CHAPTER 1: LEARNING DISABILITIES AND RELATED MILD DISABILITIES: CHARACTERISTICS AND CURRENT DIRECTIONS
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1.A definition of learning disabilities that is used in the schools is incorporated into national legislation known as
a. / The Americans with Disabilities Act.b. / The No Child Left Behind Act.
c. / Head Start.
d. / The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act.
e. / The Bilingual Act.
ANS:D
2.The term learning disabilities has been used since the first national organization meeting of parent groups and professionals in
a. / 1930.b. / 1947.
c. / 1963.
d. / 1975.
e. / 1991.
ANS:C
3.What is the approximate percentage of children in the general population identified under the category of learning disabilities?
a. / 2 percentb. / 5 percent
c. / 10 percent
d. / 15 percent
e. / 20 percent
ANS:B
4.Which of the following laws contains a definition of learning disabilities?
a. / Title Ib. / Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act
c. / Technology Assistance Act
d. / The Bilingual Education Act
e. / No Child Left Behind Act
ANS:B
5.Which of the following statements is true of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act?
a. / It mandates that every child with disabilities be taught in a special school.b. / It does not include children with very severe disabilities.
c. / It requires that every child with disabilities be in a special class educational setting.
d. / It includes children who are gifted and talented.
e. / It gives every child with disabilities the right to a free and appropriate education.
ANS:E
6.Learning disabilities are found among
a. / youngsters from poor families.b. / youngsters with superior intelligence.
c. / adolescents in prisons.
d. / youngsters from the middle socioeconomic class.
e. / All of these.
ANS:E
7.Which of the following statements is true of the Individual With Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA-2004)?
a. / gives every child with disabilities the right to a free appropriate public educationb. / mandates that every child with a disability be taught in a general education classroom
c. / does not include children with severe disabilities
d. / includes children who are gifted and talented
e. / requires that specific methods be used with children with disabilities
ANS:A
8.What percentage of students in the general population is identified under the category of learning disabilities?
a. / 2 percentb. / 5 percent
c. / 12 percent
d. / 18 percent
e. / 25 percent
ANS:B
9.What percentage of all students with disabilities is identified under the category of learning disabilities?
a. / 5 percentb. / 15 percent
c. / 30 percent
d. / 50 percent
e. / 70 percent
ANS:D
10.The term learning disabilities has been used since the first national or organization meeting of parent groups and professionals in the year
a. / 1947.b. / 1963.
c. / 1969.
d. / 1974.
e. / 1982.
ANS:B
11.Since the special education law was first passed in 1975, the number of students identified as having learning disabilities
a. / has remained stable.b. / is unknown.
c. / has decreased.
d. / has increased.
e. / None of these.
ANS:D
12.The largest number of students with learning disabilities served by the schools are ages
a. / 7–9.b. / 10–14.
c. / 15–17.
d. / 18–22.
e. / 22–25.
ANS:B
13.Which of the following is true of students identified with learning disabilities?
a. / There are an equal number of boys and girls.b. / Gender differences have never been studied.
c. / There are more boys than girls.
d. / There are more girls than boys.
e. / None of these.
ANS:C
14.Approximately what percentage of all students with disabilities are identified with learning disabilities?
a. / 10 percentb. / 30 percent
c. / 50 percent
d. / 70 percent
e. / 90 percent
ANS:C
15.Learning disabilities have been reported among children in the schools in
a. / England.b. / Denmark.
c. / Isreal.
d. / Canada.
e. / All of these.
ANS:E
16.The term mild disabilities
a. / is a categorical grouping with students from one category of disability.b. / does not include students with mental retardation.
c. / does not include students with emotional/behavioral disturbances.
d. / is a cross-categorical grouping, including several categories of disability.
e. / does not include students with learning disabilities.
ANS:D
17.Learning disabilities are identified among students who speak
a. / English.b. / Spanish.
c. / Chinese.
d. / Hebrew.
e. / All of these.
ANS:E
18.A growing trend in terms of the educational setting for students with learning disabilities and related mild disabilities is
a. / separate schools.b. / separate classes.
c. / general education classes.
d. / residential facilities.
e. / resource rooms.
ANS:C
19.High-incidence categories of disabilities include all of the following except
a. / mental retardation.b. / emotional disturbance.
c. / speech/language impairments.
d. / developmental delay.
e. / learning disabilities.
