Services Under IDEA for Your Preschool-age Child (September 24, 2007)
Featured expert: Luzanne Pierce
Often times children are not identified at birth as having a disability, but exhibit more subtle issues between the ages of three to five, such as speech and language delays or disorders; putting shoes or mittens on the wrong feet or hands; seeming uninterested in playing early learning games or listening to stories; and seeming mildly uncoordinated. What kinds of services or programs are available for parents if they suspect their preschool-age child might have a disability?

LD and Written Expression (June 19, 2007)
Featured experts: Dr. Steve Graham and Dr. Karen Harris
When you stop to think about the wide range of skills that are needed to be a good writer, it is no surprise that so many students with learning disabilities struggle with written expression. For example, children with reading disabilities often have serious difficulties with spelling, which in turn has an adverse affect on their ability to communicate in writing. Also vulnerable are children who have weaknesses in areas such as vocabulary, reading and listening comprehension, word retrieval, and those who have trouble with the basic mechanics of writing (e.g., handwriting, spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and sentence structure). Our experts dealt with a broad array of issues and questions surrounding writing and learning disabilities.

Creating an Independent Future for Your Adult Child with LD (June 5, 2007)
Featured expert: Anne Ford provided insights about the frustration, confusion and heartache that are shared by so many families as their children strive to become increasingly self-sufficient and independent.  Ms. Ford addressed questions about social skills and dating, sibling relationships, job hunting drew on her personal experiences and her work as an activist on behalf of individuals with learning disabilities.

Reading and Response to Intervention (RTI): How Students Benefit from Multi-Tiered Instruction and Intervention (April 26, 2007)
Featured experts: Drs. Sharon Vaughn and Jeanne Wanzek answered questions about features of evidence-based reading instruction, the delivery of effective supplemental services, the importance of collecting and using data to inform instruction, as well as offering vaulable information about the implementation of Response to Intervention (RTI).

Summing Up the Evidence on Math and LD (March 15, 2007)
Featured experts: Dr. Daniel B. Berch and Dr. Michele Mazzocco
For students who struggle with learning disabilities, math can be a source of enormous frustration.  This LD Talk highlights the area of math, and in particular, the science underlying math learning.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL): Effective Technology-based Teaching Practices for All Struggling Learners (February 20, 2007)
Featured Expert: Dr. David Rose
The Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) has created a solution called Universal Design for Learning (UDL) which provides a blueprint for creating flexible goals, methods, materials, and assessments that accommodate learner differences. "Universal" does not imply a single optimal solution for everyone. Instead, it is meant to underscore the need for multiple approaches to meet the needs of diverse learners. UDL mirrors the universal design movement in architecture and product development. Think of speakerphones, curb cuts, and close-captioned television -- all universally designed to accommodate a wide variety of users, including those with disabilities. Embedded features that help those with disabilities eventually benefit everyone. UDL uses technology's power and flexibility to make education more inclusive and effective for all.

LD & the Juvenile Justice System (January 23, 2007)
Featured Experts: Lili Garfinkel and Peter Leone
Individuals with learning disabilities (LD), and especially teenagers and young adults, are at increased risk of involvement with the juvenile justice system. This LD Talk focused on how parents, schools, mental health providers, juvenile justice professionals and others can provide options, appropriate treatment, solutions and resources.

Making the Leap to College (November 26, 2006)
Featured Experts: Vincent Varrassi and Dr. Jennifer Zvi
As the number of students with learning disabilities attending colleges and universities has grown dramatically over the past thirty years, so too have the number of issues faced by students, parents, and educators. Exploring post-secondary options is often a daunting task for parents and students alike, but with the right planning, support, and information this can be a positive and truly successful next step for every student.

Recognition & Response (October 24, 2006)
Featured Experts: Dr. Mary Ruth Coleman and Dr. Virginia Buysse
Recognition & Response is a systematic approach to addressing early learning difficulties before kindergarten. This approach includes assessing the overall quality of early learning experiences for all children as well as making program modifications, tailoring instruction, and providing appropriate supports for individual children who struggle to learn.

