; (19) developing language through social interaction and literacy enjoyment; (20) using poetry to support emergent literacy; (21) a summer institute for augmented speakers; (22) literacy instructional techniques used for a student with multiple disabilities; (23) strategies for addressing difficulties in the physical aspects of written expression; (24) pragmatical approaches to major obstacles in teaching reading; (25) a personal narrative from a student with hearing impairment and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; (26) validity in facilitated communication; (27) methods for improving the literacy of adolescents with learning, emotional, and behavioral disabilities; (28) designing computer generated/multi-sensory materials for teaching reading and writing through word families; and (29) using augmentative and alternative communication during storybook interactions. Most papers contain references. Includes a publications list for the Center for Literacy and Disability Studies. (CR)

This paper describes the Early Screening Project (ESP), a system to identify behavior problems among preschool children ages 3 to 5. The ESP is a three-stage, multiple-gating set of procedures which assesses both the frequency and intensity of adjustment problems. In Stage 1, teachers rank students on externalizing and internalizing behavior dimensions, focusing on the five children in their classroom who best exemplify either externalizing or internalizing behaviors. In Stage 2, teachers complete a behavior checklist evaluating critical events, aggressive behavior, social interaction, adaptive behavior, and maladaptive behavior. During Stage 3, the child's social behavior is observed in the classroom and on the playground. A parent questionnaire provides additional input on the child's ability to play with other children, get along with caregivers, play with materials, and care for self. Psychometric studies have supported the technical adequacy (reliability and validity) of the ESP. The ESP is believed to minimize the time and cost requirements of preschool assessments while increasing accuracy over other screening instruments. (Contains 10 references.) (DB)

This document reports on the purpose, implementation, and outcomes of a policy forum on strategies used to address the disproportionate number of students from minority ethnic/racial groups receiving special education. Participants included representatives of state education agencies, local education agencies, the university/research community, general education, the Office for Civil Rights, and advocacy groups. The policy forum's purpose was to critique preliminary findings of a case-study investigation in three states and to identify specific strategies for addressing the disproportionate representation problem. Strategies were identified for the following six areas: (1) the importance of school staff trained to work with culturally, racially, and linguistically diverse students and recruitment of staff reflecting this diversity; (2) the need for on-going professional development opportunities for school personnel in such areas as positive classroom management, effective instructional practices, and non-biased assessment; (3) the need to inform and involve communities in addressing issues of disproportionality; (4) the need for involving parents early in the child's school career; (5) the need for closer collaboration between general and special educators; and (6) the need for special education data, disaggregated by race/ethnic group, to understand disproportionality and focus strategies. A list of forum participants and the agenda are attached. (DB)

This collection of papers presented at a 1996 conference on children's mental health focuses on school-based services. The eight papers have the following titles and authors: (1) "Facilitating the Social/Emotional Development of Middle School Students: A Model for Improving School-Based Curriculum" (Craig Barringer and Doug Cheney); (2) "School-Based Wraparound: How Implementation and Evaluation Can Lead to System Change" (Lucille Eber and others); (3) "Identification of Students with SED: Correlates of State Child-Count Data" (Donald Oswald and Martha Coutinho); (4) "Comparison of Children and Adolescents with Serious Emotional Disturbance Served in Hospital and School" (Suzanne Markel-Fox and others); (5) "One Year Outcome Findings of the Vanderbilt School-Based Counseling Evaluation Project" (Vicki S. Harris and others); (6) "Interagency Collaboration Efforts with Families with Severe School Refusal Problems" (Fiona Thomson and Mary E. Evans); (7) "Day Treatment for Children with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders: A Program Evaluation" (Jerry Oestmann); and (8) "Designing, Implementing, and Evaluating a School-Based Psychoeducational Group for Children with Behavioral Problems from Families with Substance Abuse Issues" (Martha Morrison Dore and others). (Individual papers contain references.) (DB)

