The effects of computer-assisted versus teacher-directed instruction on the multiplication performance of elementary students with learning disabilities

Relationships between leader behavior and subordinate work stress were examined from the perspectives of 343 leaders, their bosses, and their subordinates. Leader behaviors did relate to stress experienced by staff; however, leaders' views of what related to subordinate stress did not always coincide with the factors that subordinates themselves associated with stress. The relationships of leader delegation and subordinate participation to lower subordinate reports of stress were particularly underestimated by leaders. Implications for developing leaders as agents for employee stress reduction are discussed.     

The effects of inclusion on the social functioning of students with learning disabilities

The purpose of this study was to provide data on the social functioning (i.e., the degree of peer acceptance, self-concept, loneliness, and social alienation) of students in second, third, and fourth grade who participated in an inclusive classroom for an entire year. The social functioning of students identified as learning disabled (LD; n = 16), low achieving (LA; n = 27), and average/high achieving (AHA; n = 21) was assessed at the beginning and end of the school year. The students with LD were less well liked and more frequently rejected than AHA students. Although students' overall self-worth did not differ by achievement group, the students with LD demonstrated significantly lower academic self-concept scores. The students with LD did not differ on ratings of loneliness, and they demonstrated increases in the number of within-class reciprocal friendships from fall to spring. Discussion focuses on the effects of inclusion on the social functioning of students with LD.     

Integrated learning: explicit strategies and their role in problem-solving instruction for students with learning disabilities

This study investigated the effectiveness of an explicit strategy as a means of linking facts, concepts, and problem solving in an unfamiliar domain of learning. Participants were 37 secondary students with learning disabilities. All students were taught health facts and concepts, which they then applied to problem-solving exercises presented through computer-simulation games. Students in the experimental group were taught an explicit strategy for solving the problems; the comparison group was given supportive feedback and encouraged to induce their own strategies. The explicit strategy group performed significantly better on two transfer measures, including videotaped problem-solving exercises.     

Direct teaching, strategy instruction, and strategy instruction with explicit self-regulation: Effects on the composition skills and self-efficacy of students with learning disabilities.

Extends previous research on components of effective strategy instruction operationalized in an approach referred to as self-regulated strategy development (SRSD). Comparisons were made among learning-disabled students in 4 conditions (SRSD, SRSD without goal setting and self-monitoring, direct teaching, and practice control) at posttest, generalization, and 2 maintenance probes. Normally achieving (NA) peers constituted a social validation condition. Full SRSD resulted in significantly greater schematic structure scores at generalization as compared with the other instructional conditions. At posttest, both SRSD conditions resulted in significantly greater schematic structure scores as compared with the practice control condition. Comparisons with NA peers indicated that all instructional conditions had a meaningful effect. No differences among conditions were found for self-efficacy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Examining the instructional contexts of students with learning disabilities

This review of the literature examines how instructional contexts for elementary and secondary level students with learning disabilities have been studied in the past 10 years through a variety of methodological approaches and observation instruments. These studies employed some direct measure of classroom ecology, as well as some measure of the teacher or students' classroom behavior. Information included the time that students were engaged in different activities in different settings, interactions between teachers and students, and students' classroom behavior.     

Examining the effects of a comprehensive writing program on the writing performance of middle school students with learning disabilities in written expression.

Many students have difficulty in educational and employment settings because they have failed to master basic writing skills. Multiple-baseline across-tasks designs were used to evaluate the effects of the Comprehensive Writing Program (CWP), a multicomponent intervention, on the writing performance of all students (n = 17) from 3 9th-grade special education classrooms. The CWP included direct instruction, assignment choice, increased practice, group rewards, and individual feedback. Assessment procedures were used to collect data on 3 target skills: percentage of sentences that (a) were complete sentences, (b) contained adjectives, and (c) were compound sentences. Results suggest that the CWP increased students' performance on recently taught or retaught skills; however, not all increases were maintained. Discussion focuses on future applied and theoretical research designed to address limitations of the current study and to enhance the effectiveness of the CWP. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Extended mnemonic instruction with learning disabled students.

Divided 64 learning disabled (LD) 6th-, 7th-, and 8th-grade students into 24 instructional groups that were assigned at random to mnemonic and control conditions. Instructional groups were administered 3 daily lessons on dinosaurs in counterbalanced order. The lessons involved vocabulary on dinosaurs, attributes of dinosaurs, and reasons for dinosaur extinction. Mnemonic groups were taught the information using keyword and pegword techniques. Control instructional groups were taught the same information using the principles of direct instruction, including teacher-directed questioning, choral group responding, fast instructional pacing, and cumulative review. A test was given after each lesson on that lesson's content. On the 4th day, all Ss were given production and identification tests on the content of all 3 lessons. Results indicate that mnemonic groups outperformed control groups on the immediate and delayed tests. In addition, control Ss' responses revealed significantly more intralist intrusions than did those of mnemonic Ss. No meaningful trend across days of instruction was observed for either condition. Findings suggest that mnemonic instruction is a versatile and effective instructional technique for LD students. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Teaching multiplication facts to students with learning disabilities

