Carol A. Dowdy

Effects of Two Error-Correction Procedures on Oral Reading.

An alternating-treatments design was used to investigate the relative effectiveness of two error-correction procedures, word supply and phonic analysis, on the oral reading performance of five elementary-school learning disabled students, four boys and one girl. All subjects had deficient oral reading skills. Results indicated that (a) increased oral reading rates were related to systematic correction procedures, and (b) the word-supply procedure was relatively superior to the phonic analysis method. Possible reasons for these findings are discussed, as are suggestions for future investigations and implications for instruction.

Differences in Transitional Needs of High School Students With and Without Learning Disabilities

Studies investigating the post-high-school vocational status of individuals with disabilities have frequently found that these individuals are more likely to be unemployed, underemployed, or employed part-time, when compared to nondisabled peers. Transition programs are needed for adolescents with disabilities to facilitate their vocational success. The current study surveyed 80 high school students with learning disabilities (LD) and 80 nondisabled (NLD) peers to determine their transitional needs. Results indicated that (a) more students with LD than NLD students are involved in transition programs; (b) career goals were established by the majority of both groups; (c) parents provided most of the assistance in making career decisions; and (d) twice as many NLD students as students with LD wanted to go to college, while twice as many students with LD as NLD students wanted to enter the job market. More students with LD than NLD students were aware of vocational rehabilitation (VR) services, but the number was still below 50%. The majority of the information about VR services came from the school.

Vocational Rehabilitation and Special Education Partners in Transition for Individuals with Learning Disabilities

A full range of transition services are now available to eligible individuals with learning disabilities through vocational rehabilitation agencies in each state. However, the differences in professional jargon and the academic focus of special education versus the employment outcome emphasis of vocational rehabilitation (VR) have created roadblocks to collaboration between these two agencies. This article describes the purpose of vocational rehabilitation and the service delivery process for individuals with learning disabilities in transition from school to work or postsecondary education settings. Suggestions are also made to prepare familes and students with learning disabilities, VR counselors, and special educators to become effective partners in the transition process.

Learning Disabilities and Vocational Rehabilitation

Students with learning disabilities have received services in special education programs for many years. Unfortunately, many of these students continue to need services after they exit high schools. Vocational rehabilitation has begun to provide services for young adults with learning disabilities; however, there continues to be a discrepancy between the number of adults with learning disabilities who need vocational rehabilitation services and those who are receiving them. This article describes the definitions and eligibility criteria used by vocational rehabilitation agencies to serve adults with learning disabilities. By understanding the vocational rehabilitation system, teachers, it is hoped, will be better able to access these services for their students with learning disabilities.

Future-Based Assessment and Intervention

Individual goals and future demands on students should be a prime consideration in developing IEPs

The Role of Study Skills in the Secondary Curriculum

Expanding technology is changing the academic standards for the world in which we live and work. For example, the age for functional literacy has increased from the fifth-grade to the eighthgrade level and will probably increase further in the future (Lewis, Lewis, & Smith, in press). For adults with learning disabilities whose problems are more complex than those faced during childhood (Polloway, Smith, & Patton, 1988), these predictions are very alarming. Recently, the U.S. Department of Labor issued a report regarding the future trend in the work force that has serious implications for persons with learning disabilities. The report suggests that most of the new jobs that wil l be developed for the twentyfirst century will require better academic skills in reading, following

Reading Flexibility of Learning Disabled and Normal Students at Three Grade Levels

Reading flexibility refers to a persons ability to adjust both reading rate and method to the specific purpose for reading. Proficient readers exhibit reading flexibility by paying attention to the information in print that is most relevant to their purpose. Poor readers, on the other hand, do not exhibit reading flexibility and, instead, become bound to the print. Only limited research has been undertaken to investigate the degree of reading flexibility in the learning disabled population. This study compared reading flexibility among learning disabled and normal students at three grade levels. Methods included a measure of reading rate and reading comprehension under two separate conditions or purposes for reading. Results are reported in terms of differences between the two populations as well as trends across grade levels for each population.