bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Parametrizing Density Matrices for Composite Quantum Systems
Authors: Brüning Erwin , Chruściński Dariusz , Petruccione Francesco
Published: December 2008

A parametrization of density operators for bipartite quantum systems is proposed. It is based on the particular parametrization of the unitary group found recently by Jarlskog. It is expected that this parametrization will find interesting applications in the study of quantum properties of multipartite systems.
AN EXPLORATORY VIEW OF EMERGING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CORPORATE SOCIAL AND FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE IN CANADA
Authors: MAY PETER , KHARE ANSHUMAN
Published: December 2008

This study uses primary research methods to determine whether a corporate social performance (CSP)–corporate financial performance (CFP) relationship exists within the Canadian context through examination of publicly-traded Canadian-based companies.

The empirical findings demonstrate a positive CSR–CFP relationship, typically with CFP preceding CSP (although this does not preclude a relationship in the other direction) when using accounting-based measures of financial performance and as applied to the Top 1000 firms in Canada as ranked by profitability. This positive relationship was not confirmed when compared to the Top 500 companies ranked by profitability (i.e., with the "bottom 500" removed). In addition, the positive relationship did not occur with respect to market-based measures of financial performance (i.e., share performance).

In addition, the study noted two possible issues that may have influenced the findings although the extent of such influences (if they exist) is not known. The first of these relates to a predilection amongst the CSR-rankings towards firms with high profitability. Almost all of the top-ranked CSR leaders are from the Top 500 firms in Canada as ranked by profitability and nearly three-quarters are from the Top 100. The second issue is the potential bias of the CSR-ranking methods themselves. This may have resulted in the inclusion of some firms with more questionable reputations in the rankings as well as the lack of continuity from year to year of CSR-leaders amongst the three rankings examined.

This exploratory study sets the stage for more detailed analyses within a Canadian context in the future.
When Did Herod the Great Reign?
Authors: Steinmann Andrew
Published: December 2008

For about 100 years there has been a consensus among scholars that Herod the Great reigned from 37 to 4 BCE. However, there have been several challenges to this consensus over the past four decades, the most notable being the objection raised by W.E. Filmer. This paper argues that Herod most likely reigned from late 39 BCE to early 1 BCE, and that this reconstruction of his reign can account for all of the surviving historical references to the events of Herod's reign more logically than the current consensus can. Moreover, the reconstruction of Herod's reign proposed in this paper accounts for all of the datable evidence relating to Herod's reign, whereas the current consensus is unable to explain some of the evidence that it dismisses as ancient errors or that it simply ignores.
Test Review No.16
Authors: Proger Barton B.
Published: December 2008

Ages 12 and over; copyright 1970; TPO; 1 form (1971, 3 pages); manual (revised edition, 1970, 23 pages); specimen set, $3.75; packet of 25 tests, $6.50; scoring stencil, $0.50; manual, $3.00; 15 minutes; test author: William T. Martin; publisher: Psychologists and Educators Press, Suite 212, 211 West State Street, Jacksonville, III. 62650; test review and prices relate to specimen set received October 25, 1972.
Test Review No. 17: California Preschool Social Competency Scale
Authors: Proger Barton B.
Published: December 2008

Ages 2 years-6 months through 5 years-6 months; copyright 1969; CPSCS; 1 score: total, individual teacher observation based over time; hand-scored; 1 form (1969, 4 pages); manual (1969, 16 pages); specimen set (1 manual and 1 scale form), $1.50; manual, $1.25; package of 25 forms, $4.00; package of 100 forms, $14.00; package of 500 forms, $65.00; no time estimates given; test authors: Samuel Levine, Freeman F. Elzey, and Mary Lewis; publisher: Consulting Psychologists Press, Inc., 577 College Avenue, Palo Alto, Calif. 94306 (telephone 415-326-4448).2
Special Education Services for the "Mildly Handicapped": Beyond a Diagnostic and Remedial Model
Authors: Newcomer Phyllis L.
Published: December 2008