Getting Organized for Your Child's IEP Meeting (September 20, 2006)
Featured Experts: Connie Hawkins and Bill Sellar
Our experts, Connie Hawkins and Bill Sellar, discussed strategies to help alleviate first-time nerves, improve communication between parents and schools and ensure all IEP team members are focused on the most important outcome - assuring the student is provided every opportunity to achieve their greatest academic potential and have a positive school experience.

Learning Disabilities and ADHD (June 21, 2006)
Featured Expert: Dr. Karen Miller
This LD Talk focused on learning disabilities (LD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and the co-occurrence of these disorders throughout the life span as weel as the importance of careful documentation and ongoing communication among parents, educators, physicians and other service providers.

Speech/Language and Literacy Development: Keys to Success for Struggling Learners (May 23, 2006)
Featured Experts: Dr. Diane Paul and Dr. Froma Roth
The LD Talk focused on the relationship between early speech-language development and learning disabilities, plus the importance of early recognition of speech-language delay and the important role of speech-language pathologists in helping young children become successful readers.

Response-to-Intervention: What Parents Need to Know About This Approach to Identifying Students Most At-Risk for LD (April 18, 2006)
Featured Expert: Dr. Judy Elliott
This chat will focused on Response-to-Intervention (RTI) -- an approach to identifying students at risk for learning disabilities which has been used successfully in states and school districts nationwide.

Going to College: Successful Transitions for Students with LD (March 23, 2006)
Featured Experts: Liz Getzel and Shannon McManus
Our guests answered questions and shared resources about how students with LD can best prepare for and make successful transitions from high school to college.

Reading for Meaning: Helping Students Become Successful Readers (February 23, 2006)
Featured Expert: Nancy Hennessy
This LDTalk session discussed the importance of building skills such as decoding, the development of fluency, knowledge of word meaning, and the ability to make connections and think strategically when reading.

The Social Side of Learning Disabilities (December 14, 2005)
Featured Expert: Richard Lavoie, M.A., M.Ed.
Expert Rick Lavoie talks about the social side of LD.

Understanding Math LD (November 17, 2005)
Featured Expert: Dr. Nancy C. Jordan
This LDTalk session discussed learning difficulties and disabilities in mathematics.

Navigating Special Education (October 26, 2005)
Featured Experts: Alan W. Brue, Ph.D. and Linda Wilmshurst, Ph.D.
This LDTalk session discussed the ins and outs of special education, including important new changes brought about by the recent revisions to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004).

Promoting Life Success for Students with Learning Disabilities (September 28, 2005)
Featured Experts: Roberta J. Goldberg, Ph.D. and Eleanor H. Higgins, Ph.D.
This LDTalk session discussed the findings of a 20 year longitudinal study that identified key characteristics that lead to successful outcomes for students with LD.

Making Technology Part of Your Back-to-School Planning (August 17, 2005)
Featured Expert: Dave L. Edyburn, Ph.D.
This LDTalk session discussed how to make the most of assistive technology (AT) for students with learning disabilities.

Summertime with Struggling Readers: Making it Fun and Effective (May 23, 2005)
Featured Expert: Dr. Blanche Podhajski
This LDTalk session discussed how to make the most of summertime with struggling readers.

New Provisions in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004) Regarding Individualized Education Programs (IEP) (April 27,2005)
Featured Experts: Kathleen Boundy and Candace Cortiella
This LDTalk session discussed the new Individualized Education Programs (IEP) provisions in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004).

Enhancing Early Literacy for English Learners (March 29, 2005)
Featured Expert: Dr. Jana Echevarria
This LDTalk session discussed the challenges of early literacy for English Language Learners.

Transitioning to Post-School Life (February 28, 2005)
Featured Expert: Dr. Arlyn Roffman
This LD Talk session discussed issues faced by those with LD in transitioning to post-school life.

Preventing Early Reading Failure (February 8, 2005)
Featured Expert: Dr. Joseph Torgesen
This LD Talk session discussed preventing early reading failure.

IDEA04 (January 12, 2005)
Featured Expert: Dr. Stevan Kukic
This LD Talk discussed the new provisions in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA04) regarding the determination of eligibility for students as having a specific learning disability (LD) and its implications at the state and local school district levels.

High Stakes Testing (December 8, 2004)
Featured Expert: Paul O'Neill, Esq.
This LDTalk discussed issues related to high stakes testing and students with LD.