bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Teaching Regular Class Material to Special Education Students
Authors: Breuning Stephen E. , Regan John T.
Published: July 2017

Instructional academic material was used with 125 students, randomly selected from the first level regular class course offerings of a suburban Chicago high school. There were four phases and a retention test. The results suggest that with the proper teaching procedure and proper incentive motivation, many special education students are capable of acceptable performance on regular class academic material. The procedure used in the incentive conditions did not greatly increase the amount of teacher preparation time; did not require the specialists and aides to become skilled in the principles of behavior analysis; allowed for a substantial amount of individualized and small group instruction; helped to promote the development of social skills; and was inexpensive.
Some Further Thoughts and Clarifications on the Education of Severely and Profoundly Retarded Children
Authors: Burton Thomas A. , Hirshoren Alfred
Published: July 2017

The authors rejoin Sontag, Certo, and Button's response to their original position on educational programing for the severely and profoundly retarded. Issue is taken with Sontag and his colleagues' alternatives for each of the three areas discussed, and questions are raised relative to their interpretation of the literature and Public Law 94-142.
Minimum Competency Testing and Handicapped Students
Authors: Smith J. David , Jenkins Diane S.
Published: July 2017

Minimum competency testing has become both a political and an educational issue in many states. However, its impact on handicapped students for high school graduation has not been adequately examined. This article reports on a survey conducted of states involved in minimum competency testing activities. Data concerning the policies of these states regarding testing requirements, techniques of testing handicapped students, and provisions for remediation of handicapped students who fail competency tests are reported and discussed and particular areas of concern are delineated.
Is Special Education Certification a Guarantee of Teaching Excellence?
Authors: Maple Cathe Cross
Published: July 2017

Based on experiences in Kansas, the problems discussed include: discrepancies between competency-based teacher education and current certification practices; categorical approaches to training and certification; reciprocal agreements for coursework and certification requirements; and the supply/demand of teachers. One strategy proposed for dealing with the situation is development of a code of professional ethics through the involvement of The Council for Exceptional Children and State Comprehensive Personnel Planning for the Handicapped Committees. Specific responses that could be implemented by the field include identifying competencies emphasized by teacher preparation programs, the use of professional growth plans, and a practical approach for recruiting potential teachers.
Cascade of Services Model and Emotionally Disabled Students
Authors: Peterson Reece L. , Zabel Robert H. , Smith Carl R. , White Maureen A.
Published: July 2017

The Cascade of Services Model has become an essential component of modern special education, but questions remain about how the Cascade actually operates and whether progams at different levels actually differ as presumed. The present study provides data relating to three areas of presumed differences between resource, self-contained, and residential programs serving emotionally disabled students: type or severity of students, amount of student integration, and allocation of teacher time. While the trends of the data indicate some validity for the assumptions implicit in the Cascade, differences between the levels of the Cascade may be overstated, and levels may overlap to the point where differences are inconsequential.
Parents Coping with Genetically Handicapped Children: Use of Early Recollections
Authors: Fairfield Barbara
Published: July 2017

When faced with the reality of having a handicapped child, parents initially experience a variety of feelings: shock, disbelief, fear, anger, sadness, guilt, etc. Intervention with families to facilitate their adjustment in the early crisis period when they first learn about their child's handicapping condition relies on an understanding of how the parents view their own situation. Parents' early memories, thought to be a key to understanding the unique perception and feelings of the parents of a handicapped child, were investigated with 58 parents of genetically disordered children who were diagnosed and evaluated at a genetics clinic. Results suggest the usefulness of this technique in uncovering the true feelings of parents, identifying critical concerns, and predicting future difficulties for families.
Research in Reading and Learning Style: Implications for Exceptional Children
Authors: Carbo Marie
Published: July 2017

Research with the Dunn and Dunn model of learning style strongly supports the hypotheses that (a) reading achievement improves significantly when reading programs match individual learning styles; (b) poor readers tend to be tactile-kinesthetic learners with a biased arousal of the right hemisphere of the brain; and (c) the learning styles of many poor readers are not accommodated. The author enumerates the methodological errors in past research investigating the merit of teaching students through their strongest modality and recommends procedures for teaching poor readers through their learning style preferences and strengths.
Goal Attainment Scaling: A Method for Evaluating Special Education Services
Authors: Maher Charles A.
Published: July 2017

