An examination of the relationships between specific learning disabilities identification and growth rate, achievement, cognitive ability, and student demographics.

Students with specific learning disabilities (SLDs) represent a large proportion of those receiving special education services in U.S. schools, but the relationship between student-level variables and SLD identification is still not well understood. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which data collected as part of a comprehensive psychoeducational evaluation were associated with SLD identification status. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine how response to intervention (RtI) slope (i.e., growth rate), academic achievement, global cognitive ability, and demographic variables (i.e., race/ethnicity, gender, and free/reduced-price lunch [FRL] status) were related to SLD identification. Academic achievement (B = -0.13, OR = 0.88), race/ethnicity (B = -1.35, OR = 0.26; 0 = white student, 1 = student of color), and FRL (B = 0.94, OR = 2.57) were related to SLD status, but global cognitive ability and RtI slope were not, even though the RtI method was reported to be used during the special education decision-making process. Implications for practice, particularly related to the use of RtI, are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Comparison of the Effect of Cognitive Rehabilitation and Neurofeedback on Sustained Attention Among Elementary School Students with Specific Learning Disorder: A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

Specific learning disorder (SLD) can occur along with the problems of attention performance and be complicated by them. Recent studies have reported the positive effects of cognitive rehabilitation (CR) and neurofeedback (NFB) on sustained attention (SA) in SLD. Nevertheless, it has not yet been determinedwhat kind of treatment may be the most appropriate option for this disorder in terms of the different functions of cognitive status, especially SA. This preliminary study aimed to compare CR and NFB effects on SA among elementary school students with SLD using a randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT). Fifty- three eligible students with a DSM-5 SLD diagnosis, aged 7-10, were randomly allocated in NFB (n = 18), CR (n = 18), and control groups (n = 17). All the participants were evaluated for SA by performing the continuous performance test (CPT) on the studied groups at the time of their inclusion in the study and 7 weeks after it. The intervention groups took part in 20 sessions of CR and 20 sessions of NFB. Conversely, the untreated group were evaluated without any intervention.15 boys and 30 girls in 3 groups completed the study (n = 15 per group). The mean and standard deviation of participants' age were (8.66 ± 1.48) years, (8.40 ± 1.73) years and (8.53 ± 1.63) years in CR, NFB and untreated groups, respectively. The results showed significant differences between the groups based on the variables of the CPT test (p < 0.05). Also, the significant effects of the variables represented the higher scores of the CR compared to the NFB group (p < 0.001). This study provides einitial evidence that CR is more effective than NFB on SA improvement among students with SLD.

Desempenho de crianças com risco para dificuldade de leitura submetidas a um programa de intervenção / Performance of children at risk for reading difficulties submitted to an intervention program

RESUMO Objetivo Comparar a aplicabilidade de um programa de intervenção em crianças com risco para dificuldade de leitura. Método Trata-se de uma pesquisa experimental, na qual o grupo estudado de crianças com risco para dificuldade de leitura (formado por 10 crianças) foi submetido ao programa de intervenção de decodificação fonológica para a comparação com o grupo controle de crianças com risco para dificuldade de leitura (formado por 10 crianças), não submetido ao programa de intervenção. O programa foi elaborado com base em dois estudos internacionais, contém 24 sessões, sendo que as 12 primeiras sessões são realizadas em grupos de duas a três crianças e as demais individualmente, as sessões apresentaram duração de 50 minutos e foram realizadas duas vezes por semana. Aplicou-se o teste “t” de Student e o teste de Wilcoxon. Resultados As crianças com risco para dificuldade de leitura, submetidas ao programa de intervenção de decodificação fonológica, demonstraram melhora na pós-testagem estatisticamente significativa para o desempenho das habilidades de: nomeação de letras; relação grafema-fonema; consciência fonológica; memória de trabalho fonológica para não palavras; memória de trabalho fonológica para dígitos na ordem direta; escrita do alfabeto em sequência; escrita sob ditado de palavras e pseudopalavras; leitura de palavras e pseudopalavras. Conclusão O programa de intervenção de decodificação fonológica mostrou ter aplicabilidade para aprimorar as habilidades de pré-requisitos e as habilidades de leitura e escrita de crianças com risco para dificuldade de leitura.

ABSTRACT Purpose To assess the applicability of an intervention program to children at risk for reading disabilities. Methods This experimental study compared 10 children at risk for reading difficulty submitted to a phonological decoding intervention program (study group) with 10 other children at risk for reading difficulty not submitted to the program (control group). The intervention program was based on two international studies. It comprised 24 sessions: the first 12 sessions were conducted with groups of two to three children, whereas the others were performed individually. The sessions lasted 50 minutes and were held twice a week. Statistical analysis was conducted using the Student’s t-test and the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test. Results Children at risk for reading difficulties submitted to the phonological decoding intervention program showed statistically significant improvement at post-assessment in the performance of the following skills: letter naming; phoneme-grapheme relationship; phonological awareness; phonological working memory for non-words; phonological working memory for digits in direct order; alphabet recognition in sequence; writing under dictation of words and pseudowords; reading of words and pseudowords. Conclusion The phonological decoding intervention program showed applicability to improve the prerequisite skills of reading and writing of children at risk for reading disabilities.

Performance of children at risk for reading difficulties submitted to an intervention program. / Desempenho de crianças com risco para dificuldade de leitura submetidas a um programa de intervenção.

PURPOSE: To assess the applicability of an intervention program to children at risk for reading disabilities. METHODS: This experimental study compared 10 children at risk for reading difficulty submitted to a phonological decoding intervention program (study group) with 10 other children at risk for reading difficulty not submitted to the program (control group). The intervention program was based on two international studies. It comprised 24 sessions: the first 12 sessions were conducted with groups of two to three children, whereas the others were performed individually. The sessions lasted 50 minutes and were held twice a week. Statistical analysis was conducted using the Student's t-test and the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test. RESULTS: Children at risk for reading difficulties submitted to the phonological decoding intervention program showed statistically significant improvement at post-assessment in the performance of the following skills: letter naming; phoneme-grapheme relationship; phonological awareness; phonological working memory for non-words; phonological working memory for digits in direct order; alphabet recognition in sequence; writing under dictation of words and pseudowords; reading of words and pseudowords. CONCLUSION: The phonological decoding intervention program showed applicability to improve the prerequisite skills of reading and writing of children at risk for reading disabilities.

Teaching multi-step math skills to adults with disabilities via video prompting.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching multi-step math skills to nine adults with disabilities in an 18-21 post-high school transition program using a video prompting intervention package. The dependent variable was the percentage of steps completed correctly. The independent variable was the video prompting intervention, which involved several multi-step math calculation skills: (a) calculating a tip (15%), (b) calculating item unit prices, and (c) adjusting a recipe for more or fewer people. Results indicated a functional relationship between the video prompting interventions and prompting package and the percentage of steps completed correctly. 8 out of the 9 adults showed significant gains immediately after receiving the video prompting intervention.

The protection of individuals affected with Specific Learning Disorders in the Italian Legislation.

Specific Learning Disorders (SLDs) affect specific abilities in individuals with an otherwise normal academic development. Among Italian School population, their reported prevalence is between 2.5% and 3.5%. Dysfunctions at the base of these disorders interfere with the normal acquisition process of reading, writing and/or mathematical abilities, leading to various degrees of adjustment difficulties in the affected individuals. The aim of this study was to assess the support that Italian Government offers to its citizens affected with SLDs, with a particular focus on assistance during the school-age years, particularly through the introduction of the Law 170/2010 and successive guidelines, supplementing the existing regulations to offer more efficient means and legal instruments aimed at achieving earlier diagnoses.