Definitional and Theoretical Issues and Research on Learning Disabilities

S has written a critique of the field of learning disabilities and writes persuasively about the need for change. According to Swanson, one of the areas that requires change is the fact that much of the research involving individuals with learning disabilities is merely empirical, oriented toward practice, and largely atheoretical. He proposes that the field of learning disabilities needs to develop and systematically test theories. Actually he goes farther than this and argues that the field needs metatheory. I agree about the need for theory in the field of learning disabilities. Theory is necessary to guide research and to advance the field. However, I am not sure what metatheory is nor am I clear on how metatheory is different from an ordinary theory. Swanson needs to address the issue of what metatheory is and how it differs from theory.