Evaluation practices for college students with LD

To examine current practices in the use of psychoeducational evaluations for service delivery, we surveyed 91 service providers to college students with learning disabilities. The three purposes of the survey were to determine (a) whether service delivery decisions are based on information from psychoeducational evaluations, (b) which sections of the psychoeducational report are most useful in making service delivery decisions, and (c) the respondents' satisfaction with the tests and measurements for service delivery. The findings supported the common belief that data from psychoeducational evaluations serve as the primary basis for both eligibility and specific accommodation determinations. Respondents reported that all sections of the psychoeducational evaluation written report were useful, with the least useful section being test scores and the most useful being the summary of cognitive strengths and weaknesses. However, the section used most often for service delivery decisions was the professional's recommendations.     

Science and schooling for students with LD: a discussion of the symposium

In this summative discussion, we respond to Crockett's proposals about supporting science in the schoolhouse, and we summarize and reflect on the perspectives of the commentators. Overall, they identify discussion points in issues of science in schooling, implementation of scientific practices, teacher training and professional development, and issues in educational administration and leadership. We agree with Crockett and the commentators that intensive efforts in all these areas must be made to strengthen the role of science in the schoolhouse.     

The “learning disabilities” label: An experimental analysis

The “learning disability” label is a relatively new addition to the field of special education and its effects have begun to be investigated. This study examined the differences produced by two categorical labels on students impressions of the “disturbingness” of behavior and their willingness to work with the labeled child. Aggressive behaviors thought to be exhibited by learning disabled youngsters were rated differently from identical behaviors thought to be exhibited by emotionally disturbed children. Implications of this study suggest that the “LD” label may connote a milder form of disability; and that teacher and professional training institutions should consider the deleterious effects labels may convey with regard to expected behaviors.     

The relation of LD and gender with emotional intelligence in college students

This study examined the relation of learning disabilities (LD) and gender with emotional intelligence in 128 college students. Fifty-four students with LD (32 men and 22 women) and 74 without LD (34 men and 40 women) attending two colleges and one university participated in the study. Emotional intelligence was assessed using the Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i; BarOn,1997), a self-report instrument designed to measure interpersonal and intrapersonal skills, stress management, adaptability, and general mood. A 2-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was performed to examine the main effects of LD and gender and the interaction of the two main effects on the five composites of the EQ-i. Students with LD had fewer credits and lower scholastic aptitude test (SAT) scores, high school grade point averages (GPAs), and college GPAs than students without LD; women students were older and had higher college GPAs than men students. Results of the MANOVA indicated significant main effects of both LD and gender; no significant interaction occurred. Post hoc univariate analyses of the five composites revealed significant differences between students with LD and students without LD on stress management and adaptability, significant differences between men and women students on interpersonal skills, and significant differences of the interaction of LD and gender on interpersonal skills.     

教育机智在“学困生”教育中的作用

教育智能与教育机智,是指教师在不断变化的教育情境中得以随机应变、进退自如的技能和技巧.教育情境是不断变化的,因为教育过程中学生、教师、时间、氛围等都在不停地运动、发展、变化.     

The validity and comparability of entrance examination scores after accommodations are made for students with LD

Every year, thousands of college and university applicants with learning disabilities (LD) present scores from standardized examinations as part of the admissions process for postsecondary education. Many of these scores are from tests administered with nonstandard procedures due to the examinees' learning disabilities. Using a sample of college students with LD and a control sample, this study investigated the criterion validity and comparability of scores on the Miller Analogies Test when accommodations for the examinees with LD were in place. Scores for examinees with LD from test administrations with accommodations were similar to those of examinees without LD on standard administrations, but less well associated with grade point averages. The results of this study provide evidence that although scores for examinees with LD from nonstandard test administrations are comparable to scores for examinees without LD, they have less criterion validity and are less meaningful for their intended purpose.     

The development of Internet use for communication among undergraduate students: a multilevel analysis

As few studies utilized longitudinal design to examine the development of Internet use for communication, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of gender and initial Internet use for communication on subsequent use. The study sample was 280 undergraduate students who were assessed at five time points. Hierarchical linear models were used to analyze longitudinal data regarding the development of three Internet mediums, email, instant messaging, and chat. The negative correlation between initial status and growth rate demonstrated that students using one particular medium relatively heavily tended to grow slower, and thus students with low initial use of a medium increased their use of that medium faster and thus closed the gap between students with low and high initial status. Findings about the use of a certain medium on the use of others were mixed with four models supporting neither displacement nor augmentation hypothesis and two remaining models supporting the displacement hypothesis.     

Teacher competency testing: what teachers of students with LD need to know

In 1964, North Carolina became the first state to enact a testing program for initial certification of teachers. Today, almost all states and the District of Columbia are actively planning or implementing teacher testing programs; six are administering tests in the specific area of learning disabilities. The objectives and content areas of knowledge included in competency testing programs within this specialized area of teacher competence were analyzed, and comparisons were completed across knowledge areas and among states. In general, much similarity exists in what teachers of students with learning disabilities in different states are expected to know. This information represents a strong foundation for planning, implementing, and evaluating training programs for all teachers.     

The flow of international students from a macro perspective: a network analysis

This paper provides a network analysis of the international flow of students among 210 countries and the factors determining the structure of this flow. Among these factors, bilateral hyperlink connections between countries and the number of telephone minutes (communication variables) are the most important predictors of the flow’s structure, followed by trade, the physical distance between countries, a common border between countries and a common language between two countries. The USA is by far the most central country in the flow of international students, followed by China, the UK, France, Germany, Australia and India. These results are discussed in light of World-System Theory. Future research should examine how the network of international student flows changes over time and consider additional factors to provide a better understanding of the network as an international system.     

