bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessing Collaborative Inclusion as an Effective Model for the Delivery of Special Education Services
Authors: Marston Douglas , Heistad David
Published: December 2008

The field of special education is undergoing significant reform in today's schools. Many argue these educational changes have not yet been supported through research. This article outlines three approaches to assessing the impact of a collaborative inclusion model. In the first approach student achievement in collaborative inclusion (CI) programs is contrasted with traditional "pull-out" programs through the use of Curriculurn-Based Measurement procedures. In the second approach the impact of the CI model on "quality of service" and "time needed" is quantified with a staff survey. Finally, the attitudes of general and special education teachers is examined qualitatively. Major findings indicate student growth is similar in both models, that general and special education teachers felt quality of service had improved with the CI model, and CI is associated with lower rates of identification of students needing special education services. Comments from regular and special education teachers outlining advantages, disadvantages, and barriers to implementing CI are shared.
Use of Assessment Procedures: Learning Disabilities Teachers' Perspectives
Authors: Lopez-Reyna Norma A. , Bay Mary , Patrikakou Evanthia N.
Published: December 2008

The purpose of this study was to describe learning disabilities teachers' perspectives regarding the use of assessment procedures. We focused specifically on teachers' reports of (a) procedures actually used, (b) procedures they found most useful, and (c) their perceived levels of competency as they related to initial placement, instructional planning, and student evaluation decisions. Respondents were 321 learning disabilities teachers in a large, urban school system. The results indicated that while teachers reported several assessment procedures to be useful, they relied primarily on standardized test results for informing educational decisions. Furthermore, most teachers indicated high levels of competency with all assessment procedures, except error analysis. The problematic nature of an over-reliance on standardized tests and the need for the use of more instructionally sensitive assessment procedures are discussed.
Research Digest: Transition Assessment
Authors: Cohen Libby G. , Spenciner Loraine J.
Published: December 2008

The purpose of this article is to review recent literature on the assessment of students' needs and preferences for transition services. A number of perspectives are presented. While the articles contribute to our knowledge and thinking about the topic, there seems to be a lack of consensus regarding the most appropriate approaches to take in the assessment of transition needs and preferences. Much more experimentation is needed with various types of instruments, how to use these instruments, and when to use these instruments, in order to assist in the development of instruments that can be used with confidence.
Promoting Social Reciprocity of Exceptional Children
Authors: Strain Phillip S. , Odom Samuel L. , McConnell Scott
Published: December 2008

A conceptual and procedural alternative to the typical, individual-specific model of social behavior assessment and treatment is offered. This alternative, based upon the social reciprocity of children's interactions, has direct implications for all phases of social behavior interventions designed and implemented for special education students. Our knowledge of social reciprocity suggests that interventions should focus on interactive exchanges, rather than discrete behaviors. Thus this paper presents a conceptual analysis of shortcomings in current treatment approaches and alternative guidelines for selecting students, target behaviors, and intervention strategies to promote increased reciprocity and competence in the social interactions of exceptional children.
Opportunity to Learn for Regular and Special Education Students During Reading Instruction
Authors: Ysseldyke James E. , Thurlow Martha L. , Mecklenburg Carol , Graden Janet
Published: December 2008

Observational data collected on 17 special education students and 17 regular education students in grades three and four were analyzed to document the nature of the instructional ecology (task, structure, teacher location, and teacher activity) and student responding during those portions of the school day allocated to reading. Few differences were found in the nature of the instructional ecology; special education students were allocated significantly more time for individual structures and received more approval from the teacher than regular education students. While differences were found for specific types of student responses, there were no differences in overall academic responding during reading. Percentage data did suggest possible differences in specific academic responses for the two groups of students as a function of the task and teaching structure. Implications for instruction and future research are discussed.
Word Decoding and Rule-Learning in Normal and Disabled Readers
Authors: Morrison Frederick J.
Published: December 2008

Learning to decode words accurately and rapidly represents a major problem for the reading-disabled child. Recent advances in our understanding of word knowledge and decoding permit an assessment of those aspects of words that appear to be most troublesome to the disabled reader. A series of experiments is described; rule-based and word-specific views of decoding are examined. Results reveal that inconsistent rules and words are differentially harder for disabled readers than for normal readers. Additional evidence suggests that disabled readers may suffer a primary problem in learning irregular rule systems.
Converging Perspectives in the Study of the Reading Process
Authors: Vellutino Frank R. , Scanlon Donna M.
Published: December 2008