Goal attainment scaling (GAS) is presented in this paper as a useful approach for evaluating special education services at the local education agency (LEA) level. Utilization of the approach by school practitioners allows for individualization of program goals for a range of special education service programs. In the paper, the nature and scope of the GAS method are described, its applications to evaluating special education services at the LEA level are reported, and considerations in the implementation of the approach are discussed.
A Response to the GAO Report, “Disparities Still Exist in Who Gets Special Education”
Authors: Lakin K. Charlie , Hill Bradley K. , Hauber Florence A. , Bruininks Robert H.
Published: July 2017

A September, 1981, General Accounting Office (GAO) report concluded that among the central objectives of Public Law 94–142, the priorities of serving the previously unserved and the most severely handicapped “may have been realized.” However, data gathered on 401 school-age children who were part of a nationally representative sample of 2,271 individuals living in residential facilities for mentally retarded persons found that at the same time the GAO study was conducted, substantial numbers of sample members were not in school programs and 8% were in no day programs whatsoever.
Assessment and Intervention Strategies for the Bilingual Language-Disordered Student
Authors: Langdon Henriette W.
Published: July 2017

Since the mid-1970's, increasing attention has been given to the non-native English-speaking student who has had difficulty keeping up with students of similar social and linguistic backgrounds. This article covers the following areas: overview of language acquisition, development, and disorders in bilingual individuals; discussion of informal and formal instruments available to assess first and second language skills of bilingual students; determination of a language disorder in a bilingual population—description of a study; and discussion of intervention techniques that include this author's experience working with Puerto Rican students in the Boston area and Mexican-American students in southern Santa Clara County, California.
Competencies Necessary for Instructing Migrant Handicapped Students
Authors: Salend Spencer J. , Michael Robert J. , Taylor Margaret
Published: July 2017

This study identified the competencies teachers of migrant handicapped students perceived as important in providing educational services to migrant handicapped students and their families. A 45-item questionnaire rating the importance of specific competencies reported necessary for success in teaching migrant handicapped students was completed by 163 educators who were providing services to migrant handicapped students. Implications for special education personnel preparation programs are discussed.
Handicapped Adolescents as Cross-Age Tutors: Program Description and Evaluation
Authors: Maher Charles A.
Published: July 2017

A multi-element cross-age tutoring program is described and program evaluation results are reported. The program was designed by the author and implemented in numerous public school settings. It involved handicapped adolescents as tutors of elementary school handicapped children. Tutoring was provided twice a week, over a 10 week period, in areas of reading, language arts, and mathematics. Training, planning, and support were provided to the tutors by school specialists (e.g., counselor, psychologist) and special education teachers. Program evaluation results suggest that the various elements of the program can be readily implemented in public school districts, and that the program is effective in enhancing scholastic performance, both of tutors and tutees.
Using Curriculum-Based Assessment Data to Make Instructional Decisions
Authors: Blankenship Colleen S.
Published: July 2017

This article describes the essential features of curriculum-based assessment (CBA) and provides suggestions for developing them. Special emphasis is placed on describing how teachers can use CBA results to place students into curriculum materials, adjust instruction based on their performance, and evaluate and communicate pupil progress.
The Effects of Contact with Handicapped Persons on Young Children's Attitudes
Authors: Esposito Beverly G. , Reed Thomas M.
Published: July 2017

A survey designed to measure attitudes toward handicapped persons was administered to 92 young, nonhandicapped children. Nine of the subjects, who had previously reported more favorable attitudes as a result of participation in a structured integration program, continued to demonstrate these gains 2 years later. The remaining 83 subjects had never participated in a structured integration program. Analysis of the responses of the 92 children according to type of contact and the time at which contact occurred suggested that contact per se, regardless of type or timing, can produce more favorable attitudes among young children than an absence of contact.
Competencies for Effective Teaching of Hearing Impaired Students
Authors: Sass-Lehrer Marilyn
Published: July 2017

Instructional supervisors' ratings of competencies critical to teaching effectiveness for hearing impaired students were collected and analyzed. Supervisors from special schools and public school programs for hearing impaired students (N = 150) rated 40 competency statements using a modified forced choice Q-sort procedure. Confidence interval testing was used to determine which competencies were rated as most critical to teaching effectiveness, and 11 competencies were identified. Supervisors in special schools and public school classes agreed on 10 of the 11 competencies as those most critical to effective teaching. The results indicate that while supervisors in different educational settings may disagree about the relative importance of some competencies, they agree on 10 competencies which are the most critical to the effective teaching of hearing impaired students.
Expert Systems and Special Education
Authors: Hofmeister Alan M. , Ferrara Joseph M.
Published: July 2017

