ContributorsP. G. Aaron, Ph.D. is the primary author of this review of the current thinking about the nature of reading disabilities and their remediation. Dr. Aaron is currently a Professor in the Department of Educational and School Psychology at Indiana State University, where for the past 35 years he has been engaged in researching, writing, and teaching about the nature of reading problems. His contributions to the understanding of beginning reading and reading difficulties have been many, and he has received many professional accolades. He has published two books on reading problems and has held two Distinguished Professorships to continue his research and writing. We are grateful that his Chairperson, Dr. Michael Bahr, was able to arrange released time for Dr. Aaron to devote more of his time and energies to this manuscript. William Littlejohn, Ed.D., Director of the Blumberg Center at Indiana State University, responded to the request of a parent who asked for a source to which parents and teachers could turn for help in understanding and dealing with reading problems in children. Bill, not only served as a catalyst for beginning this site, but also brought to bear Blumberg Center personnel and resources throughout the development of the concept and the final product. He served as cheerleader, organizer, editor, and provided much of the energy and motivation from the start to successful completion. Carol Walker was a patient, hardworking and very effective editor and website consultant and designer for our project. She took charge of re-organizing our efforts and molding the technical content into a layout that fits the needs of our readers and reflects the rigorous demands of professional integrity. Carol recently retired as Computer and Statistical Consultant for the User Services section of the Indiana State University Office of Information Technology and, as a result, was able to devote her considerable energies and intellect to this project. Kenneth Walker, Ph.D., former Chairperson, ISU's Department of Educational and School Psychology, was a member of the committee from its beginning. Ken oversaw the Developmental Evaluation, served as an editor, and wrote some of the sections of the site. He was a willing worker who helped the group work in many ways, including through his encouragement and assistance to meet deadlines. Millie Vaughn, Ph.D., served as a consultant. She is currently Instructor in the Department of Elementary and Early Childhood at Indiana State University. She has a wealth of experience with early and beginning readers and their parents as an elementary school teacher and as Director of the Title 1 Project for the Vigo County School Corporation. Sarah Arroyo, M.Ed., as a Blumberg Center funded graduate assistant from the Department of Educational and School Psychology, worked diligently showing her professional maturity and great promise. We thank her for all of the efforts she made in organizing meetings, datelines, etc. that were necessary to launch and keep us moving. Sarah, when President of the Student School Psychology Association at Indiana State University, was instrumental in organizing the Association members to search the internet for websites that might be of use to parents and teachers, evaluate them, and then annotate their selections. Sarah has accepted a position as a school psychologist in the Evansville, Indiana schools. Jennifer Voglewede, MS, CAS, NCSP, took over the work of Sarah Arroyo as Graduate Assistant in the second year of the Reading Disabilities project. We thank her for all her efforts to keep us all organized and productive. She did a yeoman's job of everything she was asked to do with intelligence and energy. At the time of this writing, she is an advanced Ph.D. student in the School Psychology program in ISU's Department of Educational and School Psychology. Sara Guss deserves special recognition and mention because she provided the original impetus for the development of this website by contacting Bob Marra, the Associate Superintendent of the Indiana Department of Education, and Director of the Division of Exceptional Learners, which led her to contact Dr. Littlejohn. She was concerned that so little seemed to be available for parents of reading disabled children. Sara also wrote the section Testing Procedures followed by Most Schools in Indiana. Mrs. Guss also served as one of the group of interested parents and professionals who extensively previewed and made suggestions for improving this website. Our special appreciation is extended to our many reviewers who carefully read, critiqued and then made suggestions for improvement of this website. We were gratified by your positive feedback and took seriously your suggestions. The following group of professional educators and parents who generously gave of their time and thoughts were: Dianne Elson, Dottie Ferency, Yvonne Gill, Kelli Gregor, Sara Guss, Marilyn Klug, Sue McMullen, Jill Phipps, Jean Rawlinson, Deborah Spinney, Cinda Taylor, Millie Vaughn and Cindy Wilson. Thank you. To you, and the many children whose lives you touch, we dedicate this website.
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