Background: Support for the four factor construct validity of the third edition of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-III) has been found in clinical and non clinical populations but some studies question whether more complex models consistent with the concepts of fluid and crystallised intelligence provide a better explanation of the data. The WAIS-III is frequently used in the diagnosis of learning disability, however, previous exploratory factor analysis of data from a population with low IQ did not support the explicit four factor structure of the WAIS-III. Method: A confirmatory factor analysis of the WAIS-III was carried out on data from people with severe and significant learning disability and people with borderline IQ (IQ = 70-79). Results: The data from the borderline IQ sample and the sample with significant learning disability showed at best a weak fit to the explicit four factor models and more complex five or six factor models. However fit of the data from the sample with severe learning disability was poor for all models. Discussion: The findings show little support for the explicit four factor construct validity of the WAIS-III for people with borderline IQ or significant or severe intellectual impairment. Some support is found for the direction taken by the new Wechsler children’s and adult scales (WISC-IV & WAIS-IV) in aligning interpretation of the scales more closely to concepts such as fluid and crystallised theory. The research also suggests the cut-off point of IQ 70 is not reflective of an actual difference in cognitive profile as measured by the WAIS-III. Limitations of this study and implications for further research are also discussed.

The Phonic Inventories are an instrument consisting of three spelling tests. This study explored the potential of this instrument to be used in group administration to identify children with potential learning difficulties. This was done with a sample of full-time mainstream and full-time remedial learners. A repeated measures ANOVA was used to establish if the Phonic Inventories could distinguish the spelling error patterns of learners in different grades for mainstream and remedial. A distinct pattern of key errors was found, which was similar for mainstream and remedial learners. There were performance changes over grade for mainstream learners but not for remedial learners. This suggests the Phonic Inventories may be measuring an underlying spelling ability which progresses in normal learners and not remedial learners. A stepwise regression analysis was used to establish whether the Phonic Inventories predict performance on contrast spelling tests. A good degree of fit was found between the tests, suggesting the Phonic Inventories are measuring the same abilities as other spelling tests, with the advantage of providing additional information. Finally, a discriminant analysis found errors made on the Phonic Inventories to predict group affiliation between the mainstream and remedial group to a good degree. It was concluded that the Phonic Inventories have strong potential as a group administered screening instrument for identifying children with potential learning difficulties.