In the present article the papers by Morrison, Siegel and Ryan, and Stanovich are critically reviewed with editorial comments on both theoretical and empirical issues associated with alternative explanations of word decoding deficiencies in poor readers. Similarities and differences in theoretical perspectives are noted, but convergence in definition of problem areas and research methodology are highlighted.
Adjustment Problems of Mildly Handicapped and Nonhandicapped Students
Authors: Cullinan Douglas , Epstein Michael H.
Published: December 2008

This study examined the adjustment problems of 360 students identified as educable mentally retarded, behaviorally disordered, or learning disabled, or not identified as handicapped. In each of these four groups there were students of both sexes and of three age levels (elementary, middle-school, senior high). Teachers completed a Behavior Problem Checklist (Quay & Peterson, 1975) on each of the subjects, enabling the investigators to compute and examine the four dimensions (subscales) of adjustment problem associated with this rating scale. Results showed that, as expected, behaviorally disordered students generally displayed more adjustment problems than the other groups, although for certain age and sex subgroups, behaviorally disordered and learning disabled students did not differ. All handicapped groups had more problems than the nonhandicapped group on at least one dimension of adjustment problem. Findings are discussed in terms of implications for personnel preparation, additional research, and appropriate education for the handicapped.
The Ideal and the Real: The Working Out of Public Policy in Curricula for Severely Handicapped Students
Authors: Ferguson Dianne L.
Published: December 2008

Increasingly, public policy requires that appropriate educational programs for severely handicapped students employ a functional approach to teaching content and prepare students for futures in competitive employment. This study examines how teachers' interpretations of this policy shape their curricular decisions, and, in turn, might shape future policy. The teachers find the demands of competitive employment and productivity too stringent for many students who have too few marketable skills and too little time left to acquire them. Discussion centers on how teachers' attempts to reconcile student ability with productivity threaten the success of reform for many of the very students such reform is designed to help.
Reading and Spelling Skills in Adults of Low Literacy
Authors: Read Charles , Ruyter Lyda
Published: December 2008

We tested the basic reading and spelling skills of 50 men of low literacy, from prisons. We describe in detail their skills in decoding and encoding, performance IQ and short-term memory, judgments of phonetic similarities, and segmentation, all measured with multiple tasks. Compared with children at the same grade levels in reading, the men performed better on some tasks but worse on those that required a knowledge of sound-spelling correspondences, on which they resembled children who are poor readers. The men in this sample were surprisingly uniform in lacking segmentation and decoding skills. Our measures of segmentation turned out to be of two types, one of which is closely related to the ability to read and spell new words.
Decoding, Reading, and Reading Disability
Authors: Gough Philip B. , Tunmer William E.
Published: December 2008

To clarify the role of decoding in reading and reading disability, a simple model of reading is proposed, which holds that reading equals the product of decoding and comprehension. It follows that there must be three types of reading disability, resulting from an inability to decode, an inability to comprehend, or both. It is argued that the first is dyslexia, the second hyperlexia, and the third common, or garden variety, reading disability.
Adapting Science Materials for Regular and Learning Disabled Seventh Graders
Authors: Lovitt Thomas , Rudsit James , Jenkins Joseph , Pious Constance , Benedetti Dina
Published: December 2008

This study investigated the effects of an adapted science curriculum on the performance of seventh grad youngsters. The adaptation featured vocabulaly exercises and framed outlines. There were 202 regular and mildly handicapped students in the study. Two regular teachers and an intern supervised the seven science classrooms where the experiment took place. The investigation ran for 12 weeks, during which time the studnts were assigned 8 chapters from a Luidlaw physical science text. Thugbout the study, modifications were available for some chapters and not for others. Publisherconstructed tests were administered to the students before and after they worked on each chaptet;. the posttest data from adapted and nonadapted chapters were then compared Those data generally showed that the scores (handicapped as well as nonhandicapped studnts were better when the chapters were modified
The Prevalence of Handicapping Conditions Among Juvenile Delinquents
Authors: Murphy Donna M.
Published: December 2008

Information regarding the prevalence of handicapping conditions among juvenile delinquents is scattered throughout various educational and correctional journals and institutional and governmental reports. Research on this topic has been sporadic, and results of studies have been inconsistent. Nevertheless, taken together the studies suggest that a high percentage of young offenders are indeed handicapped, and that the prevalence of certain disabilities may be much greater among this population than among the general population of children and youth. These findings have important implications concerning the identification of handicapped delinquents and the provision of appropriate special education services.
Vocational Education in Corrections
Authors: Platt John S.
Published: December 2008

