Papers submitted after Friday, October 4, 2024 (12:00 PM) will have a point deducted from the final grade for each day it is late.
Learning Disabilities 412: Topic Paper I Requirements
Each student will be responsible for writing a topic paper on the causes of learning disabilities. The purpose of this paper is to provide information about this topic beyond the scope of the text and to examine instructional/clinical interventions used to address the behaviors manifested from the cause(s) discussed. A Draft with a minimum of three sections completed is due Wednesday, September 25, 2024. The paper is due Friday, October 4, 2024. Students will present the paper’s information in-class in November.
In preparation for writing this paper, students will select and review four peer-reviewed articles from an approved journal. The topic is to relate to IDEA, Learning Disability, and the Diagnostic Process. In a 3 -to 4-page typed paper, students will write a summary (brief) and a reflective response about the reading.
See the Course Schedule for questions to consider. The paper will also include a paragraph displaying how this article is referenced in their term paper on Learning Disabilities. Students are to submit a copy of the article with your paper.
These writings are due as follows:
Wednesday August 28--: Article Review #1
Wednesday – September 4; Article Review #2
Wednesday September 11—Article #3
Wednesday September 18—Review #4
Term Paper Content Requirements:
(1) Definition (What is a learning disability [LD]?) --i.e., Provide the IDEA LD definition and discuss its elements; identify and discuss other related terms associated with our understanding of its definition and or characteristics; compare the IDEA LD definition to other LD definitions; share how LD relates to Federal law(s) and individual’s protections.
(2) Etiology (What causes LD?)-- i.e., discuss our understanding of cause from the medical point of view (brain, diet, environmental research); and or from an instructional point of view (developmental perspective, societal/cultural perspectives, impact of school practices, etc.,). Your discussion may warrant a historical perspective. It may also include statistics.
(3) Diagnosis (What behaviors are used to diagnose the cause of LD?)-- Explain the process or the steps taken to diagnosis LD and the two methods that could be used according to IDEA. Share about the academic areas examined as well as the age span or developmental considerations. You may include medical and clinical indicators (soft signs, gross motor signs, perceptual processing indicators).
(4) Treatment (How do we address LD in relation to the causes discussed?)—Discuss how schools provide services both in terms of academic offerings (IEP) and considerations for physical locations (LRE). You may explore educational interventions, societal trends or changes in thought; and explore the protections that are presented in the Federal laws.
In addition to discussing the cause of learning disabilities as outlined above, select one theme or a theory to develop in greater detail. For example, you may focus on Kepart’s or Feigngold’s ideas (just to mention two of the several people associated with this topic) or you may present a developmental, cognitive, or behavioral theorists’ perspective. Others may present knowledge gained from brain or genetic research or the ideas that challenge how LD reflects cultural conditions. The information presented is to be supported by a body of literature and cited accordingly. The paper’s purpose, therefore, is not to persuade reader or to argue your opinion per se, but to inform the reader about information that the literature presents.
1. Type Written:12-point Times font, double spaced, 1-inch indentation, no spacing between paragraphs (APA style);
2. APA Reference: Cite the information presented in the paper using APA style and include a list of references;
3. Multiple Resources: Use at least six different sources
4. Well Written: Use proper grammar, correct spelling, and correct citation of references.
Use at least six different sources to collect and present your information.
-The text may be used but will not be considered one of your 6 resources.
-At least five sources must be from books or scholarly journals.
-Internet websites will not count as part of your 6 scholarly resources
Other Journals