Orientador: Simone Aparecida Capellini / Banca: Andréa Cintra Lopes / Banca: Paulo Sérgio Teixeira do Prado / Resumo: O termo distúrbio de aprendizagem refere-se a um grupo heterogêneo de distúrbios, de origem neurológica, que se manifestam por dificuldades significativas na aquisição e no uso da compreensão oral, de fala, leitura e escrita, raciocínio e habilidades matemáticas. O transtorno do processamento auditivo refere-se especificamente à alteração de um ou mais mecanismos ou processos do sistema auditivo, responsáveis pelos fenômenos comportamentais relacionados à audição. O objetivo geral deste estudo é verificar a eficácia de um programa de treinamento auditivo em escolares com distúrbio de aprendizagem. Os objetivos específicos incluem a comparação do desempenho auditivo e de tarefas de consciência fonológica dos escolares com distúrbio de aprendizagem e transtorno do processamento auditivo com escolares sem dificuldades escolares, comparar os achados das avaliações em pré e pós-testagem em escolares submetidos e não submetidos ao programa de treinamento auditivo e comparar os resultados obtidos pelo programa após a aplicação nos grupos treinados. Participaram deste estudo 40 escolares da 2ª a 4ª série do Ensino Fundamental, sendo o GI dividido em: GIe (10 escolares com distúrbio de aprendizagem e de transtorno do processamento auditivo submetidos ao programa de treinamento auditivo), GIc (10 escolares com distúrbios de aprendizagem e de transtorno do processamento auditivo não submetidos ao programa de treinamento auditivo) e GII, subdividido em: GIIe (10 escolares sem dificuldades submetidos ao programa de treinamento auditivo) e GIIc (10 escolares sem dificuldades não submetidos ao programa de treinamento auditivo). Em situação de pré e pós-testagem, todos os escolares deste estudo foram submetidos à avaliação de testes relacionados ao processamento auditivo (testes fala com ruído, dicótico de dígitos e dicótico de dissílabos alternados) seguido... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The term learning disabilities refers to a heterogeneous group of disorders of neurological origin, manifested by significant difficulties in the acquisition and use of listening, speaking, reading and writing, reasoning, math skills. The auditory processing disorder refers specifically to the modification of one or more mechanisms or processes of the auditory system, responsible for behavioral phenomena related to the hearing. The aim of this study is to verify the effectiveness of a program of auditory training in students with learning disabilities. Specific objectives include comparing the performance of auditory and phonological awareness tasks of students with learning disabilities and auditory processing disorder with students without learning difficulties, comparing the results of assessments in pre and posttesting in schools not submitted to the auditory training program and comparing the results obtained by the program after applying the trained groups. The study included 40 students from 2nd to 4th grades of elementary school, and the GI is divided in: GIe (10 students with learning disabilities and auditory processing disturbs who were submitted to the program), GIc (10 students with learning disabilities and auditory processing disturbs not submitted to the auditory training) and GII, subdivided in: GIIe (10 students without difficulties submitted to the auditory training) and GIIc (10 students without difficulties who were not submitted to the auditory training program). In a pre and post-testing, all subjects of this study were submitted to tests related to auditory processing tests (speech-in-noise, dichotic digits, dichotic spondaic) followed by the application of phonological awareness - CONFIAS. The results were statistically analyzed using the Mann-Whitney Test, to detect differences between groups in a pre-testing and post-testing, and the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Children who have Nonverbal Learning Disabilities (NLD) exhibit strengths in verbal domains and deficits in perceptual reasoning domains. These children are often seen as bright and may even be identified as gifted due to their superior decoding proficiency, expansive vocabulary, and remarkable rote memory skills. Conversely, psychosocial difficulties such as acquiring self-help skills and interacting with others appropriately often present serious challenges. Children with NLD may also vacillate between internalized (e.g., anxiety) and externalized (e.g., acting out) behaviors and are commonly seen as unmotivated, defiant, and oppositional. Given the potential psychosocial difficulties that children who have NLD experience, it is imperative that early and effective interventions are accessed. In order to provide appropriate treatments, the identification of factors that occasion psychosocial difficulties is warranted. Thus, the primary purpose of the study was to identify specific NLD characteristics based on specific demographic variables of age, gender, parent education, and number and types of other diagnoses. Further identification efforts compared the Pediatric Behavior Scales (PBS) of Conduct, Attention, Depression, Anxiety, and Deviation to both General Ability Index (GAI) scores and Verbal Comprehension and Perceptual Reasoning (VCI/PRI) discrepancy scores on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fourth Edition (WISC-IV). Identical analyses were performed for a Dysphasia contrast group. A secondary purpose of this study was to add to the growing body of evidence suggesting the existence of NLD subtypes. Analyses conducted indicated that children in the NLD group had significantly more diagnoses, higher mother and father education, and higher VCI and GAI scores than those in the Dysphasia group. In addition, children in the NLD group held substantially more ADHD diagnoses whereas the Dysphasia group supported more Dyslexia and Dysnomia diagnoses. Further analyses showed relationships between GAI and the PBS Depression scale, GAI and both mother and father education, and VCI/PRI discrepancy and number of diagnoses for the NLD group. PBS Conduct, Attention, and Deviation scales and VCI/PRI discrepancy were correlated for the Dysphasia group. Overall, results revealed that NLD and Dysphasia groups presented different social and emotional symptomology. In addition, there is tentative support for the presence of NLD subtypes. Future areas of research and treatment recommendations are provided.