Expert systems are computer programs designed to replicate human expertise in a variety of areas. This article discusses the characteristics of these programs as well as recently available expert system development tools. The article also suggests potential applications for expert systems within the field of special education. Finally, the article reviews recent efforts to apply expert systems technology to special education problems.
New Agendas for Special Education Policy: What the National Reports Haven't Said
Authors: Pugach Marleen , Sapon-Shevin Mara
Published: July 2017

The calls for educational reform that have dominated the professional and lay literature for the past few years have been decidedly silent in discussing the role of special education either as a contributor or a solution to the problems being raised. As an introduction to this “Special Focus” on the relationship between general educational reform and special education, this article summarizes some of the more prominent reports with regard to their treatment (and nontreatment) of special education. The impact of proposed reforms for the conceptualization and operation of special education is the subject of the five articles that follow.
Secondary Special Education and Transition from School to Work: A National Priority
Authors: Rusch Frank R. , Phelps L. Allen
Published: July 2017

The economic, educational, and community adjustment difficulties of youth with handicaps are reviewed in the context of historical antecedents and of the U.S. Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services' transition initiative. The conceptual and organizational frameworks for the University of Illinois' federally sponsored Transition Institute are presented.
Transition Services for Secondary Students with Mild Disabilities: A Statewide Perspective
Authors: Benz Michael R. , Halpern Andrew S.
Published: July 2017

This article reports the partial findings from a statewide study of Oregon's secondary special education programs for students with mild disabilities. The focus of this article is on the current status and satisfactoriness of districts' transition services. Subjects included the population of LEA administrators and teachers, and a stratified random sample of parents of students with mild disabilities. Results indicated that (a) very few districts were using written interagency agreements or providing other incentives to secure the involvement of community agencies; (b) there were considerable discrepancies between administrators and teachers over who was responsible for transition planning; (c) teachers wanted more and better parent involvement in all levels of the school program; and (d) follow-up of previous students was rare. Findings were compared with those of other recent research and several key elements that should be targeted for improvement are discussed.
Meeting the Challenge of Transition Service Planning through Improved Interagency Cooperation
Authors: Johnson David R. , Bruininks Robert H. , Thurlow Martha L.
Published: July 2017

The improvement of transition services through effective management strategies in service planning and coordination is proposed. Current barriers to effective service planning and coordination are discussed. Included among these are conflicting policy goals, eligibility criteria, funding patterns across agencies, and an inconsistent national policy. Three major approaches to overcoming barriers to effective service planning are proposed. All require that present approaches to interagency service planning and coordination of services be changed.
Preschool Programming: Legal and Educational Issues
Authors: Edmister Patricia , Ekstrand Richard E.
Published: July 2017

This article examines two legal issues regarding service provision for preschool-aged handicapped students. Those issues are what constitutes an appropriate program in terms of the intensity (frequency) of program and the length of day (full vs. half), and how should the least restrictive environment provision of mainstreaming of handicapped and nonhandicapped children be applied to this population. Applicable laws and hearing results are presented, as is information from research studies examining effects of differing levels of program intensity and mainstreaming situations.
Word Processor versus Handwriting: A Comparative Study of Writing Samples Produced by Mildly Mentally Handicapped Students
Authors: Vacc Nancy N.
Published: July 2017

Differences between letters of adolescent mildly mentally handicapped (MMH) students written by hand and those composed on a microcomputer using a word processor were examined. The subjects spent significantly more time, produced noticeably longer letters, and made substantially more revisions when writing letters on a microcomputer. However, the mean number of words written per unit of time spent completing a letter was substantially higher for subjects' handwritten letters, while judges' holistic evaluations of letter quality did not differ significantly between the two production modes.
An Empirical Comparison of Formulas Evaluating Early Intervention Program Impact on Development
Authors: Rosenberg Steven A. , Robinson Cordelia C. , Finkler Deana , Rose Janet S.
Published: July 2017

Early childhood special educators are increasingly challenged to demonstrate program impact. When appropriate control groups are not available, several investigators have proposed evaluating child developmental progress with various formulas which attempt to compensate for differential preintervention rates of development. This study applied a set of these formulas to Bayley data for three groups of handicapped infants. The results of the analyses indicate that these formulas fall into two classifications—those that measure rate of development and those that measure change in rate of development. Finally, issues and cautions in the use and interpretation of these formulas for evaluating program impact are discussed.
Status of Educational Services to Handicapped Students with Limited English Proficiency: Report of a Statewide Study in California
Authors: Cegelka Patricia Thomas , Lewis Rena , Rodriguez Ana Maria
Published: July 2017

