Offers best practices and policies that help students with learning disabilities in the general education classroom. This book covers: distinguishing learning difficulties; general screening strategies; specific strategies to improve learning skills such as listening comprehension, attention span, retention and retrieval of material, and more.

Emphasizing the importance of the general education classroom as the primary learning environment for students who have learning disabilities, this book offers best practices and policies that will enable students with learning disabilities to not only participate but also excel in the general education classroom. Since its first printing in 1994, this book has been one of the most popular publications of the California Department of Education, Special Education Division.The book covers: o Distinguishing learning difficulties from learning disabilities; o General screening strategies for specific learning disabilities (so students can be referred to specialist for further testing); o Specific strategies to improve learning skills such as listening comprehension, attention span, retention and retrieval of material, mathematical reasoning, reading comprehension and more; o Numerous strategies to improve performance skills such as verbal expression, spelling, test taking and more; o Classroom management strategies for the inclusive classroom; o Overview of referral and evaluation procedures; o Components of a successful individualized education programmes (IEPs); o Discussion of program options, service delivery models, and strategies and programs for school sites (such as peer tutoring, service learning and collaborative staff development); o Glossary of Special Education terms; o Agencies, organizations and websites for further research.

Preface Acknowledgments About the Editors 1. Introduction

Some Background of Difficulties With Children's Learning and Performance

Complexity of Learning and Performance Difficulties

Basic Assumptions

Approaches to Children's Difficulties in Learning and Performance

Uses, Benefits, and Limitations of Addressing Learning Disabilities and Difficulties

Parts I and II: Their Content and Purpose

Ways to Use This Handbook

Summary Part I: Learning Difficulties and Teaching Strategies 2. Strategies to Improve Learning Skills

Listening Comprehension

Ability to Pay Attention

Organizational Skills

Retention and Retrieval of Material

Productivity

Mathematical Computations and Operations

Mathematical Reasoning and Problem Solving

Reading Word Recognition

Reading Comprehension

Summary

Intervention Plan 3. Strategies to Improve Performance Skills

Verbal Expression

Handwriting and Copying

Spelling

Written Expression

Test Taking

Appropriate Social Behavior

Summary

Intervention Plan Part II: The Special Education Referral Process 4. Referral and Eligibility

Documentation of Adaptations

The Referral Process

The Evaluation Process

Parents' Rights

Eligibility and Specific Learning Disabilities

Summary 5. The Individualized Education Program

Intent of the IEP

IEP Meeting

Content of the IEP Document

The Positive Behavioral Intervention Plan

Placement in Alternative Education Setting

Reviews and Reevaluations

Summary 6. Options for Service Delivery

Continuum of Program Options

Service Delivery Models

Strategies and Programs for School Sites

Summary Afterword Glossary Resource A: Characteristics and Criteria for Identifying Students With Learning Disabilities, Dyslexia, Attentional Disorders, and Behavioral Problems Resource B: Selected Internet Sites Resource C: Agencies and Organizations Selected References Index