ED 528  
Understanding Learning Disabilities and Education

  

David Scanlon, Ph.D.
T,R 4:15 - 6:15 Campion 216
Campion 131 (617)552-1949

scanloda@bc.edu

Course description
This course is intended to provide teachers and other educators with current information about learning disabilities that is relevant to their daily practice.  In this era of inclusion, all educators can expect to work with students who have learning disabilities.  Topics addressed will include theories and knowledge about the origins and nature of learning disabilities, development across the lifespan, characteristics of individuals with learning disabilities, and approaches to service delivery and teaching.  
Participants in this course will learn how to apply the information to improve their service to students with learning disabilities that range from mild to severe.  


Assignments
Those students with documented disabilities who have special learning needs are invited to inform the instructor, so that special arrangements can be made.  They should also be aware that assistance is available from the Academic Development Center (200 O’Neill Library).

Readings
There will be a short reading assignment for all participants for each class.  A coursepack (a bound collection of the readings) is available in the BC Bookstore, McElroy Commons.  

All reading assignments should be completed in advance of the class meeting for which they are assigned.

To divide-and-conquer additional reading, participants will select reading teams on the second night of class, based on their interests.  Teams will be responsible for reporting on their readings to the whole class (see below).

Class participation
Attendance and active participation is expected.  Your classmates will be depending on you to share your expertise from your work in the schools, related coursework, assigned readings and personal experiences.

Reading Team Presentations
Reading teams will be assigned based on individual’s areas of interest.  Each team will be responsible for making a presentation to the class that (a) provides a synopsis of readings they select and (b) enables the rest of the class to relate their interests to that of the team (e.g., by discussion or example activities).  Handouts are optional.  Presentation plans will be discussed with the instructor in advance.  Guidelines for the team presentation will be shared at the July 6 class.
Perspective paper:
Due by July 27, a short paper will be written that presents major perspectives on one of the course topics.  The author will take a position and support that position with information from class, readings and personal experience.  Information that would support alternative positions must also be presented and discussed.  The topic may be the same as your reading team topic.  Guidelines for the perspective paper will be shared at the July 6 class.  Suggested length: 5-7 pages plus references

Personal Reflection Paper
Due August 3.  To help participants relate what they learn to their own practice as students and/or educators, a journal-style reflection paper will be written.  The author will reflect on how her/his (a) knowledge and perspective on learning disabilities has evolved due to course participation and (b) work/studies should be impacted by information learned.  The reflection paper will end with an action plan for how the participant will incorporate information from the class in her/his work or study.  Suggested length: 1-3 pages, plus 1 page plan of action in narrative outline style

Grading
      


500
Presentation plan- 25 475 - A
Team presentation- 200 450 - A-
Perspective paper- 150 434 - B+
Personal reflection- 75 417 - B
Participation*- 50 400 - B-

___ 384 - C+

500 367 - C


351 - C-


333 - D+
*Based on attendance and
317 - D
active participation.
300 - D-

In fairness to your classmates who complete their papers on time, five points will be deducted from the total score per each day a paper is late, unless the instructor has granted permission to be late prior to the day the paper is due.
Students who do not complete all assignments will receive a letter grade of “F” or an incomplete at the instructor’s discretion.
 
Boston College
Lynch School of Education
Department of Teacher Education, Special Education, and Curriculum & Instruction
Program Themes

Programs in the Teacher Education, Special Education, and Curriculum & Instruction Department have five unifying themes.  In this course we address the five themes in the following ways:

Promoting social justice:  We will critically examine when and how the concept of "learning disabilities" contributes to and denies equality of social opportunity.  Further, we will investigate the practices of education and social services, as well as cultural practices, that impact social justice.  

Constructing knowledge:  Much of this course is about the enduring questions that surround the concept of learning disabilities and practices in identifying and serving persons with learning disabilities.  The student will necessarily bring her/his own perspective to bear in understanding the content we study.  In the same regard, the class will function as a community of learners, where we share and construct our knowledge together.

Inquiring into practice:  Understanding of this class's topic will require self-investigation of our own assumptions and practices related to persons with learning disabilities.  We will use the final sections of the class to overtly practice incorporating what we are learning into our routines.

Accommodating diversity:  In addition to respecting diversity among ourselves in the class, participants will be expected to critically reflect upon how they can accommodate the unique needs of all individuals in education, with appropriate consideration for any unique needs of individuals based on learning disabilities.

Collaborating with others:  The class will be strongly focused on understanding how collaborations among general and special educators, related service providers, administrators, community agencies, families, students, and the community are essential to providing effective education.

 
Semester schedule

Part I - Overview of LD from the
Perspective of Actual Practices


June 27

Getting Started:  Current “official” conceptualizations of LD


optional reading assignment:
Kavale, K. A., & Forness, S. R. (2000).  What definitions of learning disability say and don't say.  Journal of Learning Disabilities , 33, 239 - 256.


