Introduction to the Special Issue on Diagnosis and Identification of Individuals with Specific Learning Disability: Pattern of Strengths and Weaknesses

The purpose of this special issue is to explore and explain how a pattern of strengths and weaknesses (PSW) approach can be useful in the diagnosis and identification of individuals with specific learning disabilities (SLD). To understand a PSW approach, one must first understand the origins of the diagnostic category of SLD. Although some people may think that SLD as a disability category was created by federal legislation in the 1970s, the roots of SLD can be traced back to at least the early 1800s (Hallahan & Mercer, 2002; Hammill, 1993; Wiederholt, 1974). Many of the conclusions drawn in the late 1800s and early 1900s regarding the assessment of students with SLD, as well as the characteristics of these disorders, are still pertinent today.