This paper takes the position that the use of a diagnostic-remedial model to provide special education services to the "mildly handicapped" is often inappropriate. The inadequacies inherent in the diagnostic-remedial approach are presented from both philosophical and operational perspectives. At a philosophical level, the fallacious assumptions associated with the model are presented. Operational ramifications of these assumptions (e.g., the techniques and functions of assessment) are critiqued. The thrust of the argument is that special education must expand its role along the lines of an interactive model. In this vein, the teacher consultant role is suggested as a viable alternative to diagnostic-remedial services.
Documenting Change in Young Multiply Handicapped Children in a Rehabilitation Center 1
Authors: Shapiro Lillian P. , Gordon Ronnie , Neiditch Carol
Published: December 2008

A system was developed to document changes in young multiply handicapped children attending an inpatient, intensive educational program in a rehabilitation center. Twenty children ranging in age from 18 to 36 months (on admission) served as subjects for this study. The primary source of data was anecdotal records written by the children's teachers. Logs were coded and analyzed for behaviors in eight dimensions (interaction with materials, social interaction, awareness of environment, expressive language, affect, gross motor skills, fine motor skills, and sensory responsiveness). Pre- and postscores were examined. Group data showed that children were generally more responsive and higher functioning at discharge. Relative position within the group generally did not change from pre to post periods. Findings based on the coding and analysis were generally congruent with clinical judgments. Some refinements in the system were suggested and made for further study.
Institutions for the Mentally Retarded: a War Disguised as Debate
Authors: Blatt Burton , Winschel James F. , Ensher Gail L.
Published: December 2008

Current controversies over the welfare of the mentally retarded are evident in bold relief in three discussions of the plight and future of institutions. One participant traces the problem to a prejudice with which we have historically greeted people who are different and which has now become a sickness affecting all of society. Another deplores a rampant welfarism that has denuded families of a sense of personal responsibility and has encouraged "institutionalization" as a convenient solution to the problems of our most needy citizens. The last author calls for a remolding of the institutional mission and a reduction of that negativism which is the special province of the academic community. In total, these debates attempt to provide a theoretical underpinning for decisions that will affect the well-being of the mentally retarded for decades to come.
The Movement of Psychological Extras Into Ability Assessment
Authors: Kratochwill Thomas R.
Published: December 2008

To circumvent some problems associated with traditional ability assessment, psychologists have searched for extra information during testing. In recent years, efforts have been developing to turn these "psychological extras" into more formal psychological assessment practice. These strategies include (a) learning-potential assessment, (b) paired-associate learning, (c) diagnostic teaching, and (d) child development observation. The current status of these proposed assessment strategies is reviewed, their advantages and disadvantages discussed, and some areas of future research are proposed. To answer the question of whether these procedures can serve a position of standard psychological practice, research must: (a) outline how such strategies contribute to greater sophistication in prescription, (b) determine what populations can best be assessed through these approaches, (c) demonstrate how the resulting diagnostic information will generalize across different tasks, situations, and individuals, and (d) develop a theoretical orientation through which systematic research efforts can be directed.
Diagnostic/Prescriptive Instruction: a Reconsideration of Some Issues
Authors: Ewing Norma , Brecht Richard
Published: December 2008

Over the past decade, increasing numbers of educators have used diagnostic/prescriptive instruction as a remedial system when working with problem learners. A basic philosophical controversy exists regarding two fundamentally different models — task analysis and ability training — which popularly serve to undergird diagnostic/prescriptive instruction. These different models reflect the debate and discussion that has evolved in one of the most rapidly expanding, controversial areas in special education. Research efforts have not conclusively demonstrated the efficacy of either model. Thus, instructional programs designed to improve academic skill development should be viewed cautiously and monitored carefully.
Tactual Distinctive Features Analysis: Training Blind Students in Shape Recognition and in Locating Shapes On a Map
Authors: Berlá Edward P. , Butterfield Lawrence H.
Published: December 2008

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of training blind students in shape recognition accuracy and speed and accuracy of locating shapes on a tactile map by using a distinctive features analysis strategy and line tracing. In Experiment 1, training significantly improved the shape-recognition performance of a group of 25 trained braille readers, as compared to a matched group of 25 untrained braille readers. In Experiment 2, 21 trained students (as compared to a matched group of 21 untrained students) showed a significant increase in the number of shapes located and a significant decrease in the average time to locate a shape on a tactile map. Results are discussed in terms of the critical importance of training blind students to be analytical, systematic, and complete in exploring tactile materials so as to ensure adequate development of their perceptual-conceptual abilities.
Perceptual Development in the Profoundly Deaf as Related To Early Reading
Authors: Friedman Judith B. , Gillooley William B.
Published: December 2008