Vocational education is a vital area of programming for handicapped juvenile offenders. Vocational education programs should promote independence to counteract the dependency that is typically fostered in correctional institutions. In addition, vocational programs must include a transition component, which stresses critical job retention skills. The development of a vocational program that leads to successful job placement and retention depends upon the skills and cooperation of a variety of personnel within the institution and the community.
The Effects of Coaching on the Standardized Test Performance of Learning Disabled and Behaviorally Disordered Students
Authors: Scruggs Thomas E. , Mastropieri Margo A. , Tolfa-Veit Debra
Published: December 2008

Eighty-five mildly handicapped (learning disabled or behaviorally disordered) students were assigned at random to either a control condition or a condition in which students received training for 5 days on test-taking skills relevant to the Stanford Achievement Test. Results of test scores indicated that trained students scored significantly higher on tests of reading decoding and math concepts. A significant univariate interaction between experimental group and handicapping condition suggested that students classified as behavioraily disordered had differentially benefited on the math concepts subtest. Finally, a descriptive but nonsignificant difference favoring trained students was found on the math computation subtest. Implications for special education are given.
Employment of Developmentally Disabled Persons
Authors: Conley Ronald W.
Published: December 2008

Many public programs provide services and support to developmentally disabled adults. Unfortunately, this services system often impedes or prevents the transition of developmentally disabled persons from school to work. It does so by fostering attitudes of dependency, creating major work disincentives, failing to provide adequate vocational service to many severely disabled persons, and by being poorly coordinaed. The changes that need to be made in the service system to reduce or eliminate these problems do not constitute major departures from current policies and are unlikely to be costly.
The Role of Social Competence in the Community Adjustment of Persons with Developmental Disabilities
Authors: Walker Hill M. , Calkins Carl F.
Published: December 2008

This paper reviews literature and professional practices which affect the community adjustment and adaptation of developmentally disabled persons. The role of social competence in determining satisfactory adjustments to community-based vocational and residential settings by adult persons with developmental disabilities is explored. The paper is divided into five sections. Section one briefly reviews the community adjustment status of persons with developmental disabilities. Section two discusses the construct of social competence in terms of definitional issues and social validation approaches within community-based vocational and residential settings. Section three describes three types of adjustment (behavioral, social, personal) that are considered important to successful community adaptation. Section four reviews the consequences that accrue to developmentally disabled persons from adjustment failure in vocational and residential settings. Finally, section five advocates for adoption of a social ecological approach in the study of community adjustment for developmentally disabled persons and presents a series of recommendations governing future efforts in this area.
Generalization and Adaptation of Learning Strategies to Natural Environments: Part 1
Authors: Ellis Edwin S. , Lenz B. Keith , Sabornie Edward J.
Published: December 2008

Educators have long been concerned with generalization of cognitive interventions. Typically, educators view generalization as a stage of instruction that follows acquisition of a new skill. In an effort to shed light on the problem of generalization with regard to learning strategies, this paper presents generalization as a concept that should be addressed prior to, during, and subsequent to instruction in use of a strategy. A model for generalization is described that emphasizes elements of remedial teacher-, regular teacher-, peer-, and student-mediated techniques for facilitating generalization during all phases of instruction. Studies that illustrate components of the model are reviewed, and future research needs in this area are identified. This article is the first of a two-part series.
Learning Disabilities
Authors: Košč Ladislav
Published: December 2008

Learning disabilities (LD) need not be defined as such. It is satisfactory to explain what is meant by “learning“ and “disability.” Disability is conceived as a structural disturbance of a particular ability. In principle, LD is a psychological term dealing with many different kinds of psychological traits or processes, and their disturbances, respectively. LD is to be strictly distinguished from more educationally conceived “learning failures,” as well as from more medically/neurologically conceived “dysfunctions” of learning. The label LD cannot be used in clinical practice as a diagnosis, or in research as an independent variable. For both purposes, LD must be specified and/or operationally defined. If a definition of LD (or specific LD) is needed for professional communication, then a more sophisticated definition than those currently in use is needed as a starting point for further relevant discussion.
Toward Achieving Educational Excellence for All Students: Program Design and Student Outcomes
Authors: Wang Margaret C.
Published: December 2008

