Effects on quantity and quality of student compositions of mechanical interference, rate of production, and contentless production signals to write more were studied for 24 learning-disabled (LD) fourth and sixth graders. Results indicate that LD students' writing problems are partly a result of difficulties with mechanics and sustaining…

The effects of dictation and explicit instruction in planning on the composing skills of 42 fifth, sixth, and seventh graders with learning disabilities were studied. The combination of dictation and instruction in advanced planning resulted in more complete and qualitatively better essays than those written by comparison students. (SLD)