ANS:D
20.Mild disabilities typically include students from all of the following categories except
a. / social/emotional disturbance.b. / learning disabilities.
c. / mental retardation.
d. / the deaf–blind.
e. / attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (other health impairment).
ANS:D
21.Public Law 94-142, which first required special education for handicapped students, was passed by Congress in
a. / 1963.b. / 1968.
c. / 1975.
d. / 1986.
e. / 1991.
ANS:C
22.The term brain injured child was first used by
a. / Clements.b. / Kirk.
c. / Broca.
d. / Strauss.
e. / Cruickshank.
ANS:D
23.Several terms are currently suggested to refer to the type of student who is the subject of this book. Which term is used in the law, IDEA-2004, and assures that the rights of student are protected?
a. / learning differencesb. / learning disabilities
c. / learning difficulties
d. / learning disorders
e. / All of these.
ANS:B
24.In the historical development of the field of learning disabilities, medical scientists in the early foundation period concentrated on studying
a. / the ways that children learn.b. / the impact of medication.
c. / functions and dysfunctions of the human brain.
d. / method of teaching children.
e. / the merging of general and special education.
ANS:C
25.Different terms have been used historically to refer to the type of student who is the subject of this book. The term used in federal law on disabilities is
a. / minimal brain dysfunction.b. / brain-injured child.
c. / Strauss syndrome.
d. / strephosymbolia.
e. / learning disabilities.
ANS:E
26.The law No Child Left Behind requires all of the following except
a. / schools are required to determine if students make annual yearly progress (AYP).b. / student progress in reading and mathematics is measured.
c. / each state must develop state educational standards.
d. / all states are covered.
e. / students with disabilities do not have to take the state tests.
ANS:E
27.The largest category of disability is
a. / emotional disturbance.b. / mental retardation.
c. / speech–language impairments.
d. / learning disabilities.
e. / autism.
ANS:D
28.The term used in IDEA-2004 describes children as having
a. / handicaps.b. / disabilities.
c. / disorders.
d. / difficulties.
e. / maladies.
ANS:B
29.What is the age range in IDEA-2004 for which students with disabilities are eligible for a free appropriate provides public education?
a. / 3–18b. / 0–18
c. / 5–18
d. / 0–21
e. / 3–21
ANS:E
30.The latest census data show that cultural and linguistic diversity in the schools are
a. / increasing.b. / decreasing.
c. / stable.
d. / not countable.
e. / All of these.
ANS:A
31.Which of the following statements about the law IDEA-2004 is not true?
a. / It is considered civil rights legislation for students with disabilities.b. / It says that children should have access to the general education curriculum.
c. / It requires general education teachers to participate in IEP meetings.
d. / It strengthens to the role of parents and families.
e. / It does not permit parents to attend IEP meetings.
ANS:E
32.The term mild disabilities typically includes children with all of the following except
a. / learning disabilities.b. / mental retardation.
c. / deaf–blind.
d. / behavioral disorders.
e. / attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
ANS:C
33.The No Child Left Behind Actrequires all of the following except
a. / it covers each state.b. / it requires that each state develop educational standards.
c. / it measures student progress in reading and mathematics.
d. / it determines if students make AYP (annual yearly progress).
e. / it excludes students with disabilities from taking tests of academic progress.
ANS:E
34.Which of the following terms is used in IDEA-2004 to refer to individuals with problems?
a. / Disordersb. / Disabilities
c. / Handicaps
d. / Impairments
e. / Difficulties
ANS:B
35.In what age range are individuals with disabilities entitled to educational services, according to the special education law?
a. / 5–18 yearsb. / 3–18 years
c. / 0–21 years
d. / 0–18 years
e. / 3–21 years
ANS:E
36.IDEA-2004 requires all of the following except
a. / children have access to the general education curriculum.b. / it strengthens the role of parents.
c. / it is considered civil rights legislation.
d. / it prohibits parents from participating in the IEP process.
e. / it requires that general education teachers participate in the IEP process.
ANS:D
37.The largest category of disabilities is
a. / mental retardation.b. / behavior disturbances.
c. / attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
d. / autism.
e. / learning disabilities.