This paper opposes the use of discrepancy formulas to identify students with learning disabilities (LD) and stresses the importance of clinical judgment by members of the multidisciplinary evaluation team (MDT). It presents the LD identification procedures required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, examines why formulas are not appropriate for determining a severe discrepancy, and recommends a method of LD identification that is both professionally sound and legally complaint. It begins with a discussion of H. R. Myklebust's 1968 formula to determine "expectancy age." Next it cites legislation and regulations concerning the definition of learning disability and the three-fold determination requirement placed upon the MDT to determine that: (1) a severe discrepancy exists between ability and achievement; (2) the discrepancy is not primarily due to factors other than LD; and (3) the student needs special education. The inappropriateness of the use of discrepancy formulas is supported by citations from the U.S. Office of Education opposing the use of a formula as the sole determiner of eligibility. The paper addresses reasons for the continued use and abuse of formulas and critiques a 1994 proposed formula by R. H. Good which identifies the lowest performing six percent of students, compared to their age and grade peers, to have a severe discrepancy. The paper concludes by emphasizing the importance of the professional qualifications and judgment of MDT team members. Contains seven references. (DB)

This paper provides a brief historical outline of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), its definition, its behavioral characteristics, and a guide to creating successful learning environments for these students. Diagnostic criteria for ADHD are listed and discussed, and incidence figures of 3 to 5 percent of all school-age children are cited. The paper briefly describes the following typical characteristics of students with ADHD: short attention spans and distractibility, impulsivity, free flight of ideas, poor organizational skills, insatiability, hyperactivity, social immaturity, performance inconsistency, inflexibility, mood swings, and poor short-term memory. Disorders that may mimic the characteristics of ADHD are identified, including anxiety disorders, conduct disorders, learning disabilities, depression, manic-depressive illness, and seasonal affective disorder. The controversy over the use of medications to treat ADHD is addressed. A section on ways to make school successful for students with attention deficits covers the importance of being knowledgeable about symptoms and attitudes surrounding ADHD, characteristics of successful teachers, the classroom environment, modifying the curriculum, ways to help students listen and attend, the need to provide students with frequent breaks, and homework. (Contains 17 references.) (DB)

This paper reports on the design, purpose, implementation, and outcomes of a policy forum on disproportionate representation of students from minority ethnic/racial groups in special education. The purpose of this policy forum was to develop an action agenda for implementation of two recommendations assigned a high priority by a group of stakeholders: (1) prereferral strategies should be an integral part of the educational process and should be made available to service providers prior to the initiation of a formal assessment, and training should be provided in this area; and (2) training should be provided to address the diverse learning strengths and needs of an increasing heterogeneous student population, including training in the area of parent/professional collaboration, and family members from different ethnic/racial backgrounds should be used as resources. Two speakers offered remarks: Robert Solomon on prereferral strategies and Beth Harry on home-school collaboration. Forum participants then identified compelling reasons to implement the recommendations, barriers to implementation, and critical components of an implementation plan. Appendixes contain a participant list, a list of background materials for the forum, an agenda, and tips for successful prereferral. (JDD)

This study examined the incidence of creativity among individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and the incidence of ADHD among individuals who are highly creative. The ADHD group consisted of 34 students, aged 6 to 15. The highly creative group consisted of 76 participants, ages 13 to 15, from the Torrance Creative Scholars Program in Louisiana. The ADHD group performed close to the test means on the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking-Figural Form A, on all components except elaboration. On elaboration, which is a measure of a style of creative response that gives attention to detail and perfects ideas rather than producing large numbers of ideas, the ADHD group scored more than one standard deviation above the test mean. Thirty-two percent of the ADHD group scored high enough on the Torrance Test to have qualified for the Creative Scholars program. The highly creative group completed the Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham Checklist (SNAP), indicating that 20 (26 percent) met the criteria for ADHD, attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity, or attention deficit disorder without hyperactivity, though SNAPs completed by their teachers reflected no elevated levels of hyperactivity, inattention, or impulsivity. The study concludes that a creative child could receive an unwarranted diagnosis of ADHD, and once a diagnosis is made, it is likely that behavior will be seen through that filter and so attributed. (Contains 33 references.) (JDD)