The purpose of this study was to develop an information base on educational service delivery for limited English proficient (LEP), handicapped students in 145 randomly selected school districts in California. Information on the districts was gathered both from existing data banks and a survey questionnaire. The survey instrument was returned by 104 districts for a response rate of 71%. Information was gathered on the following: proportion of LEP students in special education programs; the procedures commonly used in the screening, identification, evaluation, and reevaluation of LEP, handicapped students; educational placement options; and the curricula and instructional practices employed. The study concluded that quantitatively the state was doing well relative to identification and placement into special education of LEP students but that qualitative aspects of service delivery are frequently contrary to those recommended by both theory and research.
Teachers' Judgments of Problem Behaviors
Authors: Safran Joan S. , Safran Stephen P.
Published: July 2017

This study analyzes whether educators' perceptions of problem behaviors are influenced by differences in teacher group (regular v. special) and classroom context (disruptive v. nondisruptive). After viewing a series of short videotaped vignettes within disruptive or nondisruptive contexts, teachers rated severity, tolerance, manageability, and contagion factors related to a target child. Results indicated significant multivariate differences for both main effects, with univariate follow-ups showing regular educators to be less tolerant and more severe judges of behaviors. Differences in context suggest that both groups generally identified the target as causal in the disruptive context, verifying fears of behavioral contagion.
Childhood Predictive Characteristics of Aggressive Adolescents
Authors: Griffin George W.
Published: July 2017

A study was conducted to delineate and describe a number of childhood (occurring prior to age nine) variables that could be used to predict the occurrence of maladaptive aggressive behavior in adolescence. The subjects were three groups of adolescents, all of whom participated in a residential treatment program for emotionally disturbed children. One group was characterized as aggressive and violent, and was compared with two other groups with regard to four predictive indicators: organic problems, family problems, conduct disordered behaviors, and academic achievement problems. Data were gathered from childhood treatment records. Significant differences were found between the aggressive group and the comparison groups for all four predictors. Implications for early identification and treatment are discussed.
Perspectives on Eligibility for and Placement in Special Education Programs
Authors: Lambert Nadine M.
Published: July 2017

This article summarizes the contemporary major authoritative sources relevant to decisions about eligibility for an appropriate placement of children in special education programs. These sources reflect the work of three major panels commissioned by the National Academy of Science to undertake an analysis of the issues and research evidence regarding ability testing and the testing of handicapped people.
Tolerance and Technology of Instruction: Implications for Special Education Reform
Authors: Gerber Michael M.
Published: July 2017

Mounting criticism of special education policy and practices has resulted in controversial recommendations for reform that often appeal to the questionable authority of the National Academy of Sciences' report (Heller at al., 1982). Until now, there has been little response to this frequently cited report from a special education perspective. The present article discusses a theory of tolerance and seeks to identify the critical problems associated with the position taken in the NAS report and subsequent reform initiatives. Specifically, it is argued that brute force attempts to absorb, current special education functions into regular classrooms will necessarily fail. Regular classroom teachers, confronting often extreme variability in students' learning characteristics, cannot be equally effective with difficult-to-teach students without either substantial increases in usable instructional resources or adoption of powerful instructional technologies.
Effects of Strategy Training on Metamemory among Learning Disabled Students
Authors: Harris Karen R. , Graham Steve , Freeman Sally
Published: July 2017

Analyses were conducted to determine the effects of spelling strategy training and variations in study conditions on learning disabled children's metamemory performance. Subjects were trained in the use of a five-step spelling study strategy and then studied words in one of three conditions: (a) directed-study, (b) teacher-monitored, and (c) student-controlled. Subjects in a free study group studied words in any manner they chose. Results indicated that even without inclusion of specific metacognitive training components, strategy training can produce important metacognitive improvement and that metacognitive skills are an important component of performance.
Relationship between Teachers' Effectiveness and Their Tolerance for Handicapped Students
Authors: Gersten Russell , Walker Hill , Darch Craig
Published: July 2017

This study explored the relationship between classroom teachers' self-reported tolerance levels for maladaptive behavior in their classrooms and experienced supervisors' evaluations of the teachers' effectiveness. Teachers were assessed on the Teacher Effectiveness Evaluation Form (TEEF), covering research-based practices for effective instruction for low-achieving students. Self-report instruments measured teachers' tolerance for maladaptive behavior and their propensity to resist placement of handicapped students in their classes. Those teachers with the most effective teaching strategies for low-achieving students tended to report (a) that they tolerate less maladaptive behavior in their classrooms and (b) that they may actively resist placement of handicapped students in their rooms.
Three Approaches to Progress: Understanding the Writing of Exceptional Children
Authors: Mosenthal Peter B.
Published: July 2017