Multiple baseline designs were used to examine the effects of an instructional package on accuracy of performance in solving multiplication facts by 3 students with learning disabilities. The instructional package included the following components: (a) a modified instructional sequence in which multiplication facts were grouped into the zeros, ones, doubles, fives, and nines categories, and those remaining; (b) identification of the category in which each fact belonged; (c) mnemonic strategies associated with solving facts in each category; and (d) steps to be completed for solving facts in each category. Results indicated that the instructional package produced substantial and immediate effects. After receiving instruction, a participant's accuracy was often 100%, and this was maintained throughout the evaluation even as other strategies were introduced. Comparable results occurred across students, demonstrating replication of the effects of the instructional package.     

A life skills approach to mathematics instruction: preparing students with learning disabilities for the real-life math demands of adulthood

Current mathematics instruction does not address the day-to-day needs of many students with learning disabilities. Although the vast majority of students with learning disabilities are not college bound, much of mathematics instruction provides college preparation. Too often, classes in mathematics ignore the skills needed in home and community and on the job. The present article examines the ways in which general mathematics instruction, focused on daily living skills, can easily be integrated into the classrooms of students with learning disabilities.     

The effects of an elaborated goal on the persuasive writing of students with learning disabilities and their normally achieving peers.

Fourth- and sixth-grade students with and without learning disabilities (LD) wrote persuasive essays about controversial topics under 2 different conditions. Students in the general goal condition were asked to write a letter to persuade an audience to agree with their position. Students in the elaborated goal condition were given the same general goal plus explicit subgoals based on the elements of argumentative discourse. Sixth-grade students in the elaborated goal condition produced more persuasive essays and included a greater number of argumentative elements in their essays than did either 6th graders in the general goal condition or 4th graders in both goal conditions. In addition, students with LD wrote less persuasively than did their normally achieving peers. Implications for the study of argumentative writing are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Transition planning assessment for secondary-level students with learning disabilities

This article presents a survey of and recommendations for transition planning assessment for secondary teachers of students with learning disabilities. The author makes a case for redirecting assessment practices in secondary instructional programs to obtain present-level-of-functioning information for IEP planning that extends beyond high school graduation as a single outcome. Critical outcomes in adult adjustment requiring transition planning are presented. Current standardized and nonstandardized assessment procedures that focus on adult outcomes, as well as preferences and interests in planning for the future, are described. The author gives recommendations for planning and conducting transition-needs assessment for secondary schools.     

Profiles of college students demonstrating learning disabilities with and without giftedness

The purpose of this study was to analyze the assessment profiles of two groups of adults with learning disabilities. The first group comprised 48 adults (34 men and 14 women) demonstrating giftedness and a learning disability profile (G/LD). The second group of 46 adults (31 men and 15 women) demonstrated a learning disabled profile without giftedness (NG/LD). Both groups of participants were either attending or planning to attend college and sought testing at a university-affiliated learning disabilities center. Participants' mean age was 20 years, and all were White and from middle to upper-middle class backgrounds. Findings indicate that, as a group, the adults demonstrating a G/LD profile tended to be identified later and have more discrepancy among cognitive assessment profile scores than the NG/LD group. Cognitive subtest scores showed significant differences between the groups, but also several areas of weakness evident in both groups regardless of the presence of giftedness. These findings emphasize the importance of identifying the presence of learning disabilities among gifted populations.     

Teaching secondary students with learning disabilities to self-manage classroom survival skills

This multiple baseline study investigated the effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral self-management training package on the consistent use of specific classroom survival skills. Participants were three adolescent males with learning disabilities in Grades 7 and 8. The training package involved a multicomponent strategy focused on the improvement, maintenance, and cross-classroom generalization of targeted classroom preparedness skills. Following intervention, the training procedures were systematically faded. Results demonstrated more consistent use of targeted classroom survival skills by all three students in both learning support and mainstream generalization settings. Long-term maintenance of the intervention effects was observed for two students in both settings. Three social validity measures revealed positive results. Implications for self-management in secondary education settings are discussed.     