While the commitment to technology for neonatal and infant hearing screening in this country has come a long way and is evolving rapidly, the average age of 18-30 months, at which young children with auditory disabilities are identified, is still unacceptable. The promise of earlier detection, diagnosis, and habilitation of hearing loss is within reach if: (1) there is appropriate understanding of the magnitude and consequences of the problem; (2) information based on past efforts is utilized; (3) there is the ability to evaluate and use emerging technologies appropriately; and (4) collaborative uses of resources and agencies already in place are developed. Appended material includes a public awareness hand-out, a time-line on early identification of hearing loss, a summary of studies on the incidence of hearing impairment in high-risk infants, a draft position statement on universal hearing screening of the Directors of Speech and Hearing Programs in State Health and Welfare Agencies, and suggestions for community/professional advocacy for early identification of hearing loss. Contains 94 references. (Author/DB)

This paper describes the process of developmental assessment of infants and young children from a parent's perspective. The artificial and arbitrary nature of most assessments is bemoaned as failing to adequately recognize children's abilities that may be readily evident to parents in more natural settings. Assessments emphasizing children's failure to meet a certain developmental milestone on schedule are criticized as counterproductively negative and disempowering, as is the accumulation of diagnostic labels that often occurs as a result. Four cartoons illustrate the paper. (PB)

This study compared scores on the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT) of 50 seventh and eighth grade students receiving instruction in regular classroom settings and 50 seventh and eighth grade students receiving instruction in special education resource room settings. Scores from five test components were examined, including: Total Reading, Total Math, Total Language, Basic Battery, and Complete Battery. Results indicated that scores from seventh to eighth grade tended to remain stable or to increase slightly among resource room students and to decline among regular class students. A significant difference was found between groups on the Total Reading component, with the regular class scores declining and the special class scores remaining stable. The greatest difference in standard deviations occurred between seventh grade regular classroom students and seventh grade resource room students on the Complete Battery. This finding supports the expected homogeneity of grouping among resource room students. The paper concludes that placement criteria for the resource room setting are effective in grouping students of similar abilities. (JDD)

This paper presents results of a preliminary study which evaluated medical birth data as potential predictors of developmental outcome, and developed and tested an instrument designed for this purpose. Forty low birthweight children, all of whom had experienced neonatal intraventricular hemorrhage, were evaluated at school age (66 months) on the Battelle Developmental Inventory (BDI) and results were correlated with neonatal risk factors and birth characteristics. Of 15 variables correlating with the BDI, the variables with the highest correlations with developmental outcome were the number of days spent in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and the degree of neurological damage. These variables were found to be more predictive than other commonly used variables including birthweight, gestational age, and APGAR scores. The study also found that adding demographic and social variables only slightly increased the amount of variance explained in the outcome measure. Attached tables detail study findings. (Contains 19 references.) (DB)