Graphic organizers and their effects on the reading comprehension of students with LD: a synthesis of research

Previous research studies examining the effects of graphic organizers on reading comprehension for students with learning disabilities (LD) are reviewed. An extensive search of the professional literature between 1963 and June 2001 yielded a total of 21 group design intervention studies that met the criteria for inclusion in the synthesis. Using graphic organizers (i.e., semantic organizers, framed outlines, cognitive maps with and without a mnemonic) was associated with improved reading comprehension overall for students with LD. Compared to standardized reading measures, researcher-developed comprehension measures were associated with higher effect sizes. Initial gains demonstrated when using graphic organizers were not revealed during later comprehension tasks or on new comprehension tasks.     

当代大学生法律素养培养策略初探

法律素养是大学生全面素质教育的一个重要方面,而法制教育则是培养大学生良好法律素养的必经途径.该文分析了影响大学生法制观念培养的几个因素,提出了如何加强大学生法制教育的几点有效建议.     

Computer-mediated communication for teenage students: a content analysis of a student messaging system

This paper documents an exploratory study investigating the patterns of communication and the contents of the messages of an electronic messaging system set up specifically for teenage students in Hong Kong. The results of this investigation suggest that this undirected and unco- ordinated public messaging network was used both for socializing and information exchange. There was in general a lack of in-depth communication and the network users were not keen to involve themselves in serious discussions. It is suggested that a co- ordinator is needed to facilitate in-depth and task-specific discussions in a public messaging system     

Lifelong education and the workplace: a critical analysis

This paper contains an analysis of policy formulations which underlie the work of the ‘Leeds Adult Learners at Work’ project (1991‐93). The overall aim of the project was to assess the contribution that broadly based Employee Development training schemes organized through the workplace can make towards achieving the internationally recognized goal of ‘lifelong learning’. The paper follows Ball (1990) in seeing policy as a contested arena in which different actors struggle to impose their views. This involves an analysis of competing discourses. However, the discourse interfaces with a socio‐economic system in which individual adults find their day‐today lives increasingly constrained. First, an analysis is made of the economic context of education and training policy in terms of the international division of labour, the apparently contradictory processes of deskilling and reskilling, and mass unemployment. A critical analysis follows of the rhetoric which identifies education and training as a panacea for economic crisis, extending into the field of adult education and training for employed people some of the insights gained by policy analysts in the school and further education arenas. It is argued that there are indeed a number of significant interventions in the field (e.g. by educational institutions, employers, trades unions, TECs) but that there is a distinct lack of overarching policy direction. It is concluded that there is a need to develop a policy discourse which locates paid work as an important arena in which lifelong learning can be developed, while recognizing the complex divisions of labour within society and the learning needs of people largely excluded from paid work.     

Meeting the evolving education needs of faculty in providing access for college students with LD

Faculty play an essential role in providing access for college students with LD. Though many recommendations exist in the literature for educating faculty about their roles regarding students with LD, it is unclear whether these strategies are actually addressing faculty needs. To examine this issue, the evolving role of faculty is discussed. Current practices in faculty education pertaining to college students with LD are reviewed. Discrepancies between the evolving faculty role and current faculty education practices are examined. Guiding questions are proposed for expanding faculty education efforts and models to keep pace with the evolving faculty role in providing access for college students with LD.     

An update on NCAA college freshman academic requirements: the impact on students with LD

A recent landmark settlement between the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the U.S. Department of Justice addressed many crucial issues relating to the eligibility of high school students with learning disabilities (LD) and their participation in college freshman athletics. Although the changes agreed upon in the consent decree should have wide-ranging ramifications generally in favor of students with LD, the more subjective nature of these changes opens the door for inevitable inconsistencies, biases, and possible abuses. In addition, larger issues remain unresolved, including (a) the NCAA's denial that is covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, (b) the inconclusive status of whether college athletics is a major life activity, (c) the NCAA acting as a de facto national school board without rigorous research for setting policy on an informed basis, and (d) the lack of serious initiative on the part of the NCAA to take on a more supportive role in educational reform.     

Going Global: The implications for students with a disability

Equitable educational access is a hallmark of truly international universities, and higher education institutions operating in an international context have a responsibility to incorporate the principles of equity and justice espoused under international conventions. This paper considers the implications of internationalisation for students with a disability, it focuses on study abroad, exchange and international students travelling to Australia, and Australian students travelling to universities outside Australia. The paper considers the curriculum implications of the internationalisation of education for students with a disability and utilises Murray-Seegert's (1993) ecological theory of diversity to explore the ways cultural factors affect opportunities for inclusion of students with a disability in the higher education sector. The authors also examine the effect of the advance in information technology, the implications for inclusive curriculum, and the complexities inherent in cross-cultural expectations on students with a disability.     

The Erosion of FAPE for Students with LD

How schoolsfulfill Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) requirements has evolved. Decades of general and special education reforms have led to dramatic increases in expectations for students in special education to be included in the general education classroom and curriculum and to achieve to the same high standards as their general education peers. Students with learning disabilities (LD) in particular are impacted by these reforms. The notion of their individually‐appropriate education has been slowly eroded as limitations in special education practices and the goals of education reform have been responded to. As special education intentions and practices advance, stakeholders have a responsibility to protect the FAPE of students with LD, to ensure meeting these students’ individualized learning needs.