This study sought to investigate the development of the process whereby deaf subjects attend to the orthographic structure of tachistoscopically presented verbal materials. Two stimulus sets (half structured, half unstructured) and two factorial designs were used to study the perception of words and letter sequences by 108 deaf and hearing Ss matched at three grade levels of word reading (grades 1,2, and 4). It was found that both the deaf and the hearing were influenced by orthographic structure at the earliest levels. Unlike earlier findings, this study showed that the hearing enjoyed no overall superiority in this task, a difference discussed in terms of matching procedures. In addition, the Ss x Materials interaction was significant at the fourth-grade level, with these older deaf children performing as well on structured items and better on unstructured items than the hearing.
The Role of Visual Image and Perception in Speech Development of Children With Speech Pathology
Authors: Tsvetkova L.S. , Kuznetsova T.M.
Published: December 2008

It is assumed that in children with various speech pathologies the naming function can be underdeveloped because of defects in the word's gnostic base. Our study revealed impairment in visual memory, perception, and visual representations of an object only in children with speech difficulties, whereas these functions were preserved in normal children of the same age. The children suffering from severe speech disorders (and particularly from naming difficulties) revealed more defects in visual perception and representations than in visual operational memory, which was grossly distorted in children with intellectual inadequacies. However, in this group, visual perception was impaired to a lesser degree. These results form the basis for methodological recommendations to begin rehabilitation of naming with development of the gnostic sphere.
Use of the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test and the Slosson Intelligence Test With Urban Black Kindergarten Children
Authors: Colarusso Ronald , McLeskey James , Gill Sarah H.
Published: December 2008

This study compared two "quick" IQ tests when administered to inner-city black kindergarten-aged children. The Slosson Intelligence Test (SIT) and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) were administered to 74 subjects by 7 black and 14 white testers. Although a moderate relationship was found between the two instruments, significant differences were found between the IQ scores for the two instruments. While a mean SIT IQ score of 111.07 indicated "above-average" intelligence, the mean PPVT IQ score of 89.44 indicated "below-average" intelligence. Race of examiner had no effect on the test results. In addition, item analyses were performed on both tests.
Socially-Charged Pupil and Psychologist Effects On Psychoeducational Decisions
Authors: Amira Stephen , Abramowitz Stephen I. , Gomes-Schwartz Beverly
Published: December 2008

We investigated the notion of school psychologist expectancy-bias against the socially disenfranchised child. Pupil race and social class were varied factorially in a bogus psychoeducational report mailed with related materials to 600 randomly selected members of APA Division 16 (School Psychology). Nearly 36% (N = 217) of the original sample returned usable data, including diagnostic impressions, remediation recommendations, and responses to a traditional moralism scale. School psychologists acquitted themselves well overall. However, relatively traditional respondents evaluated the middle-class black pupil as more mentally retarded than his lower-class counterpart and also recommended him more strongly for a custodial program at a separate school. Alternative explanations of these findings are discussed.
Extended School Year for the Handicapped: Is It Working?
Authors: Edgar Eugene , Spence Wayne M. , Kenowitz Leonard A.
Published: December 2008

Extended school year programs for handicapped students have been advocated in order to maintain or increase their skill levels and provide them with recreational activities. This article analyzes the results of 18 extended school year programs in the state of Washington and concludes that some handicapped students do lose skills over the summer months and that extended school year programs can, at times, increase students' skill levels. The authors maintain that the true impact of extended school year programs on student performance can only be measured at the end of the next school year. An evaluation design is suggested in order to determine whether or not extended school year programs are successful.
Verbal Mediation as an Instructional Technique With Young Trainable Mentally Retarded Children
Authors: Bender Nila N.
Published: December 2008

In verbally mediated motor training (VMMT), the subject utters the name of the action while performing a response. This procedure was contrasted to one condition in which subjects were trained to perform the response silently (MT) and to an in-class control condition with 4 to 10-year-old trainable mentally retarded (TMR) children. Both training treatments were equally facilitative in teaching gross motor movements, but VMMT subjects verbally mediated their responses spontaneously and named the trained action when performed by the examiner in a posttest situation significantly more than MT subjects.
Managing Special Education Statewide: Developing an Interdependent Management System
Authors: Burrello Leonard C. , Kaye Nancy L. , Nutter Ronald E.
Published: December 2008