ANS:E
38.In what year was the first special education law to provide special education (Public Law 94-142) passed by Congress?
a. / 1963b. / 1968
c. / 1975
d. / 1987
e. / 1996
ANS:C
39.The term learning disabilities was first suggested by
a. / Clements.b. / Kirk.
c. / Birch.
d. / Strauss.
e. / Cruickshank.
ANS:B
40.In terms of cultural and linguistic diversity, the school population today is
a. / less diverse.b. / more diverse.
c. / not being measured.
d. / not significantly changing.
e. / None of these.
ANS:B
41.Which of the following is a high-incidence disability?
a. / learning disabilitiesb. / hearing impairment
c. / visual impairment
d. / autism
e. / orthopedic impair
ANS:A
42.In the historical development of the field of learning disabilities, medical scientists in the early foundation phase concentrated on studying
a. / the functions and dysfunctions of the human brain.b. / methods of teaching reading.
c. / the merging of regular and special education.
d. / the learning strategies that children use.
e. / the impact of medication.
ANS:A
43.In regard to performance testing, IDEA-2004 indicates that students with learning disabilities
a. / can be excluded from the testing.b. / are required to take the tests.
c. / should be encouraged to be absent the day of the testing.
d. / should not be taught test-taking skills.
e. / All of these.
ANS:B
44.Which of the following statements is true in regard to standards-based testing in IDEA-2004?
a. / Students with learning disabilities do not have to take the tests.b. / The law does not mention students with disabilities.
c. / The law requires students with learning disabilities to take the tests.
d. / The law permits students with learning disabilities to substitute the SAT for the state tests.
e. / The teacher can decide whether students take the tests.
ANS:C
45.The most recent version of Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act was passed in
a. / 2001.b. / 2002.
c. / 2003.
d. / 2004.
e. / 2005.
ANS:D
SHORT ANSWER
1.List three categories of disabilities that are commonly included in the designation mild disabilities?
ANS:
(1) learning disabilities; (2) emotional disturbance; (3) mental retardation; (4) other health impairment (attention deficit hyperactivity)
2.Give several reasons why the number of students identified as having learning disabilities is increasing.
ANS:
(1) More awareness of learning disabilities; (2) improvement in procedures for identifying and assessing learning disabilities; (3) social acceptance and preferences of the learning disabilities classification; (4) cutbacks in other programs and lack of general education alternatives for children who experience problems in the regular class; (5) court orders.
3.The category of learning disabilities comprises what percentage of all students with disabilities in the schools?
ANS:
50 percent, or about one-half
4.List the four general age groups of individuals with learning disabilities and related mild disabilities, and a characteristic of each age level.
ANS:
Preschool (language and motor disorders); elementary (reading difficulties); secondary (academic and social–emotional difficulties); adult (employment, friendships, postsecondary education).
5.At a meeting of professionals and parents in 1963, Sam Kirk proposed a term to describe the problems these children were experiencing. What is that term?
ANS:
learning disabilities
6.What are three phases in the history of learning disabilities?
ANS:
foundation phase, transition phase, integration phase
7.Are more boys or girls identified as having learning disabilities?
ANS:
More boys are identified as having learning disabilities.
8.The first law for serving children with disabilities, the Education of All Handicapped Children Act, Public Law 94-142, was passed by Congress in what year?
ANS:
1975
9.Are students with learning disabilities and related mild disabilities required to take standards-based tests given to general education students?
ANS:
Yes, all students, including students with disabilities, are required to take these tests.
10.A feature of the special education law that refers to the educational setting is known as LRE. What do the initials LRE stand for?
ANS:
LRE stands for “least restrictive environment.”
11.What year was the most recent reauthorization of IDEA? What is the Public Law number?
ANS:
2004; Public Law 108-446
ESSAY
1.The designation mild disabilities is often used. A. In what areas is the term, mild disabilities, sometimes used? B. Why do you think the term, mild disabilities, is being used? C. What applications from the field of learning disabilities apply to mild disabilities?
ANS:
(a) state certification for teachers of mild disabilities and school programs for mild disabilities; (b) there is an overlap of instructional strategies and methods across the disabilities; (c) the field of learning disabilities has many significant applications for students in programs for mild disabilities.
2.What are five dimensions, or components, common to most definitions of learning disabilities? Discuss the nature of and the controversies surrounding each component.
