Eric.ed.gov – Alternate Explanations for Learning Disabled, Emotionally Disturbed, and Educable Mentally Retarded Students’ Math Achievement. Research Report No. 11. Instructional Alternatives Project.

The study investigated alternative explanations for differences in mathematics achievement between pairs of handicapped students exhibiting comparable amounts of academic engaged time. Forty-two students in grades 2-4 from urban and suburban districts participated; 14 students were classified as learning disabled, 14 as emotionally or behaviorally disturbed, and 14 as educable mentally retarded. Explanations investigated were student demographics, cognitive functioning, home and family factors, teacher stress, student cognitions (including cognitive style), student motivation, behavior, and conditions in the learning environment. Of all factors investigated, only cognitive ability served as a consistent explanation for differences in math achievement for students matched on academic engaged time. Creating composite variables (specifically attitude modeling by significant others, stress/chaos in the child’s environment, and home-school cooperation) was not helpful in explaining math achievement differences for the matched sample. It is suggested that diagnosticians concentrate on problem-solving for individual children rather than labeling children as LD, EBD, or EMR. (Author/JW)