This is an edited book based on papers presented at a 2003 invitee-only conference under the sponsorship of the Merrill Advanced Studies Center of the University of Kansas. The participants were prominent scholars in the areas of language and reading and have research programs funded by NIH and other funding sources. The purpose of the gathering was to discuss theoretical issues and research findings concerning the relationship between developmental language and reading disabilities, specifically looking at neurological, behavioral, and genetic factors; other factors that contribute to reading difficulties in the middle elementary school years through adolescence; and, literacy outcomes for children with early language impairments and how these problems relate to children with dyslexia. The Foreward is written by Reid Lyon, Branch Chief, Child Development and Behavior Branch, NICHD-National Institutes of Health.

This book will appeal to scholars in the areas of language disorders and reading disabilities, as well as to practicing speech-language pathologists, special educators, and reading specialists. It may also be used in graduate courses designed as seminars in either language disorders or reading disabilities in schools of communication disorders as well as in schools of education, especially special education departments.