Chapter 1 Assignment
1. The U.S. Department of Education has pointed to several trends in its 2012 Annual Report to Congress. One such change pertains specifically to the category of “Learning Disabilities. Has the number of identified students stayed the same or changed? If it has changed, how so?
2. In terms of a “federal” definition of learning disabilities, what are the components of the criteria?
3. Read Childhood Memories (Student Stories 1.1). Answer the following question:
How did these really early years of academic struggle affect the lives of these individuals?
4. Read Childhood Memories (Student Stories 1.2). Answer the following questions:
a. What kinds of memories of school do people with dyslexia have?
b. What reaction do Mary and Jackie have to the label of “dyslexia”?
5. Ricardo is able to memorize the dates of inauguration for each of the Presidents of the United States. However, when he is asked which of two presidents comes first in chronological order (Polk and Reagan for example), he is consistently unable to answer accurately. Time-sequencing is controlled by
a. The left hemisphere
b. The right hemisphere
c. Both the left and right hemispheres
d. The medulla oblongata
6. Describe the four distinct historical phases in the development of the field of learning disabilities.
7. How have the roles of teachers of special education and learning disabilities changed? Detail the new responsibilities.
8. Describe the category of learning disabilities. How do mild disabilities differ from categorical disabilities?
9. Describe some ways that computers can be used by students with disabilities.
10. All students are tested with tests based on standards. What are some implications of this testing for students with learning disabilities?