ANS:
(1) Neurological dysfunction (controversy: difficult to diagnose); (2) psychological processing difficulties (controversy: issues related to the concept of psychological processing dysfunctions and underlying psychological deficits); (3) difficulty in academic and learning tasks (controversy: which learning areas should be considered in identifying a learning disability); (4) discrepancy between potential and achievement (controversies: this is an underachievement definition; use of IQ and discrepancy formulas for identification); (5) exclusion clause (controversy: cooccurring disabilities, such as emotional disturbance, in many students with learning disabilities).
3.There are several characteristics (or problems) of children and youth with learning disabilities and related mild disabilities. List three of them, along with a brief description.
ANS:
(1) Disorders of attention—easily distracted; (2) poor motor skills—awkwardness in gross motor and fine motor skills; (3) psychological processing difficulties—problems in processing visual or auditory stimuli; (4) lack of phonological awareness—poor in recognizing sounds in language; (5) poor cognitive strategies for learning—does not know how to go about the task of learning; (6) oral language difficulties—problems in speaking; (7) reading difficulties—has difficulty in learning to read and does not read to learn; (8) writing difficulties—poor in written expression and handwriting; (9) mathematics problems—difficulty in quantitative thinking and learning calculation facts; (10) social skills—does not know how to act and talk in social situations, cannot make friends.
4.The age range of individuals with learning disabilities and related mild disabilities has expanded over the years. There are four general age levels. Describe a characteristic of each age level.
ANS:
(1) Preschool (language and motor disorders); (2) elementary (reading difficulties); (3) secondary (academic and social/emotional difficulties); (4) adult (employment, friendships, postsecondary education).
5.The number of students classified as having learning disabilities has increased substantially since the special education law (Public Law 94-142) was first implemented in 1977–1978. Discuss the reasons for this increase.
ANS:
(1) More awareness of learning disabilities (the media, through television programs, articles, radio, and movies, publicize learning disabilities; parents, teachers, and individuals with learning disabilities are more aware of the problems); (2) improvement in procedures for identifying and assessing learning disabilities (there is an increase in assessment tests, screening for early childhood, and referral methods in the schools); (3) social acceptance and preferences of the learning disabilities classification (more students are identified as having learning disabilities, and fewer are identified in other categories of disability that are viewed as less acceptable labels); (4) cutbacks in other programs and lack of general education alternatives for children who experience problems in the regular class (there is is a lack of remedial programs and other programs in the schools, such as Chapter 1 programs); (5) court orders (through class action suits brought by parents, it was determined that the classification of many children as mentally retarded was discriminatory).
6.Describe the three distinct historical phases in the development of the field of learning disabilities. Discuss how each phase contributed to the discipline of learning disabilities.
ANS:
(1) Foundation phase: early brain research, 1800–1930 (basic scientific investigation of brain function and brain dysfunction: By conducting autopsy studies of adult patients with brain damage, scientists gained essential knowledge about the brain); (2) transition phase: clinical study of children, 1930–1960 (basic information about brain injury in adults was applied in studying children with severe learning problems; the term brain-injured child is ascribed to Alfred Strauss); (3) integration phase: rapid expansion of school programs, 1960–1980 (learning disabilities became an established program within schools throughout the United States; learning disabilities interest groups were organized, teachers were trained, and public school classes were formed; special education legislation, Public Law 94-142, was passed by Congress).
7.What is inclusion, the philosophy of inclusion policies, and the impact on children with learning disabilities and related mild disabilities?
ANS:
Inclusion is the policy of placing children with disabilities into a general education setting for instruction. The policy promotes social integration and the least restrictive environment, and does not have the stigma of special placement. Without sufficient support, children with learning disabilities may not receive the intensive, individualized instruction they need. Collaboration and teacher team work is an essential element of successful inclusion.
8.Discuss three of the new directions in the field of learning disabilities and related mild disabilities.
ANS:
Standards-based education is the accountability system for students in public schools. High-stakes testing refers to the sanctions for schools based on test results. Inclusion practices are growing and more children with learning disabilities are in general education classrooms. Cultural and linguistic diversity is rapidly increasing in our schools, and teachers must learn to be sensitive to culturally and linguistically diverse students as it affects their learning. Computer technology is an important curriculum element for students with learning disabilities.