Mathematics education and students with learning disabilities: introduction to the special series

The prevalence of students with mathematics learning disabilities has triggered an interest among special education researchers and practitioners in developing an understanding of the needs of this group of students, and in identifying effective instructional programming to foster their mathematical performance during the school years and into adulthood. Research into the characteristics of students with mathematics learning disabilities is being approached from different perspectives, including developmental, neurological and neuropsychological, and educational. This diversity helps us develop a broader understanding of students' learning needs and difficulties. Special education assessment practices encompass a variety of approaches, including norm-referenced, criterion-referenced, and nonstandardized procedures, depending on the specific assessment questions professionals seek to answer. Students' mathematical knowledge and conceptual understanding must be examined to determine their strengths and weaknesses, curriculum-based progress, and use of cognitive strategies to arrive at mathematical solutions. Research findings have identified empirically validated interventions for teaching mathematics curricula to students with mathematics learning disabilities. Research studies have been grounded in behavioral theory and cognitive psychology, with an emergent interest in the constructivist approach. Although research studies have focused primarily on computational performance, more work is being conducted in the areas of story-problem solving and technology. These areas as well as other math curricular skills require further study. Additionally, the needs of adults with math LD have spurred educators to examine the elementary and secondary math curricula and determine ways to infuse them with life skills instruction accordingly. As the field of mathematics special education continues to evolve, special educators must remain cognizant of the developments in and influences on the field of mathematics education. Reform efforts have shaped the field significantly since the 1950s, contributing to the curriculum offered in mathematics textbooks and the pedagogical practices taught in higher education courses. Mathematics educators continue to search for a better understanding of how children learn mathematics; this process is shaped by the prevailing theoretical orientations and research methodologies. This special series in mathematics special education provides readers with information about the characteristics of students with mathematics learning disabilities, assessment procedures, mathematics programming, teacher preparation, and future directions for the field. The series originated as a result of discussions with Dr. Lee Wiederholt and Dr. Judith K. Voress, who saw a need for the compilation of recent research and best practices in mathematics special education. I thank them for their support of and thoughtful insights about the development of this series. I also appreciate the support of Dr. George Hynd and his editorial assistant, Kathryn Black, in finalizing the details for publication. Finally, I am most appreciative of the authors' contributions to this series; their work continues to significantly influence the development of the field of mathematics special education and programming for students with mathematics learning disabilities.     

Effects of response and trial repetition on sight-word training for students with learning disabilities

Alternating treatments designs were used to compare the effects of trial repetition (one response within five trials per word) versus response repetition (five response repetitions within one trial per word) on sight-word acquisition for 3 elementary students diagnosed with specific learning disabilities in reading. Although both interventions occasioned the same number of accurate responses per word during training, the trial-repetition condition, which involved complete antecedent-response-feedback sequences, resulted in more words mastered for all 3 students.     

Instrument for locating students with suspected learning disabilities: a quantitative approach

The instrument to locate students with learning disabilities was developed to create equality and uniformity, so that such difficulties could be spotted independently of socialization factors, teachers and parents to whom the student had been exposed. The instrument was developed on the basis of research that defines the reading rate of students with reading disabilities in words per minute, the minimum number of errors for locating writing disabilities, and the number of answers and lines a student uses to reconstruct the content of a passage adapted to his or her age level. The research carried out in order to construct the instrument is the first to attempt to quantify disability, and on this basis to construct an instrument to locate students with disabilities in reading, writing and visual recall. The procedure can be carried out for a whole class in a single lesson period. One indirect conclusion from the research is that disability indicators remain with the learning disabled regardless of time since diagnosis or remedial help. Other implications related to combining the quantity component in diagnoses of degrees of difference in the disability identified, and in extra examination time for the learning disabled. The instrument should solve the problem of locating students with difficulty reading, writing or in visual recall, due to disability. Students thus identified will be directed to individual diagnosis to find out whether their difficulties are primary or secondary (e.g. a new immigrant who still has trouble with Hebrew). A personal corrective programme can then be constructed.     

Homework for students with learning disabilities: the implications of research for policy and practice

The literature on homework for students with learning disabilities is reviewed. First, a summary of Cooper's (1989a) synthesis of research on homework for students without disabilities is presented, including (a) a definition of homework, (b) a model of the homework process, (c) the results of a meta-analysis of homework studies, and (d) generic policy guidelines. Next, special education research on homework conducted after 1985 is described. The literature is divided into studies that manipulated homework conditions and homework-related surveys of teachers and parents. The results of the literature review suggest that homework policies and practices for students with learning disabilities should emphasize (a) simple, short assignments; (b) careful monitoring by and prominent rewards from teachers; and (c) parental involvement, especially to provide structure, conducive environments, and immediate rewards.     

Effects of dictation and advanced planning instruction on the composing of students with writing and learning problems.

This study examined the effects of dictation and explicit instruction in planning on the composing skills of students in 5th-, 6th-, and 7th-grade with learning disabilities. Students received instruction in either (a) planning, where students learned a strategy for developing, evaluating, and organizing ideas prior to composing, or (b) comparison, where students learned about essay structure, revised sample essays, and composed and shared essays with peers. In both conditions, half the students dictated and half the students wrote their plans and essays. The combination of dictation and instruction in advanced planning resulted in more complete and qualitatively better essays in contrast to those written by students in the comparison condition on both a posttest and 2-week maintenance probe. Results indicate advanced planning is important when using dictation to compose. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)