A proliferation of definitions of writing make competing claims about the objective nature and social value of writing. This article identifies three approaches to progress that characterize educational research: literal, interpretive, and evaluative. How writing researchers have implicitly subscribed to one of these approaches is considered, as well as the scientific and social implications as they relate to the writing of exceptional children. The article concludes by arguing the need for a dialectic among educators and writing researchers.
Constructing Well-Formed Prose: Process, Structure, and Metacognitive Knowledge
Authors: Englert Carol Sue , Raphael Taffy E.
Published: July 2017

This article addresses instructional issues related to the teaching of expository writing. Exceptional students' writing difficulties are examined in relationship to the writing process, expository text structures, and students' metacognitive knowledge. Approaches to the teaching of expository writing are discussed, and a dialogic approach, involving teacher modeling and a series of think sheets, is described.
Transition and other Services for Handicapped Students in Local Education Agencies
Authors: Fairweather James S.
Published: July 2017

A survey was conducted among special education administrators in 1,450 local education agencies (LEAs) nationwide, to determine the availability of vocational programs and transition-oriented services for handicapped youth. Results showed that most LEAs offer at least some vocational programs; transition-oriented services are not as frequently available, particularly in smaller LEAs. In addition to size of LEA, community employment opportunities and the availability of adult services were related to whether an LEA offered any transition-related services.
Effects of a Taped-Words Treatment on Reading Proficiency
Authors: Shapiro Edward S. , McCurdy Barry L.
Published: July 2017

In an effort to increase reading proficiency, five 9th- and 10th-grade students with behavior disorders were instructed to read along with an audio tape of vocabulary words recorded at 80 words per minute. Effects of the taped-words intervention on rate of reading vocabulary words as well as generalization effects of reading passages containing some of the same vocabulary words were assessed within a multiple baseline design. Results suggested significant effects due to practice. Minimal generalization from reading word lists to reading passages was demonstrated. The results of the present study are compared with similar investigations.
Disciplining Handicapped Students: Legal Issues in Light of Honig v. Doe
Authors: Bartlett Larry
Published: July 2017

Court decisions interpreting the effect of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act on traditional forms of public school discipline have raised many questions. This article reviews these decisions and confirms that most forms of minor disciplinary remedies remain available to educators so long as they are also used with nonhandicapped students. However, many legal problems arise with expulsion and long-term, or indefinite, suspensions of handicapped students, especially in light of the recent Supreme Court ruling regarding the expulsion of handicapped students.
Postsecondary Transition Needs and Employment Patterns of Individuals with Mild Disabilities
Authors: Neubert Debra A. , Tilson George P. , Ianacone Robert N.
Published: July 2017

Descriptive data on the initial employment patterns of mildly disabled individuals who participated in a postsecondary, time-limited transition program are presented. Results were interpreted to indicate that the participants (a) obtained entry-level positions with varying employee benefits; (b) benefited from periodic yet ongoing support to maintain employment; and (c) requested continued but minimal support to negotiate job changes in the work world. Further research is indicated concerning longitudinal employment needs of individuals with disabilities.
Collaborative Skill Instruction for Promoting Positive Interactions between Mentally Handicapped and Nonhandicapped Children
Authors: Putnam Joanne W. , Rynders John E. , Johnson Roger T. , Johnson David W.
Published: July 2017

Structuring cooperative learning activities has been shown to be an effective technique for integrating handicapped and nonhandicapped students. Previous research in this area has focused on the relative effects of cooperative versus competitive and individualistic learning situations upon peer relations and academic achievement. Few investigations have examined the various elements within the cooperative learning model that appear to promote positive peer interactions among handicapped and nonhandicapped students. The present study evaluated the influence of collaborative skill instruction versus no collaborative skill instruction on the social interaction behaviors of moderately/severely handicapped and nonhandicapped students participating in group science activities. These data reveal that students receiving collaborative skill instruction interacted more positively with one another than those who did not receive, the instruction.
Are Regular Education Classes Equipped to Accommodate Students with Learning Disabilities?
Authors: Baker Janice M. , Zigmond Naomi
Published: July 2017

This study examined educational practices in regular education classes in grades K-5 to determine changes required to facilitate a full-time mainstreaming program for students with learning disabilities. Data collected during the planning year of a mainstreaming project permitted a detailed analysis of the elementary school and the extent to which it accommodated individual differences. Data from informal and structured observations, interviews, and surveys of students, parents, and teachers suggested that fundamental changes in instruction are necessary for the regular education initiative to work in this school.
Effects of Self-Evaluation on the Independent Work Skills of Preschool Children with Disabilities
Authors: Sainato Diane M. , Strain Phillip S. , Lefebvre Daniel , Rapp Nancy
Published: July 2017

