Learning Disability Quarterly

Upper elementary school students who have reading problems may have difficulty in one or more areas of reading, each requiring specific types of interventions. This study evaluated a short-term reading intervention for 46 fifth-grade students with poor reading comprehension. Students were randomly assigned to an intervention or no treatment control condition. The 40 session (20 hr) intervention targeted reading comprehension strategy instruction in the context of informational science texts. Analyses showed statistically significant effects favoring the intervention on two proximal measures (i.e., measures closely related to the intervention content). The effects for the outcomes were moderate (gs = 0.61 and 0.72). There were no statistically significant differences on distal measures (i.e., measures less closely aligned with the intervention). The findings provide support for the efficacy of a reading comprehension intervention that may inform short-term interventions within a Response to Intervention framework.

Using structural equation modeling, the study tested a theoretical model linking family background, student attributes, and college success. The sample consisted of 346 students with learning disabilities (LDs) who enrolled in college between 2004 and 2012. The data were taken from the public files of the Education Longitudinal Study: 2002. The results indicated that family background has a strong significant direct effect on the students’ attributes, which then has a direct effect on college success. Students with LDs from higher socioeconomic status (SES) families, who have higher educational expectations, coupled with a strong academic background, have the best chance at succeeding in college. However, these factors only explain 13% of the variance, which calls into question what other variables may also be important predictors of college success for these students.

For students with mathematics difficulties (MD), math word problem solving is especially challenging. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a problem-solving strategy, bar model drawing, on the mathematical problem-solving skills of students with MD. The study extended previous research that suggested that schematic-based instruction (SBI) and cognitive strategy instruction (CSI) delivered within an explicit instruction framework can be effective in teaching various math skills related to word problem solving. A multiple-baseline design replicated across groups was used to evaluate the effects of the intervention of bar model drawing on math problem-solving performance of students with MD. Student achievement was measured in terms of increased correct use of cognitive strategies and overall accuracy of math word problem solving. Results showed that bar modeling drawing is an effective strategy for increasing elementary students’ accuracy in solving math word problems and their ability to use cognitive strategies to solve the problems.

This study evaluated a scheduling methodology referred to as intervention-based scheduling to address the problem of practice regarding the fidelity of implementing Response to Intervention (RtI) in an existing school schedule design. Employing panel data, this study used fixed-effects regressions and first differences ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models to analyze the impact of intervention-based scheduling on student reading achievement and growth. Findings suggest that an intervention-based scheduling design holds promise for addressing the commonly reported concern of implementing interventions with fidelity. Results indicate that students obtained higher rates of achievement and growth in the area of reading while receiving instruction through an intervention-based schedule design. Students accessing Tier 2 interventions demonstrated higher growth rates in reading than those not accessing Tier 2 interventions. However, additional research is required to determine the extent to which intervention-based scheduling may influence other educational settings.

The present study aimed to assess the interaction between familial and cultural factors on child problem behaviors of learning disabled children aged between 7 and 14 within the perspective of ecocultural theory (N = 90). Mothers completed the Family Support Scale, Portrait Values Questionnaire, and Social-Demographical Form, and teachers completed Specific Learning Disability Symptom Checklist and Child Behavior Problem Scale. Pearson correlation, regression analysis, and Hayes’ moderation analysis were conducted. After testing the relationship between support resources and problem behaviors, support analyses were repeated after including learning disability (LD) level. Finally, the effect of cultural values on perceived support resources and child problem behaviors after controlling child LD level was investigated. The findings of this study revealed that ideas about child development depend on cultural and individual factors, and a culturally sensitive understanding of child behaviors can guide researchers in developing more effective intervention programs, particularly for children with LD.