Identifying and defining practicable school learning environments that effectively promote educational excellence for all students–including those with special needs and academically-at-risk students who have poor prognoses for schooling success–has been the ongoing goal of researchers, practitioners, and policy makers. Recent research and school improvement efforts have led to advances in defining the specific features affecting individual learning, including those variables determining successful programs, practices, and learning environments. Buttressed by recent studies in effective schooling from virtually all areas of research in human development and learning, this paper emphasizes the importance of systematically broadening the data base in the areas of program description and student outcomes as a way of significantly improving programmatic, implementation, and strategic planning efforts in effective schooling.
A Longitudinal Assessment of the Development of Antisocial Behavior in Boys: Rationale, Methodology, and First-Year Results
Authors: Walker Hill M. , Shinn Mark R. , O'Neill Robert E. , Ramsey Elizabeth
Published: December 2008

The long-term consequences of antisocial behavior in children are well documented. Yet little is known about the pattern of development and sequence of antisocial behaviors in home and school settings. This article describes the rationale, methodology, and measures of a 5-year longitudinal research study of the development of antisocial behaviors in a high-risk population of boys in school settings. Subjects for this longitudinal study are 80 fifth-grade boys divided into two separate cohorts. These subjects were a subset of a sample of 200 boys included in an extensive study of the role of family variables in the development of antisocial behavior. Results from the first year of the study regarding 35 boys of Cohort I are presented in this paper. Multiple assessment methods were used including direct observations of social interactions in free-play activities and academic engaged time in classroom activities, teacher ratings of social skills, and examination of student records. Results indicated that subjects in the group more at risk for engaging in antisocial behavior were significantly different from subjects in the control group in their amounts of academic engaged time, frequencies of negative interactions with peers in playground situations, frequency of discipline contacts, and in teacher ratings of their social skills. Implications for identifying patterns and sequences of antisocial behavior are discussed
An Analysis of the Current Status of Special Education Research and Journal Outlets
Authors: Swanson H. Lee , Alford Lynn
Published: December 2008

The present article characterizes the quality of research and journal outlets in the field of special education. Randomly selected data based and nondata based articles (reviews of literature) on exceptional children from special education and nonspecial education related journals were compared on a number of criteria. In addition, these journals were ranked in terms of research sophistication, prestige, and citations of articles of their review board members. A few distinctions in favor of articles published in nonspecial education compared to those in special education related journals were found. The majority of data based and review of literature articles were lacking in research sophistication. Journals for which the articles were sampled varied extensively in terms of quality, prestige, and scientific recognition of review board members. Some general implications related to special education research are provided.
Self-Imposed Blindness
Authors: Poplin Mary Simpson
Published: December 2008

The quantitative research methods we use in education are derivatives of the scientific methods used to study physical phenomena. The scientific method is related to the philosophic principles of logical positivism. Taking these principles one can surmise the underlying assumptions behind our research in education and thus see its limitations more clearly. By comparing two articles which study the placement of students in special education along the lines of these assumptions, one can see how quantitative research as applied to education may have distorted our view of what really goes on in the education of high risk students. The author recommends that the field turn its attention toward establishing a body of knowledge derived from qualitative, not exclusively quantitative, research.
Principles for Classroom Comprehension Assessment
Authors: Valencia Sheila W. , Pearson P. David
Published: December 2008

This paper presents five principles to guide reading comprehension assessment in the classroom. Based upon an interactive model emerging from the past two decades of reading research and theory, these principles acknowledge a close tie between assessment and instruction; namely, that assessment is part of instruction. The principles suggest that we (1) consider the reader, the text, and the context as we construct and interpret assessments. (2) Focus on orchestrating rather than isolating skills. (3) Regard reading as a dynamic process rather than a static product. (4) Develop techniques that encourage rather than ignore student-teacher interactions. (5) Use a variety of measures of reading comprehension. The paper concludes with several applications of these principles to classroom assessment.
On Selecting "Considerate" Content Area Textbooks
Authors: Armbruster Bonnie B. , Anderson Thomas H.
Published: December 2008

“Considerate” content area textbooks are “user-friendly”---they are relatively easy to read, understand, and learn from. Recent research in cognitive psychology and reading suggests some features of content area textbooks that contribute to considerateness. This article addresses three of these features: Structure, coherence, and audience appropriateness. For each feature, the article describes the research basis for the feature, states briefly some problems with textbooks that we have observed in our analyses, and presents some practical suggestions for evaluating textbooks.
The Supreme Court's Interpretation of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act
Authors: Osborne Allan G.
Published: December 2008

The Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHCA), implemented only since 1977, has already caused a great deal of legal controversy, as evidenced by the hundreds of cases that have reached the courts. The many court decisions interpreting the EHCA form the basis of a common law that is as important to special educators as the Act itself. Thus far the U.S. Supreme Court has handed down decisions in four cases that it has heard. In these decisions the Court has defined what is meant by an appropriate education, has clarified the related services provision of the Act, has barred the awarding of attorney fees to the prevailing party in a special education suit, but has upheld a private school tuition reimbursement award to the parents of a handicapped child who successfully argued that the public schools did not provide an appropriate placement. These four decisions have had and will continue to have a profound impact on how the Act is implemented at the local level. The implications of the Supreme Court's pronouncements are examined and discussed in this paper.
Parent Tutoring as a Supplement to Compensatory Education for First-Grade Children
Authors: Mehran Maryam , White Karl R.
Published: December 2008

Children identified for Chapter I compensatory education programs were randomly assigned to an experimental program in which mothers were trained in structured tutoring techniques or to a control group. Children assessed on two standardized reading tests showed statistically significant differences after 6 months, but these differences later disappeared. When analyses were limited to those pairs of children in which the parent of the experimental group child had participated more completely in the tutoring program, there were both immediate and long-term statistically significant differences between the groups. It is concluded that parent tutoring programs can be an effective supplement to compensatory education programs but a substantial number of parents do not participate in such programs. The failure to account for degree of participation in previous research on parent involvement may account for the contradictory findings often reported.
Instructional Strategies for Special Education Consultants
Authors: Reisberg Lenny , Wolf Ron
Published: December 2008

In a consulting model, general and special educators collaboratively determine and implement interventions to facilitate the appropriate education of handicapped students. This article presents a model for examining and selecting assessment and instructional strategies for use by the consulting team. Variables affecting the success of mainstreamed handicapped students, including the attitudes and skills of the teacher, student, and student's peers are discussed and effective strategies for assessing and intervening in these variables are proposed. In addition, several general principles are elaborated for use in selecting among possible interventions. These principles include how effectively the skill will generalize to other settings, whether the strategy will benefit other low performing students, the ease of data collection and evaluation, and the ease of implementation. It is suggested that educational plans will have a greater likelihood of successful adoption if their selection is based upon these principles.
Evaluating Curriculum Design in the Context of Active Teaching
Authors: Moore Lisa J. , Carnine Douglas
Published: December 2008

This study compared two curricula designed to teach ratio and proportion word problems. Both curricula were taught following principles of active teaching. The experimental curriculum, presented via an interactive videodisc program, incorporated empirically validated curriculum design principles. The comparison curriculum was derived from four math basals and was teacher taught. The curricula were matched for content and length. The subjects included 29 secondary students who qualified for remedial or special education services in math. Students were randomly assigned to one of the two treatments, resulting in 16 students in the active teaching with basals (ATB) group and 13 students in the active teaching with curriculum design (ATCD) group. On a 21-item, criterion-referenced posttest, students in the ATCD group performed significantly higher than students in the ATB group. On a parallel form maintenance test administered 2 weeks after the completion of the study, performance for students in the ATCD group was insignificantly higher than performance for students in the ATB group. Both groups made significant gains from pre- to posttest. Students' mean performance on cumulative tests administered every fifth lesson maintained a flat trend above 85% for the ATCD group, and dropped in a significant downward trend for the ATB group—from 90% to 69%.
Administrators' and Teachers' Attitudes Toward Mainstreaming
Authors: Garvar-Pinhas Adrienne , Schmelkin Liora Pedhazur
Published: December 2008

Attitudes toward mainstreaming were assessed through a questionnaire containing items relating to the possible effects of mainstreaming on the academic, social, emotional, and behavioral development of youngsters who are handicapped, as well as the effects on nonhandicapped peers, teachers, and administrators. The four groups sampled included elementary principals, special education administrators, classroom teachers, and special education teachers. Responses were subjected to a factor analysis that yielded four subscales regarding mainstreaming: Academic Concerns, Socioemotional Concerns, Administrative Concerns, and Teacher Concerns. Discriminant analysis revealed significant and meaningful differences among the four groups in their attitudes toward mainstreaming.
Child Study Team Decision Making in Special Education
Authors: Moore Kevin J. , Fifield M. Bryce , Spira Deborah A. , Scarlato Mary
Published: December 2008

