LD's can be operationally defined in terms of impairment or
deficiency in one or more of the basic functions of learning. [AC90,
BR94, DA94] Definitions based on discrepancies between achievement and
IQ (potential) lead to identification of about 5% of the student
population as Learning Disabled. This fraction can be doubled or
halved, depending on what defining criteria one selects. LD students
can learn, but conventional educational delivery does not readily meet
their needs. Current knowledge offers several possible ways of
categorizing LD students, but offers few reliable, helpful
interventions. A significant subset of LD students has difficulty
learning basic arithmetic, and this is viewed as a deficiency that
grows with time into serious math incompetence. [AC86, CO93]
This project will address the feasibility of using NN's to meet
these students' needs through improved adaptation of the instructional
content and presentation. However, the problem now appears more
difficult than initially appreciated, because the state of knowledge
about what constitutes possible and useful adaptations is so primitive.
The research aspects of the project in the areas of basic educational
processes appear substantial.
Refer to a Glossary
of LD and CAI Terms to clarify terminology.
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