Investigations regarding age-related behavioral, emotional, and social differences between younger and older groups of children with NLD remain scarce (Ozols & Rourke, 1988; Casey, Rourke, and Picard, 1991; Pelletier, Ahmad & Rourke, 2001) and have shown mixed results regarding the direction and severity of internalized and externalized behaviors. The current study explored the behavioral, emotional, and social differences between two groups of children and adolescents. The "younger" group consisted of children between the ages of 6 and 10 years of age. The "older" group consisted of children and adolescents between the ages of 11 and 16 years. Seventy two patient charts were selected for this study (males = 41, females = 31). A one factor Multivariate Analysis of Variance was run to investigate externalized and internalized age-related differences between the two groups. No age-related differences were found indicating that younger and older children may manifest the behavioral, emotional, and social characteristics of NLD in a similar manner. Additionally, results indicated that more than half of the total sample had a comorbid diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. However, results did not suggest that children and adolescents with NLD are at an increased risk for internalized psychopathology. When the NLD group was compared to a pediatric sample, it was found that the NLD group was more likely to demonstrate explosive behaviors, anxiety, and self-esteem problems. Although no significant age-related differences were found in the current study, the investigation has implications for practice as information from this study may aid clinicians in making an earlier diagnosis of NLD in children and adolescents, as well as lead to better interventions.

Many learning disabled student being served by the public school systems have been inaccurately classified. Training and research efforts are needed to assist members of the multidisciplinary team in making more accurate learning disabilities classification decisions. CLASS.LD2, a computer-based expert system, was designed to assist multidisciplinary teams by providing second-opinion advice regarding the appropriateness of a learning disabilities classification for individual student cases. The existing expert system, CLASS.LD2, was combined with strategies for effective concept instruction to create an instructional package entitled LO.Trainer. The purpose of this study was (a) to develop a computer-based instructional package combining expert system technology and strategies for effective concept instruction and (b) to test the effectiveness of the instructional package against another system application. The training application against which the instructional package was compared consisted of users running consultations with the original expert system. Of specific interest was (a) the effectiveness of both training programs across experienced and inexperienced teachers, (b) the performance of the experienced as compared with the inexperienced teachers regardless of the training program used, (c) whether an interaction between level of experience and training program occurred, ( d) which training program was more effective for the experienced teachers, and (e) which training program was more effective for the inexperienced teachers. Ninety-seven students from three universities served as subjects and were randomly assigned to one of the two treatment groups. Subjects who completed the LO.Trainer materials scored statistically (p < .05) and educationally higher (SMD = + 0.96) on the posttest than those who ran CLASS.LD2 consultations. Statistical and educational significance were al so obtained across the experienced and inexperienced subjects when considered alone. An interaction, although not statistically significant (p < .05), was obtained between group and experience level. Although there exist many similarities between the processes of building expert systems and concept analysis, incorporating both to develop an effective training tool had not previously been demonstrated. Results of this study indicated that the two fields, successfully combined, can create an effective and efficient training tool.

The disproportionate representation of minority students in special education programs has been a problem for over forty years. Factors contributing to minority overrepresentation include the lack of primary prevention, inappropriate language and educational assessment, over-referral of minority students for suspected learning difficulties, duration of enrollment in language support services [i.e. English as a Second Language instruction (ESL)], and lack of cultural and linguistic knowledge by K-12 teachers, specialists, and administrators. The goal of the investigator was to determine pertinent placement factors used by Multidisciplinary Educational Team (MET) members when deciding whether or not to place Latino English Language Learner (ELL) students in special education for a suspected specific learning disability (SLD). Identification of such factors may elucidate why some ELL students are inappropriately placed in special education for a SLD while others who need services are not. The investigator also willdetermine the extent special education eligibility determination was based on standardized achievement test scores, Intelligence Quotient (IQ) test scores, IQ-achievement discrepancy criteria, and qualitative data such as MET report data.

