INTRODUCTION TO THE TOPIC
This pathfinder has been created for Dr. Bagstad’s Adaptations for the Learning Disabled (EDUC 387) class. It is in no way intended to be an exhaustive source of information for your paper, but rather, is designed as a starting point for your research on learning disabilities.
PRINT RESOURCES
Reference Books
· Ref LB 15.E48 1992
o Encyclopedia of Educational Research
o This four-volume set contains information on educational research and includes a large entry on learning disabilities covering the following aspects:
§ Historical Roots
§ Learning Disability Definitions
§ Learning Disability Eligibility Models
§ Service Delivery Stems and Interventions
§ Prevalence Estimates of Learning Disabilities
§ The Scientific Perspective
o This book is a bit out-of-date but if you are having difficulties determining good search terms for the online databases, you can look up a specific article mentioned and find its assigned search terms.
· Ref LC 4704.5 .T86 2002
o The Encyclopedia of Learning Disabilities
o This book provides entries on a wide variety of terms and concepts related to learning disabilities.
o Entries on specific disabilities contain information on both diagnosis and treatment.
o Seven Appendixes: National Organizations, Government Sources of Information, Assistive Technology Resources, Hotlines, Commercial Technology Resources, Bulletin Board Listservs About LD and ADHD, and Books of Interest to People with Learning Disabilities
Main Collection Items
· For a basic search of materials in Byrnes-Quanbeck Library, follow this recommended stategy:
o Type in the search term [Learning Disabilities] in the search box on the library’s home page. After obtaining the results you will want to refine your search by date range on the left-hand side of the page as the library contains some older materials on the topic.
o If your report is on a specific learning disability, you should start with a keyword search for the disability. This will return results that include the term in the following areas:
§ Title
§ Subject Headings
§ Summary
§ Table of Contents
· If your search on a specific disability does not return adequate results you will need to search under a broader term and look in individual books for mention of the disability in either the table of contents or the index.
Materials from Other Libraries Through Inter-Library Loan
· Items from Other North Dakota Libraries
o In the online catalog, use the drop down menu by the search box, scroll to the top and choose All Libraries
o Use the search strategy recommended above
· Items from Around the World
o Search for items with Worldcat
Browsing the Shelves
Books on learning disabilities can also be found by browsing the shelves starting with the Library of Congress Classification number: LC 4601- LC 4818.53
PERIODICALS
Print Periodicals
The following academic journals can be found in the library. However, you will need to look in one of the library’s online databases to find specific articles:
· American Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities
· Exceptional Children
· Journal of Learning Disabilities
· Journal of Special Education
· Intervention in School & Clinic
· Remedial and Special Education
· Teaching Exceptional Children
Warning: ADDitude, a magazine about ADD available in the library, is a magazine and cannot be counted as a journal for your assignment.
Online Periodicals
Using the search techniques, discussed in the next section you can find articles in EBSCOhost from the following Academic Journals:
· British Journal of Learning Disabilities
· Intervention in School & Clinic
· Journal of Learning Disabilities
· Learning Disabilities—A Contemporary Journal
· Learning Disabilities Research & Practice
· Learning Disability Quarterly
· Reading & Writing Quarterly
Warning: The following titles available in EBSCOhost are not considered academic journals and cannot be counted as a journal for your assignment.
· Learning Disabilities Practice
· Learning Disabilities Today
ELECTRONIC RESOURCES
EBSCOhost Research Databases
Use the same search strategy as you used for the library catalog and remember to refine your search, possibly by:
· Full Text: Will only show results that contain the full text of the article instead of only the citation.
· Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals: A requirement for some of your resources
· Publication Date: Limiting your results to the last 10 years will ensure your information is current
· Subject: You can refine your search by choosing subjects from the list that best describe the information you are seeking.
ERIC
ERIC (Education Resources Information Center) has a great thesaurus that can assist you in finding variant search terms if you are having difficulties.
A few cautions using ERIC:
The majority of articles and other information sources found in ERIC do not include full text so you will have to search for these items in the library catalog, the library’s print serials list, or one of the other online databases to find the full text of the article.
Materials found can also be requested through Inter-Library Loan if you have at least a week for the materials to arrive.
WEBSITES
National Center on Accelerating Student learning
· A program designed to accelerate learning for students with disabilities in the early grades to build a solid foundation.
· The program has concluded but the website contains information about the program and list of other resources.
National Research Center on Learning Disabilities
· Conducts research on learning disabilities
· The website contains a lot of information on research, publications, and presentations by the NRCLD
Website Evaluation
Websites used for this project must be evaluated for:
· Accuracy: Does the information complement information found in your textbook and library sources already found for the topic?
· Authority: Search for the author’s name in Google and in EBSCOhost Databases. Has s/he written for academic journals or represent reputable organizations or institutions?
· Currency: Does the website list a date when it was last updated?
· Objectivity: Wikipedia is a great place to look up various organizations to see if there is any controversy surrounding their mission or behavior.