Pathways to parsimony in remedial education

After defining the population of children assumed to have a learning disability, the author contends that the time, money, and human effort available for their remediation will be employed more parsimoniously as the theoretical strategies increase in validity and as behavior modification techniques are more systematically employed. A thorough diagnostic evaluation of the child through a multi-disciplinary approach is considered an essential basis for the individualized programming the child requires. Theories of well-known psychologists and educators working with children with learning deficits are examined and the decision reached that controlled studies will be required to ascertain the validity of these procedures and their theoretical bases. Some of the systems are examined for their inclusion of known learning principles with the conclusion that too many variables are left uncontrolled, even when the use of such principles appear to be inherent in the procedures. Lastly the systematic application of operant conditioning principles in a number of studies involving children with learning and behavioral disorders are considered and their results are thought to point the way to a more parsimonious use of time, money and human resources.