Child study teams (CSTs) are involved in making decisions about many aspects of the delivery of special services to handicapped students. However, a number of factors inhibit the decision-making process within CSTs. These factors have their origins in the implementation of the team process at the local education agency (LEA) level, the preparation of CST members to participate in team decision making, and in the difficulties encountered in communicating discipline-specific information. To overcome the factors inhibiting effective team decision making, a rationale is established for the development of pandisciplinary tools to assist in interpersonal communication, group decision making, and assessment. Specific examples of such tools are presented, and their relationships to current practices are discussed.
Dropouts and Dropout Programs
Authors: Wolman Clara , Bruininks Robert , Thurlow Martha L.
Published: December 2008

With the goal of achieving a better understanding of the nature of the dropout problem for students in special education, this review focuses first on the literature related to the dropout phenomenon in general education. The issues addressed are (a) consequences of dropping out, (b) definitions of dropouts and calculations of dropout rates, (c) characteristics of general education dropouts and their schools, and (d) intervention programs directed toward general education dropouts. The review further examines the literature on students in special education who drop out of school, including (a) overall dropout rates and rates by handicapping conditions, (b) characteristics of dropouts who have received special education services, and (c) outcomes for school dropouts. The paper concludes by discussing implications for research and service programs that can address the dropout problem in special education.
Critical Instructional Factors for Students With Mild Handicaps
Authors: Christenson Sandra L. , Ysseldyke James E. , Thurlow Martha L.
Published: December 2008

Instructional effectiveness is a popular topic, and a crucial one for educating students with mild handicaps. In this paper, the literature on effective instruction is integrated, and implications for instructing students with handicaps are provided. Based on the instructional effectiveness data base and research on quantity and quality of instruction for different categories of students, the authors contend that systematic use of an organized instructional cycle characterized by match, structure, and monitoring is needed to improve academic outcomes for students with mild handicaps.
The Roles of Cognitive Processing and Language Development in Emergent Literacy
Authors: Shinn-Strieker Toni , House Gary , Klink Barbara
Published: December 2008

Simultaneous and successive processing and language development were compared to the early reading behaviors of 64 children, ages 4 through 6 years. Simultaneous and successive processing were defined in terms of Luria's two-factor theory of cerebral specialization (Luria, 1966a, 1966b). Language development and early reading were defined in terms of the natural model (Piaget, 1977) and emergent literacy (Mattingly, 1972). Three standardized instruments were administered; a multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that language development and simultaneous processing made greater contributions to early reading ability than did successive processing. Interpretation of these data described the complex relationships among these variables in terms of the current literature. Implications for preschool instruction and future research are presented.
An Historical Perspective: A Personal Perspective on Our History of Service to Mildly Handicapped and At-Risk Students
Authors: Kauffman James M. , Pullen Patricia L.
Published: December 2008

Research does not clearly support the efficacy of any single service delivery arrangement for all mildly bandicapped and at-risk students, although supporting evidence can be found for nearly every type of arrangement for some students. The most defensible approach at present is to maintain and repair familiar service delivery structures while testing new ones. Direct instruction and behavioral interventions are probably the most effective classroom strategies for most mildly handicapped and at-risk students. The prospect of adoption of these strategies appears to be better in special than in general education.
Systematic Screening for Behavior Disorders (SSBD)
Authors: Walker Hill M. , Severson Herbert H. , Todis Bonnie J. , Block-Pedego Alice E. , Williams Gregory J. , Haring Norris G. , Barckley Maureen
Published: December 2008

The Systematic Screening for Behavior Disorders (SSBD) (Walker & Severson, in press) procedure was further evaluated. Two studies are reported in which validation, replication, and normative questions were addressed. Study I was conducted in a suburban Oregon school district in which 15 elementary schools and their teachers participated. Study 2 was conducted in two school districts, one urban and one suburban, in the state of Washington. The primary focus of Study I was upon normative and validity questions (factorial, criterion-related, and discriminant): the primary focus of Study 2 was upon replication and reliability questions. The results of Study I produced evidence of the SSBD's validity, as indicated by powerful subject group differences and criterion-related validity coefficients between SSBD measures and archival school record profiles. The results of Study 2 closely replicated those of Study I and extended the results of Study 1 in two respects. Study 2 included test-retest estimates of SSBD Stage 1 and 2 measures for 40 participating teachers, and an empirical verification of the SSBD system's sensitivity to the behavioral characteristics of previously certified severely emotionally disturbed (SED) students who were main-streamed into the participating teachers' classrooms. Future research plans and school applications of the SSBD system and the measures it comprises are also discussed.
The Regular Education Initiative and School Reform
Authors: Miller Lynne
Published: December 2008