This study examined the effects of a self-evaluation treatment package on the independent work skills of preschool children with disabilities. Children learned to conduct self-assessments and to compare their ratings with those of the teacher. Data were collected on children's percentages of appropriate behavior, the level of teacher prompting, and the match between child and teacher ratings. Results indicated that the treatment produced immediate and substantial improvements in child behavior and that it was possible to systematically withdraw each component while maintaining a high level of appropriate child behavior.
Story Composition Skills of Middle-Grade Students with Learning Disabilities
Authors: Vallecorsa Ada L. , Garriss Elizabeth
Published: July 2017

This study examined the story composition abilities of learning disabled (LD) and normally achieving young adolescents as indicated by measures of writing category, cohesion, and fluency. Findings suggest that although adolescents with learning disabilities have a rudimentary knowledge of story form, this knowledge is less well developed than that of their nondisabled peers. Students with learning disabilities also had greater coherence problems in their writing and were less fluent writers. Several important age trends were noted when results of this investigation were compared with outcomes from a similar investigation involving younger students.
Postsecondary Experiences of Young Adults with Severe Physical Disabilities
Authors: Liebert Diane , Lutsky Larry , Gottlieb Amy
Published: July 2017

A need exists for follow-up information to determine how well the educational system is meeting the needs of young adults with severe physical disabilities. This study of the postsecondary experiences of 106 graduates of a special school for youth with severe physical disabilities examined the educational, employment, and community adjustment outcomes of these students. Findings suggest that young adults with physical disabilities should cultivate personal and family networks, continue their education, and use vocational rehabilitation agencies. Access to transportation was also found to be a key element in achieving employment and independence.
A Follow-along Study of Participants in a Longitudinal Transition Program for Youths with Mild Disabilities
Authors: Siegel Shepherd , Robert Matt , Waxman Michele , Gaylord-Ross Robert
Published: July 2017

Descriptive data are presented on the employment patterns of youths with mild disabilities who participated in a transition program with an intensive postsecondary component. Data on employment rates, positive and negative job changes, participation in continuing education, and access to benefit packages are reported for 94 youths who participated in the program over a 4-year period. Program participants had favorable outcomes when compared with a national sample, but they stabilized at an entry level of work participation. Their rates of entry into postsecondary education were also greater than the national sample, but advances were nominal.
Innovative Technology for Secondary Students with Learning Disabilities
Authors: Woodward John , Gersten Russell
Published: July 2017

During the 1980s, innovative use of technology was equated with microcomputer instruction. In the 1990s, a different kind of technology—videodisc instruction—has great potential for application in secondary special education. By examining its day-to-day use in naturalistic settings, this study builds on previous research with a specific videodisc program in fractions. Participants were seven secondary teachers of students with learning disabilities. Researchers measured the program's level of implementation, teacher reactions, and student achievement. Results were generally positive in all areas, with a surprisingly high acceptance of the program by the seven teachers.
Effects of Expert System Consultation within Curriculum-Based Measurement, Using a Reading Maze Task
Authors: Fuchs Lynn S. , Fuchs Douglas , Hamlett Carol L. , Ferguson Carl
Published: July 2017

This study assessed the effects of expert system instructional consultation within curriculum-based measurement (CBM). Thirty-three special educators and 63 students with mild to moderate disabilities were assigned randomly to three groups: CBM with expert system instructional consultation (CBM-ES). CBM with no consultation (CBM-NES), and control (i.e., no CBM). CBM teachers implemented a CBM system for 17 weeks. Analyses indicated that students in both CBM groups achieved better than the control group on several key reading outcome measures, assessing fluency and comprehension. However, the CBM-ES teachers planned more diverse instructional programs than did the CBM-NES teachers, and their students achieved better than the CBM-NES and control students on an outcome measure requiring written recalls.
Development and Preliminary Psychometric Properties of the Transition Competence Battery for Deaf Adolescents and Young Adults
Authors: Bullis Michael , Reiman John
Published: July 2017