This document compiles abstracts of papers that were presented at a 3-day conference of experts which developed a consensus statement on early identification of hearing impairment in infants and young children. Papers addressed taxonomy; epidemiology; developmental consequences of early hearing impairment; methodology, instrumentation, and personnel; and models for early identification and follow-up. Abstracts of the following papers are included: "Early Identification of Hearing Impairment in Infants and Young Children" (Robert J. Ruben); "Site of Lesion and Age of Onset" (Jerome O. Klein); "Causal Factors and Concomitant Impairment" (Michael A. Karchmer); "Incidence/Prevalence" (Patrick E. Brookhouser); "At-Risk Populations" (N. Wendell Todd); "Auditory Development" (Joseph W. Hall); "Language Acquisition" (Mary P. Moeller); "Effects of Hearing Impairment on the Development of Speech" (D. Kimbrough Oller); "Social/Emotional and Academic Consequences of Hearing Loss" (Diane Brackett); "Benefits of Screening at Birth: Economic, Educational, and Functional Factors" (Marion P. Downs); "High-Risk Register" (Allan O. Diefendorf); "Behavioral Measures" (Judith S. Gravel); "Acoustic Immittance Measures" (Robert H. Margolis); "Developmental Screening in a Busy Clinic: A Luxury or a Necessity?" (Noel D. Matkin); "Recording the Auditory Brainstem Response in Infants" (Terence W. Picton); "The Auditory Brainstem Response in Infants: Basic Aspects" (Richard C. Folsom); "Auditory Brainstem Response Testing in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit" (Bruce A. Weber); "Evaluation of Hearing in the Neonate Using the Auditory Brainstem Response" (Yvonne S. Sininger); "Hearing Screening of Infants with Auditory Brainstem Response: Protocols, Personnel, and Price" (James W. Hall III); "Otoacoustic Emissions: Basic Aspects" (Theodore J. Glattke); "Utility of Distortion-Product Otoacoustic Emissions in Identifying Hearing Impairment in Infants and Young Children" (Brenda L. Lonsbury-Martin); "Characteristics of Transient Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions in Pediatric Populations" (Susan J. Norton); "Practicality, Validity, and Cost-Efficiency of Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Using Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions" (Karl R. White); "Models for Early Identification and Followup: An Overview" (Robert G. Turner); "U.S.A. Models" (Thomas M. Mahoney); "Canadian Models and Issues" (Martyn L. Hyde); and "The Public Health Perspective on Screening--U.K. Experience and Recommendations" (Mark P. Haggard). Most papers contain references. (DB)

These proceedings from a January, 1993, forum on the education of children with attention deficit disorder (ADD) focuses on the activities of five federally funded centers: the Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Center on Attention Deficit Disorder; the University of Miami (Florida) Center for Research on Attention Deficit Disorder; the Research Triangle (North Carolina) Institute, Attention Deficit Disorder Intervention Center; the University of California, Irvine, Attention Deficit Disorder Intervention Center; and the Federal Resource Center at the University of Kentucky. Researchers from each center presented brief reviews of their approaches and findings which were followed by roundtable discussions. These presentations are summarized in these proceedings and covered the following topics: (1) promising practices in identifying and educating children with ADD (Barbara Burcham and Laurance Carson of the Kentucky Center); (2) assessing children with ADD for identification and classification (Roscoe Dykan et al. from the Arkansas Center); (3) characteristics and educational placement of children with ADD (James D. McKinney et al. from the Florida center); (4) educational interventions for children with ADD (Thomas A. Fiore et al. from the North Carolina center); and (5) medical intervention for children with ADD (James Swanson, California center). Two additional chapters report on participant discussion of information dissemination and product development and of related initiatives for children with ADD. (Some chapters include references.) (DB)

This monograph provides an overview of federal laws relevant to the provision of educational services to preschool children with disabilities (as well as additional laws pertaining to children who are homeless) and examines implementation of these laws in New York City. It begins with an overview of federal legislation including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Chapter 1 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the Head Start Act, and the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of 1987. The paper also reviews barriers confronting New York City preschoolers with disabilities. Barriers to timely and appropriate identification, evaluation, and placement include failure to solicit parental input, restricted locations of approved evaluation sites, a shortage of bilingual evaluators, inadequate program numbers, and placement of children in segregated programs. Finally, the paper considers barriers confronting preschoolers with disabling conditions who are also homeless. These include inadequate efforts to place homeless preschoolers into available programs, inconsistent application and selection procedures which ignore the transiency associated with homelessness, and failure to identify homeless preschoolers with disabilities due to ineffective or nonexistent outreach. (Contains 36 references.) (DB)

