Open AccessHiding in Plain Sight: The Nature and Role of Theory in Learning Disability Labeling
Author(s) -
Deborah J. Gallagher
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
disability studies quarterly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2159-8371
pISSN - 1041-5718
DOI - 10.18061/dsq.v30i2.1231
Subject(s) - identification (biology) , sight , social learning theory , intervention (counseling) , learning disability , psychology , learning theory , cognitive science , epistemology , cognitive psychology , social psychology , developmental psychology , philosophy , psychiatry , physics , botany , astronomy , biology
Normal 0false false falseEN-US X-NONE X-NONEMicrosoftInternetExplorer4/* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}In what follows, I outline the development of learning disability theory through an analysis of efforts to inaugurate viable criteria for identification, attending particularly to internal controversies among leading American learning disability scholars surrounding the new Response to Intervention (RTI) model. Next, I use this analysis as a vehicle to discuss the larger problem with theory in the social sciences and conclude by exploring alternatives to theory as commonly understood.