The study investigated self-reported causes of stress of specific learning disabilities (SLD) teachers. Six job-related factors of stress were identified by a majority of the 173 subjects survey. It was concluded that many SLD teachers experience stress related to occupational activities. A further question explored the relationship of stress to the characteristics of age, sex, years of teaching experience, highest degree, and level of teaching. Results shewed a significant association only between educational background and one stress factor.

This investigation identified the reasons that teachers leave the special education classroom and examined the patterns and trends in teacher dropout in order to help in the retention of quality special educators. A survey instrument was developed and used to determine the factors that teachers identified as to why they left the special education classroom. Survey items were tabulated, and adjusted frequency scores were reported. A contingency analysis determined whether there were associations among any of the factors and the demographic characteristics. The most significant factor for leaving the special education classroom was the excessive amount of paperwork. Other important factors included pupil load, inadequate resources, and lack of recognition and support. There was also a relationship between certain demographic characteristics and burnout among special educators.

One hundred and thirteen studies were reviewed to determine how researchers identify their LD samples. Populations were compared on academic, process, intelligence, exclusion, and discrepancy components as well as the demographic characteristics of age, sex, and grade. Researchers were found most often to select the academic and intelligence components and the demographic characteristics of age and sex to identify their populations. However, these components were described in a variety of ways. Less than half of the researchers used the process or exclusion components or included a description of grade placement. The article includes suggestions for obtaining more generalizability of research findings based on results of the review of existing research studies.

While it is common for a distinction to be made between mild, moderate, and severe levels of emotional disturbance, little empirical evidence exists to support such a distinction. This investigation obtained teachers' opinions as to the extent to which certain characteristics of emotionally disturbed children should be considered within mild, moderate, or severe subcategories. Five characteristics were thought to be descriptive of mildly disturbed children, and five were thought most descriptive of severely disturbed children; no consensus was obtained with regard to the moderately disturbed subgroup.