This paper provides guidelines for the audiologic assessment of infants and young children, highlighting recent technologic advances in auditory electrophysiology, acoustic immitance measure procedures, and behavioral audiometric techniques. First, audiologic assessment guidelines developed by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association are discussed and the specific protocol used at the Rose F. Kennedy Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine (New York) is outlined. Components of this protocol are then discussed in further detail, including: (1) auditory brainstem response (ABR) evaluation, (2) the use of acoustic immitance measures, (3) behavioral audiologic assessment, (4) visual reinforcement audiometry (VRA), (5) optimizing the clinical VRA procedure, (6) obtaining ear-specific thresholds, and (7) developing recommendations for amplification. Contains 40 references. (DB)

This document contains preconference seminar outlines for the 47th Annual Education Law Association (ELA) Conference. The first of four sections, "Americans with Disabilities Act Update--Higher Education and Employees," by Christopher P. Borreca, presents legal issues related to the Americans with Disabilities Act, an adequate definition of "disability," medical and fitness-for-duty exams, among other subjects. The second section, "Technology and Teaching School Law," by Gregory A. Boris and others, comments on the use of technology such as the Internet, audio and visual media, interactive media, and graphics for classroom and long-distance law instruction. The third section, "Issues Faced by Schools in the Digital Age," by Dana T. Buckman and R. Craig Wood, covers topics involving school district liability for electronic communications, equal access for individuals with disabilities, and physical security of technological equipment. The fourth section, "Special Education K-12," contains material relating to the impact of IDEA procedural violations on special-education appeals, student discipline, and an IDEA update. (RT)

A framework is presented to help teachers become aware of classroom modifications possible in the regular classroom and to determine whether to refer IndoChinese students to special education when their needs cannot be met through modifications. Services that can be provided both before and after the child becomes a participant in a regular classroom setting are discussed. Pre-enrollment services involve student assessment/evaluation and establishment of language classes in which students are transitionally placed to facilitate an eventual assignment to a regular classroom. Post-enrollment services include: teacher knowledge of the child's background, appropriate curriculum materials, an accepting classroom environment, support services (such as English-as-a-Second-Lanugage instruction and consultation with specialists and culturally knowledgeable resource people), modifying the classroom format, and additional offerings to supplement the regular classroom. Factors causing poor learning may include quality of service, the child's health, lack of educational experiences, failure to adjust to the educational environment, anti-learning behaviors, and emotional factors. Before referring to special education, the teacher should be informed about legal implications, placement criteria, and program and service availability. (SW)

This collection of 64 papers from a 1997 international conference of special educators focuses on the challenges of diversity in education. Topics of the papers include: (1) assessment strategies for individuals with autism; (2) self-determination strategies for at-risk youth with learning, behavior, and emotional disabilities; (3) developing standards for professionals working with students with exceptionalities; (4) cooperative teaching and creating effective teams; (5) inclusive education implications for gifted youth; (6) dealing with test anxiety and underachievement of students with special needs; (7) inclusion of young children with disabilities; (8) developing collaborative partnerships in higher education; (9) a systemic approach to special education; (10) formative rhythmics; (11) tracking techniques used in the remedial teaching of writing; (12) intervention strategies for at-risk high school students; (13) teaching self-management to students with diverse needs; (14) diagnosis and remediation of early reading difficulties; (15) educator resistance and acceptance of inclusion; (16) developing effective school-to-work models for students with autism spectrum disorders; (17) educational software; (18) a conceptual model of diversity; (19) young volunteers with disabilities; (20) low-income preschool programs in Korea; (21) effects of cognitive awareness training on boys with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); (22) identification of deafness; (23) the implication of Vygotsky's theory for the assessment of disadvantaged learners; (24) funding special needs and diversity programs; (25) the improvement of the creativity of children with deafness; (26) culturally relevant partnerships between families and professionals; (27) responsibility and self-esteem; (28) early intervention program development; (29) the roles of paraeducators in special education; (30) turning cultural diversity into multiculturalism; (31) pursuing goal setting and career development to improve self-esteem and academic achievement; (32) learning styles and culturally diverse students with special needs; (33) comorbidity of ADHD in adults with mental retardation; (34) attitudes toward critical thinking among students enrolled in teacher education programs; (35) a transdisciplinary assessment model for children with ADHD; (36) special educator needs in working with students with emotional disturbances; (37) regular and special education teacher training; (38) enhancing resiliency in families of preschool children; (39) preschoolers' knowledge of mathematics; (40) teachers' perceptions of their influence in the psycho-emotional development of their students; (41) comparison of Canadian and Chinese teachers' perceptions and attitudes toward social integration; and (42) raising awareness of disabilities and promoting social integration of children with disabilities in elementary schools. (Papers include references.) (CR)