This article develops two mainstream education perspectives on the Regular Education Initiative (REI). The first perspective draws on 20 years of research and practice about school improvement and the implementation of innovations. Nine understandings about school improvement are documented and discussed. The second perspective is grounded in the current movement to restructure schools. Similarities between the restructuring movement and the REI are discussed. In the final section, the author argues for the development of a partnership between classroom teachers and special education aimed at a fundamental rethinking and redesign of the organization of schools and the way in which teaching and learning occur.
Reducing Truancy in Students with Mild Handicaps
Authors: Hess Albert M. , Rosenberg Michael S. , Levy Gail K.
Published: December 2008

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of an intervention that combined contingency contracting with group counseling on rates of unexcused absences from school, academic grade point average, and rates of grade retention for students with mild handicaps. The subjects were 26 students with high rates of truancy from a comprehensive middle school in an urban school system. Data on rates of truancy and academic performance were collected at three 10-week intervals: pretreatment, posttreatment, and 10 weeks after treatment procedures were concluded. Rates of truancy for students in the experimental condition were significantly reduced at the conclusion of the 10-week treatment period. Unfortunately, gains in attendance for the experimental group did not maintain at posttreatment levels when assessed at follow-up. However, experimental group students' rates of truancy at follow-up did not approach the levels demonstrated by students assigned to the control condition. Measures of academic performance were inconclusive. Results of the study are analyzed and recommendations for future research and practice are offered.
Strategies for Achieving an Integrated Education for Middle School Students with Severe Disabilities
Authors: York Jennifer , Vandercook Terri
Published: December 2008

There is much discussion about and emerging demonstrations of children with severe disabilities being included to greater degrees in the mainstream of school life, including general education classes and extracurricular activities. Educational service providers are struggling with how to change from a self-contained special education classroom model of service delivery to a more integrated approach in which special education is a service and support provided in general education environments. Presented in this paper are general and specific strategies that have been useful in facilitating such a change. Specific examples relate to middle and high school students, although the principles and strategies have applications for the integration of younger children as well.
The Challenges of Metacognitive Instruction
Authors: Scruggs Thomas E. , Brigham Frederick J.
Published: December 2008

Paris and Winograd (this issue) provided important information, much of it drawn from their own research, on self-appraisal, self-monitoring, motivation, and four instructional approaches to metacognitive instruction. In the present article, we discuss these topics with respect to special education research and practice. Specific challenges represented by these approaches are discussed, as are the implications of metacognitive instruction for special education.
Extended School Year Policies: An Established Necessity
Authors: Katsiyannis Antonis
Published: December 2008

The study focuses on the complexities of providing extended school year services (ESY) to students with handicaps within the legal framework of Public Law 94-142 and Section 504. Issues addressed in the literature, especially in the areas of litigation and legislation, were used to examine current state ESY policies. Recommendations for the development of an ESY policy reflecting current trends based on data collected from state educational agencies and a review of the literature are provided.
Educating Students with Severe Disabilities in Their Neighborhood School
Authors: McDonnell Andrea , McDonnell John , Hardman Michael , McCune Gale
Published: December 2008

The Utah Elementary Integration (UEI) Model, a federally funded model demonstration project, focused on providing a comprehensive and appropriate education for students with severe disabilities within their neighborhood elementary school. In this article we (a) review the rationale and data base for supporting neighborhood school placements, (b) provide an overview of UEI model components, (c) summarize data on the outcomes of model implementation, and (d) discuss issues related to the successful implementation of neighborhood school models. Outcome date are reported on several measures of adaptive behavior and social integration for participating students (n = 27), as well as on the reactions of the general education homeroom teachers who included the participating students with severe disabilities in their classrooms for part of the school day.
New Words
Authors: Biklen Douglas , Schubert Annegret
Published: December 2008

People with autism have a variety of communication difficulties that have been assumed to be related to cognitive deficits. The communication difficulties include an inability to speak words, speaking with echolalia or repetition of words or phrases previously heard, pronomial reversals, seeming inattentiveness, problems with social interaction, and lack of responsiveness to external events. This study reports on the effects of a method called facilitated communication in helping students with autism to unlock their ideas and to communicate through typing. The 21 students in this study reveal unexpected literacy and numeracy skills. The content and form of their communication challenges traditional assumptions about autism, especially the ability of people with autism to analyze and use language.
Organization Analysis and Social Maladjustment
Authors: Cline Daniel , Rock Stephen L.
Published: December 2008

