Texas Center for Learning Disabilities

此补充申请的目的是关闭学习障碍研究中心，网址为 休斯顿大学自2006年以来一直受到资助。我们没有成功地将中心续期以获得第四笔资金 周期，并面临着在本年度末完成和结束大量活动的问题 2023年12月31日到期的成本延期。该中心的研究因学校停课而严重中断 到新冠肺炎，虽然我们能够修改项目并完成另一年的活跃数据 收集，学校是困难的环境，从五年级开始收集完整的数据集一直很慢， 尤其是对于学校需要的档案数据。我们还将遗传学研究从初级 两个纵向队列的表观遗传学研究，包括大样本英语的全基因测序 有阅读问题的学习者，代表了对我们研究不足的青少年群体的主要分析 一直没有足够的预算。我们也有工作要做，以符合NIH数据共享 支持教职员工的要求和需要，这些教职员工一直指望该中心继续提供资金 他们不再资助中心，转而从事其他工作和项目。我们只要求为个人提供工资支持 他们是研究人员和实习生，不能完全得到国家教育委员会剩余资金的支持。 资助提案的目的是在11-16年级集中关注历史上持续存在的阅读困难 服务不足的群体，英语学习者(ELS)。我们将样本描述为复杂的表型，并评估 数学和书面表达的变化，以及ADHD行为和语言熟练程度。建议数 研究使用了多种方法，包括认知科学和教育科学、神经成像、遗传学和 当代大都会艺术博物馆方法论。中心主题是指导性回应使 从历史上看，LD结构的重要组成部分是“意想不到的成绩不足”。教学反应 必须在具有广泛代表性的不同背景的儿童中进行评估，这些儿童在 学术技能和对指导的反应不充分。为了建立可靠和有效的LDS分类， 并了解认知、语言、神经和遗传对学习障碍和教学反应的影响， 应从多学科角度系统研究教学反应的个体差异 透视。我们提出了5个项目和4个核心。项目1(集成)延续了过去5年 通过评估实际数据和模拟数据对分类问题的综合研究，但在EL中 样本。它综合了实证文献，并进行了跨项目分析。项目2(注意)评估 随着时间的推移，与项目3、4和5并行的行为和认知注意力以及相关技能。它还 介绍了一项将注意力定义为结构的测量研究，并对 请注意LDS。项目3(干预)建立在过去10年干预研究的基础上，具有两个- 年双队列随机对照试验对820名7年级英语学习者的阅读理解能力的影响 持续的阅读困难。项目4(神经成像)提供多模式结构和功能 对对项目3干预措施反应充分和反应不足的儿童进行的神经成像研究。项目 5(表观遗传学)是一项高风险、高回报的研究，旨在评估人类DNA甲基化的表观遗传学变化 项目2(注意)和项目3(干预)672名参与者对干预的反应。支持 来自管理核心(A)、参与核心(B)、数据管理和统计核心 (C)和评估与征聘核心(D)。培训和传播机会 15年来，该中心制作了大量实习生和出版物。协同效应和 凝聚力来自通过项目3(干预)对同一ELS队列的共同研究， 对这些参与者的子集进行三次共享评估，并通常在 项目2(注意)、4(神经成像)和5(表观遗传学)。TCLD是一个组织严密、具有凝聚力的 多学科中心，在涉及LD的基本问题上进行协同研究。

The purpose of this supplemental application is to close out the Learning Disability Research Center at The University of Houston funded since 2006. We were unsuccessful in renewing the Center for a fourth funding cycle and are faced with completing and closing out a large number of activities by the end of the current no cost extension that expires 12/31/2023. The Center’s research was severely disrupted by school closures due to covid-19 and while we were able to modify the projects and complete an additional year of active data collection, the schools are difficult environments and collection of thee full data set from Year 5 has been slow, especially for archival data needed from the schools. We also pivoted the genetics study from primary epigenetic studies of two longitudinal cohorts to include full genetic sequencing of a large sample of English learners with reading problems, representing a major analysis of an understudied group of adolescents that we have not been able to adequately budget. We also have work to do to comply with NIH data sharing requirements and need to support faculty and staff who were counting on continued funding of the center as they transition off Center funding onto other jobs and projects. We are only asking salary support for individuals who are research faculty and trainees who cannot be fully supported by the remaining funds on the NCE. The purpose of the funded proposal was focus in Years 11-16 on persistent reading difficulties in a historically underserved group, English learners (Els). We characterize the sample as a complex phenotype and evaluate variations in math and written expression, as well as ADHD behavior and language proficiency. The proposed research uses multiple methodologies from cognitive and educational science, neuroimaging, genetics, and contemporary met methodologies. The central theme is that instructional response operationalizes the historically prominent component of the LD construct, “unexpected underachievement.” Instructional response must be evaluated in children broadly representative of diverse backgrounds who are persistently impaired in academic skills and respond inadequately to instruction. To establish a reliable and valid classification of LDs, and understand cognitive, linguistic, neural, and genetic influences on LDs and instructional response, individual differences in instructional response should be systematically studied from multidisciplinary perspectives. We propose 5 Projects and 4 Cores. Project 1 (Integration) continues the past 5 years of integrative research on classification issues through evaluation of actual and simulated data, but in an El sample. It synthesizes empirical literature and conducts cross-project analyses. Project 2 (Attention) evaluates behavioral and cognitive attention and related skills over time in parallel with Projects 3, 4, and 5. It also introduces a measurement study to define attention as a construct and conducts 3 design experiments on attention in LDs. Project 3 (Intervention) builds on the previous 10 years of intervention research with a two- year double-cohort randomized controlled trial addressing reading comprehension in 820 Grade 7 Els with persistent reading difficulties. Project 4 (Neuroimaging) provides multimodal structural and functional neuroimaging studies of children who respond adequately and inadequately to Project 3 interventions. Project 5 (Epigenetics) is the high risk high reward study that evaluates epigenetic changes in DNA methylation in response to intervention in 672 participants from Project 2 (Attention) and Project 3 (Intervention). Support comes from the Administration Core (A), the Engagement Core (B), the Data Management & Statistics Core (C), and the Assessment & Recruitment Core (D). Training and dissemination opportunities are embedded throughout the Center, which has produced numerous trainees and publications 15 years. Synergy and cohesiveness emerges from common studies of the same cohort of Els through Project 3 (Intervention), with three shared assessments of a subset of these participants and typically developing comparison children in Projects 2 (Attention), 4 (Neuroimaging), and 5 (Epigenetics). The TCLD is a well-organized and cohesive multi-disciplinary Center that conducts synergistic research on fundamental issues involving LDs.