This article describes the development and preliminary psychometric properties of the Transition Competence Battery for Deaf Adolescents and Young Adults (TCB). The TCB includes three subtests on employment and three subtests on independent living, in a 3-option multiple-choice format and with both written and videotaped instructions. The TCB was standardized on students from both mainstreamed and residential settings ( n ranged from 180 to 230 for the different subtests). Overall, the item statistics and subtest reliabilities were adequate. An initial study of the battery's construct validity was conducted. Results demonstrated the power of all of the TCB subtests to differentiate among various groups.
“Flat” versus “Weighted” Reimbursement Formulas: A Longitudinal Analysis of Statewide Special Education Funding Practices
Authors: Dempsey Samuel , Fuchs Douglas
Published: July 2017

Tennessee data were analyzed longitudinally from 1979–80 to 1987–88 in terms of numbers of children placed in a variety of service options. In 1983–84, the Tennessee funding formula was changed from a “flat” rate to a “weighted” formula. The weighted formula was associated with a statistically significant decrease in less restrictive placements and a reliable increase in more restrictive placements. A statewide survey of district special education directors suggested that service needs may have been more likely than monetary incentives to explain the observed changes.
Beyond Section 504: Satisfaction and Empowerment of Students with Disabilities in Higher Education
Authors: West Michael , Kregel John , Getzel Elizabeth E. , Zhu Ming , Ipsen Shyla M. , Martin E. Davis
Published: July 2017

College and university students with disabilities were surveyed to determine their levels of satisfaction with accessibility, special services, and accommodations at their schools. In addition, students were requested to identify barriers to postsecondary education, improvements in services, and other concerns. Respondents generally expressed satisfaction with the services that they had received. However, the majority indicated that they had encountered barriers to their education, including a lack of understanding and cooperation from administrators, faculty, staff, and other students; lack of adaptive aids and other resources; and inaccessibility of buildings and grounds. Recommendations were made for improving the delivery of services and self-advocacy of students with disabilities.
Must Instructionally Useful Performance Assessment Be Based in the Curriculum?
Authors: Fuchs Lynn S. , Deno Stanley L.
Published: July 2017

The purpose of this article is to examine the importance of the most salient feature of a performance-assessment approach known as curriculum-based assessment: that testing material be drawn from the students' instructional curricula. First, we review the literature on (a) the match between tests and curricula and (b) comparisons of measurement validity and instructional utility when sampling student performance in and out of the instructional curriculum. Second, we discuss the potential advantages and disadvantages of sampling performance in the curriculum. After concluding that sampling from the curriculum is not essential, we discuss three critical features to ensure the instructional utility of measurement.
Effects of Videotape Instructional Package on Purchasing Skills of Children with Autism
Authors: Alcantara Paulo R.
Published: July 2017

This study evaluated the effects of a videotape instructional package (i.e., viewing videotapes, on-site prompting, and reinforcement) on the acquisition and generalization of children's grocery-purchasing skills in community settings. A multiple-baseline design across settings and within three children with autism was implemented to evaluate the training program. Acquisition of the skills taught was rapid and transferred to other settings. After training in two stores, all students increased their level of performance in the third store. Results show that the use of a videotape instructional package is an effective training tool to teach community survival skills.
Isolation Timeout Used with Students with Emotional Disturbance
Authors: Costenbader Virginia , Reading-Brown Margery
Published: July 2017

This 1-year-long study investigated the use of isolation timeout as a behavioral control intervention in a special educational facility. Subjects were 156 students with emotional disturbance. The relationship of timeout to demographic variables was examined for a subsample of 73 students. Results indicate that 13,000 separate timeouts occurred over the academic year. Average time in isolation was 23 hr per student. Older students in more restrictive placements were found to spend significantly more time in isolation than were other groups, though much of this difference was due to voluntary timeouts. Alternatives to timeout as a behavior control measure are discussed.
Integrating Students with Moderate and Severe Disabilities into General Education Classes
Authors: Janney Rachel E. , Snell Martha E. , Beers Mary K. , Raynes Maria
Published: July 2017

Interviews were conducted to gather advice about integration from general and special education teachers and administrators from 10 schools in five school districts where students with moderate and severe disabilities had recently been integrated into general education schools and classrooms. The study explored not only the educational change process, but general educators' perceptions of factors that had initially created and later reduced their resistance to integration. Qualitative analysis of interview data revealed teachers' perceptions of the success of integration, as well as their advice to others contemplating integration: district administrators, building administrators, special education teachers, and general education teachers.
General Educators' Specialized Adaptation for Students with Learning Disabilities
Authors: Fuchs Lynn S. , Fuchs Douglas , Hamlett Carol L. , Phillips Norris B. , Karns Kathy
Published: July 2017