This study examined the relationships between and among: (a) Processing Speed (PS) Cluster and Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN) Total to reading ability; (b) measures of RAN and PS to irregular word, non-word, and word reading; and (c) the relationships among irregular word, non-word, and word reading. The word reading measures were predicted by using multiple cognitive abilities including Phonological Awareness (PA), RAN, PS, and Working Memory (WM). Sixty participants, 39 students who were average readers and 21 students with reading difficulties in Grades 1, 2, 3, and 4 were recruited.Correlational designs testing predictive relationships were used to conduct this study. The results indicated that the PS Cluster had the strongest correlation with irregular word reading, whereas the RAN Total had the strongest correlation with both word reading and non-word reading ability. Reading performance was best predicted by RAN-Letters. In addition, the Woodcock-Johnson III Visual Matching test had the strongest predictive power of reading ability among all of the PS measures.High correlations were found among the reading variables within normally distributed data, whereas there was no significant correlation between irregular and nonword reading within the group of students with Reading Difficulties. These findings provide support for the dual-route theory. Among the 21 students with RD, 10 students presented problems in both non-word reading and irregular word reading; 9 students presented problems just in non-word reading; and 2 students presented problems just in irregular word reading. A model consisting of RAN, PA, and PS, as included in the study measures, provided the most powerful prediction of all reading skills. These findings also lend more support to the double-deficit model and indicate that PA and naming speed problems contribute independently to variance in reading.This study provides direction for the assessment of specific reading disability and the cognitive underpinnings of this disorder. These findings support the need to assess PA, RAN, and PS, as well as various types of word reading skills, when making a reading disability diagnosis. Further research may cross validate the results of this study, or add other aspects of reading (eg., reading fluency or comprehension) to this line of research.

The study aimed to explore the lived experience of the careers of learning disability nurses in England. The methodology was informed by Hermeneutic Phenomenology, and the study design utilised narrative interviewing techniques based on an adapted model of the Biographic Narrative Interpretive Method (Wengraf 2001) in order to explore the career choices, experiences and beliefs, and values about learning disability nursing. Twenty in-depth qualitative interviews with learning disability nurses, who had been in practice in the 30-year period between 1979 and 2009, were undertaken in 2010 across nine counties in England. The data was interpreted using a narrative analysis approach. Key findings indicated that nurses, working in a diverse range of settings with varying degrees of experience, are motivated by working with people with learning disabilities and narrate their experiences of building relationships with people articulating the meaning of this for them as nurses. The initial reasons for choosing learning disability nursing as a career formed a key theme within the findings, with complex influences on their career choice. Additionally, all participants in this study created a narrative of change, focusing on the ways in which change in policy, practice and in societal views have impacted upon their working lives and their identity. The individual narratives have also been interpreted to form a collective narrative of learning disability nursing to specifically explore the identity of learning disability nurses and nursing in a changing context of health and social care provision.

A common understanding is that dyslexia is the inability to spell words, the inability to recall symbols, the inability to recognize sight words, or the inability to decode. Dyslexia is often described in deficiency language—the inability to do something. Deficiency language is a product of special education and continues to dominate common understandings of dyslexia. Additionally, special education views dyslexia as an isolated variable, an object to assess, measure, and rehabilitate, and does not take into consideration systemic factors that may influence learning. In this dissertation, I ask three primary research questions: (1) What are the influential areas of study in the academy that have shaped our contemporary understanding of dyslexia? (2) What is a dyslexic way of knowing and writing? How can we make our classrooms more accessible? And (3) What can we learn about the educational institution from a dyslexic positionality? After reviewing the literature on dyslexia from the areas of special education, disability studies in education, critical communication pedagogy, and crip theory, I identify that dyslexia tends to be object of study, and very few people who identify as dyslexic are writing about dyslexia. The dyslexic scholar is rendered invisible. An undergirding principle of this dissertation is that dyslexia becomes visible only through communication: the miss-reading of a sign, a miss-spelled word, a misunderstood text, mistakes. If we come to know the world through writing and communication, then the “mistakes” that are common to dyslexia are actually another way of knowing the world, a legitimate way of knowing. Through performative writing, I articulate a dyslexic way of knowing, and show how this way of knowing can help us rethink course design and classroom communication. I also offer course design strategies that aim to disrupt ritualized educational practices, subvert scriptocentricism, embrace universal design for learning, and promote personalized education. In the process, I legitimize a dyslexic way of know, and by effect, legitimize dyslexia.