June 29

Optional reading assignment:
Christensen, C. A. (1999).  Learning disability: Issues of representation, power, and the medicalization of school failure.  In R. J. Sternberg & L. Spear-Swerling (Eds.), Perspectives on Learning Disabilities: Biological, Cognitive, Contextual.  Boulder, CO: Westview Press.  [Note: also assigned July 13]

reading assignment:  (pick one)
Aaron, P.G. (1998).  The impending demise of the discrepancy formula.  Review of Educational Research, 67, 461-502.  (Note: read only to p. 476)
Keogh, B. K., Gallimore, R., & Weisner, T. (1997).  A sociocultural perspective on learning and learning disabilities.  Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 12, 107 - 113.
Stanovich, K. E. (1999).  The sociopsychometrics of learning disabilities.  Journal of Learning Disabilities, 32, 350 - 361.
 

Part II - Possible Origins (ontology and Etiology) of LD

Origins of learning disabilities, "Scientific"

July 6,
July 11

7/6 reading assignment:
Poplin, M. (1988).  The reductionist fallacy in learning disabilities: Replicating the past by reducing the present.  Journal of Learning Disabilities, 21, 389-400.  


7/11 reading assignment:  (pick one)
Grigorenko, E. L. (1999).  The biological foundations of developmental dyslexia.  In R. J. Sternberg & L. Spear-Swerling (Eds.), Perspectives on Learning Disabilities: Biological, Cognitive, Contextual.  Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
Olson, R. K. (1999).  Genes, environment, and reading disabilities.  In R. J. Sternberg & L. Spear-Swerling (Eds.), Perspectives on Learning Disabilities: Biological, Cognitive, Contextual.  Boulder, CO: Westview Press.



July 13
Origins of learning disabilities, "Social"

reading assignment:  (pick one)
Gallagher, D. J. (1998).  The scientific knowledge base of special education: Do we know what we think we know?  Exceptional Children, 64, 493-502.
Christensen, C. A. (1999).  Learning disability: Issues of representation, power, and the medicalization of school failure.  In R. J. Sternberg & L. Spear-Swerling (Eds.), Perspectives on Learning Disabilities: Biological, Cognitive, Contextual.  Boulder, CO: Westview Press.  [Note: also assigned June 29]

 
Part III – “Reading Disability,” “Language Learning Disability,” NonVerbal LD”

July 18

reading assignment:  
Wong, B. Y. L. (1996).  The ABCs of Learning Disabilities.  Boston, MA: Academic Press. (Note: read p. 9 only)
And (pick one)
Bashir, A., Scavuzzo, A. (1992).  Children with language disorders: Natural history and academic success.  Journal of Learning Disabilities , 25, 53-65.
Poplin, M. & Philips, L. (1993).  Sociocultural aspects of language and literacy: Issues facing educators of students with learning disabilities.  Learning Disability Quarterly, 16, 245-255.

Part IV - Appropriate Education for Individuals with an LD

July 20
Addressing LD in school

reading assignment:
Lloyd, J., Forness, S., & Kavale, K. (1998).  Some methods are more effective than others.  Intervention In School and Clinic, 33, 195-200.
And (pick one)
Elliott, S. N. (1998).  Performance assessment of students' achievement: Research and practice.  Learning Disabilities Research & Practice , 13, 233 - 241.
Fuchs, L. S., & Fuchs, D. (1998).  Treatment validity: A unifying concept for reconceptualizing the identification of learning disabilities.  Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 13, 204 - 219.


July 25,
July 27
reading assignment: (pick one)
Carnine, D. (1994).  Introduction to the mini-series: Diverse learners and prevailing, emerging, and research-based educational approaches and their tools.  School Psychology Review, 23, 341 - 350.
Ellis, E., Deshler, D., Lenz, B.K., Schumaker, J., & Clark, F. (1991).  An instructional model for teaching strategies.  Focus on Exceptional Children, 23 (6), 1-23.
Harris, K., & Graham, S. (1996).  Memo to constructivists: Skills count too.  Educational Leadership, 53 (5), 26-29.
Heshusius, L. (1991).  Curriculum-based assessment and direct instruction: Critical reflections on fundamental assumptions.  Exceptional Children , 57, 315-328.  


Aug 1
reading assignment:  (pick one)
Reis, S. M., Neu, T. W., & McGuire, J. M. (1997).  Case studies of high-ability students with learning disabilities who have achieved.  Exceptional Children, 63, 463-479.
Roberts, R., & Mather, N. (1995).  The return of students with learning disabilities to regular classrooms: A sellout?  Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, 10, 46-58.  


Aug 3
Addressing LD outside of school
          or
reading assignment:  (pick one)
Gerber, P. (1998).  Characteristics of adults with specific learning disabilities.  In B. K. Lenz, N. Sturomski and M. A. Corley (Eds.), Serving adults with learning disabilities: Implications for effective practice.  Washington, D.C: National Adult Literacy and Learning Disabilities Center, Academy for Educational Development.
Keogh, B. K., & Sears, S. (1991).  Learning disabilities from a developmental perspective: Early identification and prediction.  In B.Y.L. Wong (Ed.), Learning about learning disabilities, pp. 485-503.  Academic Press.