**7. Acknowledgements**

Special thanks to HKASLD for the input of some invaluable ideas, and LEE Yu Ngan for the proofreading.

#### **8. References**

46 Learning Disabilities

the handwriting performance, namely gender, grades, types of subjects selected, were also analyzed. Fifty participants (age range: 15–19-years-old) were recruited from one mainstream secondary school and 20 participants (age range: 17–24-years-old) were recruited from two secondary schools for students with dyslexia. They were asked to perform three consecutive handwriting tasks: copying 90 characters using the computerized CHAT, an English passage copying task, and a Chinese passage copying task. The data indicated that students with dyslexia were significantly slower in copying both Chinese and

Significant differences in the measures of writing speed, air/ground time ratio, standard deviation of speed, standard deviation of size per character, and number of stroke errors measured by the CHAT were found between the two groups of students. Further analysis on the data of typical students indicated no significant difference in handwriting speed among students from different classes (i.e. arts or science) on copying Chinese and English passages, and on individual Chinese words (from CHAT). It was interesting to note that no significant correlation was found in their handwriting speed measured by the three writing

In short, the CHAT is found to be a valid and reliable tool for assessment and documentation. Local normative data has been collected from 1136 students. In addition, the CHAT can be used to identify students who are at risk of handwriting difficulties, particularly for students with dyslexia. With the normative data for comparison, those students with specific handwriting difficulties can be identified and screened at a much earlier stage when they enter the primary education system. Once a student is identified with handwriting challenge, suitable therapeutic and training program can help to enhance their handwriting skills such that they can better cope with the academic work at schools. Through the systematic training on visual perception, visual motor integration and force

The CHAT should further be developed into an objective evaluation tool to explore the handwriting accuracy such that most of the errors can be identified and corrected through professional training or specific intervention by therapists. The results can also help to provide more objective evidence to make recommendations for making special examination

To sum up, services on dyslexia in Hong Kong have been getting steady improvement over the past two decades. Nevertheless, there is still a long way to go. Hope the sharing in this chapter would arouse further attention and discussions on this pressing area and in turn synergize efforts to create better lives for students with dyslexia and their

Special thanks to HKASLD for the input of some invaluable ideas, and LEE Yu Ngan for the

English characters in passages when compared to the typical students.

tasks, i.e. Chinese, English and individual words.

modulation, students' handwriting abilities can be improved.

arrangements for students with dyslexia or other special needs.

**6. Conclusion** 

**7. Acknowledgements** 

parents.

proofreading.


**4** 

**Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)** 

In this chapter, a brief of three studies relating attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and writing Learning Disabilities (LD) is presented, all of them following a research line. First, we carried out an experimental study on attention and writing with normally developing students, investigating the effects of the use of a graphic organizer and a time interval register processes in writing composition. Second, we selected four samples of students, one group of students with ADHD and LD, one with ADHD without LD. The third group comprised students with LD, and the last group was made up of normally achieving students. Those groups were matched for age and educational level, and we evaluated variables of attention, working memory (first comparative study), and also the processes and the product of writing composition including the orchestration (second

We reviewed the previous empirical studies that served as background work. From this review we found that there are only a few published research studies that analyze the overlap of the presence of ADHD and LD in writing, as well as the need to study the relationship between attention and writing in normally achieving students. Besides, it was found a paucity of knowledge regarding the relationship between ADHD and writing LD. It is also pertinent to briefly conceptualize, ADHD and its various presentations; LD in

The problems of the ADHD are very common; between 3 and 6 per cent of all children in school age suffer from it (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2002) and the problems continue for these children as they grow up in about 40 per cent of the cases, as the revision of Nolan, Volpe, Gadow, & Sprafkin (1999) points out. Other researches even increase this number stating the percentage of children suffering from ADHD in school age to up to 5 to 10 per cent (Scahill & Schwab-Stone, 2000). With these facts and facing the education procedure, we have to keep in mind that in our classrooms there is at least one child that suffers from ADHD (DeShazo, Lyman, & Grofer, 2002). These research studies show us the need of considering this kind of problems, approaching diagnosis and intervention about

writing; and the existing studies about the overlap of ADHD and LD in writing.

**1. Introduction** 

comparative study).

**2. ADHD and writing** 

**and Writing Learning Disabilities** 

Celestino Rodríguez, Paloma González-Castro,

Rebeca Cerezo and David Álvarez

*University of Oviedo* 

*Spain* 

