Students Who Are Exceptional and Writing Disabilities: Prevention, Practice, Intervention, and Assessment:a Special Issue of exceptionality

By: Gary A. Troia and Steve Graham

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Synopsis: This special issue examines four critical aspects of writing instruction for students with disabilities: prevention, classroom practice, instruction, and assessment. The first article addresses writing strategy instruction for young students at risk for long-term writing difficulties. Next special and general education middle school educators' epistemology is explored regarding writing development and instruction, their self-reported teaching practices, and the challenges they faced as they strive to teach middle school students how to effectively use writing as a communicative medium and learning tool. The third, article reviews and critiques state writing standards and describes an instructional plan to help students with disabilities and other struggling writers master composing strategies and processes that may equip them to meet state standards in writing. Finally, a review is presented of the extant research on various methods of writing assessment, including holistic, primary trait, and analytic scoring methods, with particular emphasis on Curriculum-Based Measurement--an assessment technique well suited for children and youth in special education.