This report synthesizes the key themes and ideas discussed at two 1-day workshops addressing issues in the use of IQ tests in special education evaluation and placement. The first section considers the background and legal context of the issue. The next section looks at IQ tests in school settings. Key ideas raised include the importance of never using a single test score to make decisions, inherent limitations of IQ scores, concerns about the validity of measuring complex mental abilities, and the relevance of the particular use to which the test is being put. A section on student placement considers the role of the IQ test at the stages of referral, evaluation, and placement. Alternative approaches to eligibility assessment, including curriculum-based measurement and assessment of cognitive correlates of reading failure, are reviewed. The need for further research in such areas as effective treatment methods, effects of various kinds of classroom environments on individual differences in learning, and the malleability of intelligence is stressed. Inset boxes provide summary information on such topics as the meaning and interpretation of IQ tests, IQ tests and the diagnosis of mild mental retardation, minority overrepresentation in special education, and use of IQ tests to diagnose learning disabilities. An appendix gives the workshop agendas and lists of participants. (Contains 68 references.) (DB)

This volume, the proceedings of a 1992 conference, presents 14 papers which take a neuropsychological approach to attention deficit disorder, attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity, and learning disabilities. Papers have the following titles and authors: "A New Conceptual Model for Dyslexia" (Sally E. Shaywitz et al.); "Experimental and Clinical Models of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Walter E. Kaufmann); "Learning Disability Subtypes: Splitting versus Lumping Revisited" (Stephen R. Hooper and Carl Swartz); "Fragile X Syndrome: A Behavioral Genetics' Window into Understanding Social Emotional Learning Disability" (Thomas Baumgardner and Allan L. Reiss); "Familial Dyslexia: Genetic, Behavioral, and Imaging Studies" (H. Lubs et al.); "Interrelationships between Reading Disability and Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder" (Bennett A. Shaywitz et al.); "Early Detection of Learning Disability" (Bruce K. Shapiro); "The Role of Language in Learning Disabilities" (Elisabeth H. Wiig); "Social Deficits in Children with Learning Disabilities" (Wendy L. Stone and Annette M. La Greca); "Diagnosis and Treatment of Depressive Disorders in Children with Learning Disabilities" (Paramjit T. Joshi); "Conduct Disorder versus Oppositional Defiant Disorder: Endpoint of Learning Disabilities" (Pasquale J. Accardo); "Educational Interventions in Learning Disabilities: Follow-up Studies and Future Research Needs" (Doris J. Johnson); "The Establishment of Self-Regulation and Social Understanding in Children and Adolescents with ADHD: Family Factors" (James C. Harris); and "Learning Disabilities: Beyond the School Years" (Michael Bender). References accompany individual papers. (DB)