This reaction is a brief examination of social maladjustment from the perspective of political-cultural values and organizational theory, which Maag and Howell claim are the proper vantage points from which to argue the issues and seek resolution of the controversy. This analysis reveals that, when carried to its logical conclusion, the Maag and Howell perspective is oversimplistic and naive about organizational structures and processes and the problem of change in school organization, an exercise in “macrofu tility.”
Families with Chronically Ill Young Children
Authors: Martin Sylvia S. , Brady Michael P. , Kotarba Joseph A.
Published: December 2008

Improvements in newborn care and technology have markedly increased the prevalence of children with chronic medical, neurologic, and/or developmental problems. As yet, however, there is little descriptive information available on the everyday life of a family with a chronically ill child. This study examined how a chronic illness in a young child affects the daily lives of family members. Data were collected via qualitative methods and included interviews and home observations of family members and their chronically ill child(ren). For this study the family itself was the unit of observation and analysis. The families reported frequent low vitality, selective interest in available support groups, restricted social life, and preoccupation with decisions related to their child's illness. The demands of their daily lives and the effects of the child's condition on their decisions are discussed in the context of general strategies for dealing with day-to-day problems. These general strategies are delineated as active or passive approaches to decision making. This study identifies portraits of the daily lives and concerns of families with a chronically ill child.
Social Skills Training
Authors: Pray Bruce S. , Hall Cathy W. , Markley Robert P.
Published: December 2008

Research has indicated that many exceptional children have social skills deficits related to academic performance and peer interaction skills. Investigators have called for the utilization of special education teachers as trainers of their students' social behavior. Survey research of teachers' attitudes has suggested that they value academically related over peer-to-peer skills. In the present study we investigated the type and frequency of social skills listed in 469 students' Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) in a rural special education cooperative. Results indicated that the majority of IEPs that contained social skills objectives listed academically related social skills. There appeared to be a lack of emphasis on interpersonal skills as indicated through the IEP analysis. Recommendations for expanding this research to include more direct measures of social skills training practices in schools were made.
Parent Participation in Special Education
Authors: Katsiyannis Antonis , Ward Thomas J.
Published: December 2008

Public Law 94-142 has been one of the most extensive legislations ever enacted to benefit children. Central in this legislation has been the emphasis on the role of the parent in the decision-making process, especially in the area of Individualized Education Program development. The purpose of this study was to examine school division compliance with the state of Virginia and federal regulations as reported through parent surveys and state department of education compliance reports. Areas of difficulty indicated by the parent surveys were related to transmitting and explaining to parents their rights. Parent surveys also revealed a high incidence of non-participation by parents in Individualized Education Program development. Compliance reports indicated that divisions were having difficulties in developing Individualized Education Programs within the 30-day limit and placing children with disabilities with age-appropriate peers. Recommendations for better practice are provided.
Current Approaches to Science Education
Authors: Scruggs Thomas E. , Mastropieri Margo A.
Published: December 2008

In this article, different curriculum approaches to science education are discussed with respect to characteristics of students with disabilities. Science education is an area of increasing national interest as well as one that a recent survey of teachers identified as a highly suitable subject area for mainstreaming. A cross-categorical perspective is presented on the characteristics that serve to limit mainstream success for students with disabilities. Four major domains of functioning are identified, including language and literacy, cognitive-conceptual development, psychosocial functioning, and sensory-physical abilities. Although functioning in each of these areas can be improved through special education methods, it can also be argued that mainstream curriculum approaches themselves, representing textbook-content approaches as well as activity-inquiry approaches, interact with these disability areas. A case is made that different curriculum approaches to science education can differentially facilitate or inhibit mainstreaming success of students with disabilities.
Improving the Narrative Writing of Students with Learning Disabilities
Authors: Montague Marjorie , Leavell Alexandra G.
Published: December 2008

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of procedural and substantive facilitation—specifically, instruction in character development—on the quality and length of narratives written by 9 Junior High School students with learning disabilities. A multiple baseline design across triads was used to determine the effects of treatment. Results indicated that over a period of 2 months, students generally made substantial increases in the amount they wrote and mild to moderate increases in the quality of the stories produced. Recommendations are given for individualizing instruction considering student differences in writing ability, background, motivation, interest, and attention.