There has been much controversy concerning the comparability of the Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children-Revised (WISC-R) and the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Ability (WJTCA). Previous research has raised the issue of a mean score discrepancy between the tests when used with the learning disabled. This study analyzed and compared performances on these two tests by re-evaluated and newly referred LD students and newly referred non-LD students. In addition, subtypes of LD students were formed on the basis of achievement test scores. These students' test performances were also analyzed and compared. The results of this study were consistent with previous research. The Full Scale scores from the two tests were highly correlated in all three groups, but the WISC-R was significantly higher than the WJTCA for each group. Across the identified LD subtypes there was a significant difference between the Full Scale scores from the two tests. However, meaningful patterns of strengths and weaknesses across aspects of cognitive functioning were not uncovered. These results indicate that the WISC-R and WJTCA result in significantly different estimates of the cognitive ability of LD and referred students. This difference can be attributed to a combination of three possible explanations--the effects of the use of non-random samples, the use of different norm groups when the tests were standardized, and the tests contain different content.

The purpose of this study was to do a comparative analysis of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R), a test of intelligence which is frequently used with Mexican American students, and its Spanish translation the Escala de Inteligencia Wechsler Para Ninos-Revisada (EIWN-R). The WISC-R was administered in English to 109 bilingual English proficient Mexican American students, and the EIWN-R was administered in Spanish to 109 other than English proficient or monolingual Spanish speakers. Language proficiency was determined according to students scores on the Language Assessment Scales (LAS). The groups were matched by sex, school and grade. Students tested were students who were referred for testing because of academic difficulties or students placed in Special Education classes who are required to be re-evaluated every three years. Using Confirmatory factor analysis, the first objective was to determine if the factor structures underlying the EIWN-R and the WISC-R are equivalent to the factor structure of the WISC-R normative population. The correlation matrices of both groups were compared to the correlation matrix of the normative population. Factor structures of the WISC-R and the normative population were found to be statistically different, while the factor structures of the EIWN-R and the normative group were not found to be different. The second objective was to determine if the subtest means of the WISC-R and EIWN-R were significantly different. To determine this, the subtest means of both groups were subjected to MANOVA. Significant differences between subtest means were found on four of the subtests. A MANOVA was also utilized for the third objective which set out to determine if significant differences in performance are present in the EIWN-R between those students who are placed in Special Education programs and those students who are not placed. So as not to confound the results, the EMR population was removed from the sample. Significant differences in the placed and the non-placed groups were found on eight of the eleven subtests. Implications of research findings are discussed as well as future trends regarding the assessment of language minority students.

The present study was conducted to address the need to compare the validity of intelligence tests in predicting learning and achievement for Mexican Americans and Anglo children. In addition, the study examined the effects of variations in the language of test administration on Mexican American children with different linguistic competences (predominantly Spanish, bilingual, predominantly English). A widely used individual intelligence test, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children Revised (WISC-R), the Spanish English Screening Instrument, a subtraction skills pretest, five subtraction learning trials and five subtraction posttests were administered to a random sample of 150 Mexican American children and 50 Anglo children. The WISC-R and subtraction pretests and posttests were used as the predictor and criterion, respectively. The Cleary definition of bias in test use provided the basis for all analyses. Regression analysis were also performed in order to examine the effects of achievement and immediate prior learning on learning scores. In addition the Tukey Honestly Significant Difference test (HSD) was used following a one way analysis of variance to determine differences in IQ among the Anglo and Mexican American children tested under varying language conditions (English, Spanish, Bilingual). The results indicated that IQ test scores are not suitable predictors of learning for the Mexican American group and suggested that IQ scores can be used as predictors of learning for Anglo children. It was also found that IQ scores have utility in predicting achievement for both, Mexican American and Anglo children. In addition, analysis of variance data obtained from this study revealed significant differences in IQ associated with language of test administration. It was found that Mexican Americans tested in both Spanish and English obtained significantly higher scores than Mexican American children tested in English or Spanish alone. Findings from this study suggested that regardless of linguistic competence Mexican American children appear to benefit from bilingual approach to test administration. In short findings from this study revealed that the predictive validity of the WISC-R for Mexican American children is seriously impaired when a learning criterion is used. Implications of these findings were discussed and suggestions were made for the development of an assessment model based on learning as the criterion.

The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition (WISC-III) is likely to become the most widely used test of intelligence with deaf children, based on the popularity of the previous versions of the test. Because the test was constructed for hearing children who use spoken English, the following major research questions were asked: (a) Does the WISC-III demonstrate adequate construct validity? and (b) Do specific items exhibit differential item functioning (DIF), and does the nature of the content of each item that exhibits DIF imply that the item is biased? The test was translated into sign language and administered to a total of 110 deaf children at three different sites. The deaf children ranged from ages 8 through 16 (M = 13.25, SD = 2.37), had hearing losses identified as severe or worse, were prelingually deaf, used sign language as their primary means of communication, and were not identified as having any additional handicapping conditions. The sample of deaf children was compared to a sample of 110 hearing children similar in age and Performance IQ. Construct validity was examined using a LISREL multi-sample covariance structure analysis. The covariance structures were different (χ ² (91) = 119.42, p =.024). A Rasch Model was used to detect DIF on the following subtests: Picture Completion, Information, Similarities, Arithmetic, Vocabulary, Comprehension. All of these subtests exhibited DIF, and DIF plus the differences in mean logit ability resulted in numerous items that were more difficult for deaf children on the above Verbal subtests. Item bias was judged by examining the contents of items that exhibited DIF. Items were biased due generally to translation issues and differences in the educational curricula. Thus, deaf children are at a distinct disadvantage when taking these WISC-III subtests. Practitioners are urged to consider these findings when assessing deaf children.

It was the purpose of this study to determine the relationship between a subject's performance as revealed by intellectual indices of the Rorschach, his intellectual ability as revealed by the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, and academic success or failure in the form of promotion or nonpromotion.

The goals of revision for the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition included enhancement of the factor structure, improvement of subtests, and revision of norms. The researchers reported that the very few items that were found to be biased were replaced. The WISC-III performance of a clinical sample of African American, Caucasian, and Hispanic children was analyzed to determine if the test bias was eliminated as claimed in the goals of the revision.

The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) Picture Arrangement (PA) subtest has often been assumed to be a measure of social intelligence. The present study compared WISC PA performance and performance on a verbal conditioning task (production of plural nouns) as a measure of social intelligence. Four groups, high and low PA with reinforcement, and high and low PA without reinforcement, were compared on production of plural nouns over two consecutive four-minute periods. The four groups did not differ significantly in the production of plural nouns. The present study, using verbal conditionability as a measure of social intelligence, found no evidence to support the assumption that WISC PA performance is a measure of social intelligence in children.

The present study was designed to investigate whether a good reader, by the fifth grade, will have attained sufficient knowledge of the language structure to enable him to more exactly and more appropriately reconstruct mutilated texts than a poor reader, matched for verbal intelligence level. Four 250-word cloze-treated passages were administered to twelve deficient and twelve non-deficient sixth grade readers, matched according to sex and the verbal portion of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children. Analyses of variance failed to show any significant differences between good and poor readers except for a weak indication that good readers produced more exact replacements.

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries / Department: Computer Science.