There are many forms of learning disabilities (LDs) like Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). An LDs where school going children do not attain suitable reading skills scorn usual intelligence, and equal opportunity, and satisfactory instructions. Many researchers are researching to identify these LDs at the early age of children. Nowadays EEG (electroencephalogram) is one of the techniques is used to identify these learning disabilities. The neurologist can analyze the EEG data and take the decision. Sometimes the manual process required authentication. This authentication can be done with the help of a brain-computer interface (BCI) and Machine learning algorithms providing the highest accuracy of the analysis of the data. In this research, we are considering different Machine learning algorithms for identifying EEG-based ADHD, the learning disability with maximum accuracy. For this research, we have considered Support Vector Machines (SVM), Random forests (RF), K-nearest Neighbors (K-NN), and Neural networks different types of algorithms for classification purposes of ADHD data. Here we found that the Neural Network algorithms outperform well compare to the other ML-based algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disaster research is an interdisciplinary field that investigates not only geophysical processes but ways in which inequalities based on class, gender, race, ethnicity, and age affect vulnerability, response, and resilience. Less is known about how disability-based inequality may relate to disaster preparedness. In this paper, we explore relationships between disability identity and levels of concern about climate change and emergency preparedness, perceived likelihood of evacuation during storms of various strengths, and likelihood of evacuating to particular types of locations. Findings suggest that participants who identified as disabled experience social and structural disadvantages in a number of areas that may increase vulnerability and reduce resilience. While disabled and non-disabled participants did not differ significantly in level of concern about climate change, disabled participants did report significantly higher levels of concern about being prepared for emergencies. Disabled participants were also significantly more likely than others to say that they would evacuate during the least intense storms, and differed from others in terms of the types of locations they would likely choose if told to evacuate. Specifically, they were slightly less likely than non-disabled participants to say they would evacuate to the home of family or friends in the area and to a shelter that does not allow pets. They were significantly more likely than others to say they would choose a pet friendly shelter and an integrated shelter that provides services to people with disabilities but is not limited to them. Disability identification and perceived stigmatization of people with disabilities had independent positive associations with likelihood of evacuating to a shelter that is limited to people with disabilities and their companions. These findings highlight the need to consider not just the medical needs of individuals with disabilities, but ways in which disability-based social and cultural inequalities and stigmatization may affect disaster response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persons with cognitive or mental disabilities have difficulties participating in or are excluded from IT development and assessments exercises due to the problems finding good ways to efficiently collaborate on equal terms. In this paper we describe how we worked closely together with persons that have mental and cognitive disabilities in order to test and develop methods for participation in assessments and in processes for developing, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) products and services. More than 100 persons with mental and cognitive disabilities participated in the study (people with diagnoses such as depression, anxiety disorder, bipolarity, and schizophrenia). To explore the conditions for a more equal and fair participation we have developed and elaborated a set of methods, tools and approaches. By combining scientific research methods with well-established methods for empowerment and participation we have developed methods that are cost effective and that easily can be incorporated in existing processes. We believe that our approach have taken steps to implement possibilities for persons with mental and cognitive disabilities to take part where user participation is needed in order not to discriminate or exclude but also to improve the overall quality of the end result. The results clearly show that it is possible to include persons with mental and cognitive disabilities. A mixed method — mixed tool approach can increase the possibility for participation. The results also show that the quality of the analysis phase increases if the collaborative approach is extended to also embrace the data analysis phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calendars can be important memory aids for individuals with cognitive disabilities. This study compared the effect of the popular two-dimensional table calendar view and the simpler list view. A controlled experiment was conducted involving 10 individuals with cognitive disabilities and 10 controls. The results show that the list view gave significantly fewer errors and shorter searching times, while editing took longer with the list view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is intended to inform readers about the development and evaluation of a simplified online banking interface for people with cognitive disabilities; this includes a description of the development process as well as the evaluation of the interface with users. Moreover, thoughts and experiences that went into the development will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a study examining the usability of OnScreenDualScribe (OSDS), a tool to support individuals with physical disabilities with text entry and cursor movement. A portable numeric keypad is used to interact with the OSDS, which can either be held by the user, or can be affixed to a surface for interaction. A study to determine the feasibility of the system was conducted with three individuals with physical disabilities. While it was noted that the time taken was higher to complete a task compared to their existing methods of computer-based input, findings also indicate that the system offers potential for tasks involving a combination of text entry and cursor movement (e.g., completing online forms). Furthermore, as the keypad is smaller in size compared with a traditional keyboard, participants suggested that it offered potential to reduce effort spent in the fatiguing process of traversal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]