We examined general educators' specialized adaptation for students with learning disabilities (LD). Participants were 40 general educators whose classrooms included at least one student with LD for mathematics instruction. Teachers were assigned randomly to two treatments: routine adaptation (use of curriculum-based measurement and peer-mediated instruction) and routine plus specialized adaptation (prompting and special support to implement adjustments in response to individual student difficulty). Results indicated that teachers in the latter group engaged differentially in specialized adaptation and that their thinking about how they planned for their students with LD changed. Although some teachers implemented substantively important, individually tailored adjustments, others relied on adaptations that were uninventive and limited. Specialized adaptation was not associated with enhanced student learning.
Competencies Needed for Transition Specialists in Vocational Rehabilitation Vocational Education, and Special Education
Authors: Defur Sharon Hall , Taymans Juliana M.
Published: July 2017

Transition services and interagency service coordination for youth with disabilities have increased significantly during the past 10 years. The development of these services has necessitated the creation of new human services professional roles. One emerging role is that of transition specialist. Competencies for this new role of transition specialist have not been validated. This study was conducted to identify and validate competencies for transition specialist practitioners. Practitioners across the United States from the fields of vocational special education, special education, and vocational rehabilitation identified competencies believed essential to providing effective transition services. “Knowledge of agencies and systems change” was the highest-rated competency.
A Statewide Exploration of the Nature and Use of Curriculum in Special Education
Authors: Sands Deanna J. , Adams Lois , Stout Donna M.
Published: July 2017

This study reports the results of a statewide survey of the beliefs and practices, regarding curriculum, of 341 elementary and secondary special education teachers serving students with a variety of disabilities. Findings indicate that (a) teacher training in curriculum development occurs mostly on the job; (b) teachers want training in teaching compensatory skills and life skills; (c) teachers believe that the IEP constitutes the curriculum for students with disabilities; (d) teacher judgment primarily guides the content of classroom instruction; (e) teachers focus principally on academic remediation versus life-skill or other instruction; (f) curriculum focus varies little across service-delivery models, but does vary by grade level; and (g) minimal articulation of curriculum exists across grade levels.
Test Anxiety in Adolescents with Learning Disabilities and Behavior Disorders
Authors: Swanson Sue , Howell Carol
Published: July 2017

This study investigated the relative influence on test anxiety of academic self-concept, cognitive interference, academic achievement, and study skills, with 82 adolescents with learning disabilities and behavior disorders who were enrolled in a small, private, special education day school. Subjects completed various measures of anxiety, academic performance, and other assessments; and correlation and stepwise multiple-regression procedures were used to analyze the data. Results showed a significant positive relationship between test anxiety and cognitive interference and a significant negative relationship between test anxiety and study habits. Cognitive interference was the most powerful predictor of test anxiety.
Educational and Occupational Aspirations of High School Seniors with Learning Disabilities
Authors: Rojewski Jay W.
Published: July 2017

Using the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988, this study investigated the educational and occupational aspirations of high school seniors with and without learning disabilities. Effect sizes showed practical differences between the aspirations of young people with learning disabilities and their peers without disabilities, with the latter holding higher aspirations—-for both educational and occupational outcomes. No practical differences were found for female versus male adolescents with learning disabilities. Adolescents with learning disabilities who aspired to a high school diploma or less, and those who aspired to an advanced college degree, espoused lower occupational aspirations than did their peers without disabilities.
Validity of General Outcome Measures for Predicting Secondary Students' Performance on Content-Area Tasks
Authors: Espin Christine A. , Foegen Anne
Published: July 2017

This study investigated the validity of three curriculum-based measures for predicting the performance of secondary students on content-area tasks. It was hypothesized that oral reading, maze, and vocabulary measures would predict students' performance on comprehension, acquisition, and retention of content-area material. Participants were 184 urban middle school students, including 13 with mild disabilities. Reliable correlations were found between each of the three general outcome measures and performance on the content tasks. Results of regression analyses supported the vocabulary measure as the most efficient and effective measure for predicting student performance on the three content-area tasks.
Middle and High School Students' Perceptions on Being Friends with Peers with Severe Disabilities
Authors: Hendrickson Jo M. , Shokoohi-Yekta Mohsen , Hamre-Nietupski Susan , Gable Robert A.
Published: July 2017

A survey on friendships with peers with severe disabilities of 1,137 middle and high school students was conducted across three states. Students indicated that they should try to make friends with peers with severe disabilities and that friendships are most likely to develop when students with disabilities are educated in general education classes, for all or part of the school day. Students perceived themselves, special education teachers, and youth organizations as primarily responsible for facilitating these friendships, and that effective strategies involve learning situations in which students work together, teachers present information on disabilities, and teachers and parents arrange social events for all students.