This article reports research on the development and evaluation of a statewide management network. A network of 529 persons nominated a peer task force which was determined to be highly representative of Michigan's 529 administrators and supervisors. This task force produced a series of products and procedures which the network of administrators and supervisors found both relevant and useful in their work. This research employed communication strategies appropriate to macrogroups to support the continued development of a Statewide Technical Assistance Network in Special Education (STANSE) — a model for state leadership personnel to use in producing state plans. It embodies public participation and annual reports to state governing boards, legislatures, and other significant publics.
Situational Socialization: an Affective Interaction Component of the Mainstreaming Reintegration Construct
Authors: Newberger Darryl A.
Published: December 2008

Situational socialization represents the process of acquiring the new knowledge, behavior, and attitudes which both mild to moderately handicapped learners and regular class learners need in order to interact successfully in interpersonal relationships. Situational socialization, the process component of an input-process-output model, is the name given to the paradigm presented. The paradigm is composed of five related input and process parts. These include the self, the self and others, affective teaching strategies and techniques, the personal element in teaching, and community-based environments. Through a socialization process approach, the goals of mainstreaming (realization of personal worth and the ability to communicate effectively with others) can be accomplished.
Teaching Retarded Preschoolers To Imitate the Free-Play Behavior of Nonretarded Classmates: Trained and Generalized Effects
Authors: Peck Charles A. , Apolloni Tony , Cooke Thomas P. , Raver Sharon A.
Published: December 2008

Two peer-imitation training procedures were applied to increase the imitation between retarded and nonretarded children in integrated preschool settings. Baseline observations revealed low rates of imitation and social interaction between retarded and nonretarded classmates under naturalistic conditions. A simple training procedure, consisting of adult-delivered prompts and social reinforcement, was employed to increase the retarded children's imitation of their nonretarded classmates' free-play behavior. Demonstrations of training effects were made utilizing both multi-element baseline and multiple baseline designs. Data collected under nontraining conditions indicated maintenance of peer-imitation effects. Increases in reciprocal social interaction between retarded and nonretarded children were also noted under taining and nontraining conditions.
Comparison of a Mainstream and Self-Contained Special Education Program
Authors: Macy Daniel J. , Carter Jamie L.
Published: December 2008

This study sampled 145 elementary school handicapped children (EMR, TMR, MBI, and ED) in order to compare a mainstreamed and self-contained special education program in a large urban school district. The selection of 19 pairs of children — matched closely in terms of exceptionality, behavior and descriptive profiles, intelligence, CA, gender, and ethnicity — provided good experimental control for the study, and selection of a larger sample provided partial replication for findings from the matched pairs sample. Results showed that mainstream education was a viable alternative for the majority of sampled children, and teacher ratings of student performance revealed no differences between the two programs. While mainstreaming is not appropriate for all handicapped children, the study demonstrated that the potential extent of mainstreaming for many handicapped children is considerable. The special education curricular experience of the mainstreamed students was found to be more advanced, and it was suggested that the possible effect of mainstreaming on the teaching and expectations of special education teachers be investigated. Teachers reported good adjustment and social integration of mainstreamed students in the regular program, which differed from previously reported research.
Mandatory Special Education and Mainstreaming Across the Atlantic
Authors: Hirshoren Alfred , Almy Sandra W.
Published: December 2008

British educators have voiced concern over Section 10 of the Education Act of 1976, which emphasizes education of the handicapped in ordinary British schools. Professional opinion at all levels has been overwhelmingly against the ambiguous law — implementation of which is being withheld until an official report is made by the committee investigating special education in Great Britain. Indications are that the report will advise against any large scale or immediate integration of handicapped children into ordinary schools. If the report is made as expected, will government officials implement the law, and what effect will it have on provisions made for handicapped children in Great Britain?
A Three-Year Auditory Perception Program for Low-Ses Minority Children
Authors: Williams Fern , Oakland Thomas
Published: December 2008

This study evaluates the effectiveness of three instructional methods in promoting speech sound discrimination and reading achievement over a 3-year period. Subjects were black and Mexican-American lower-SES children identified as having auditory discrimination disabilities. Norm-referenced and criterion-referenced measures were administered at the ends of grades one, two, and three to identify changes in auditory perception and reading achievement. One instructional group received a visual-linguistic reading method plus auditory perception activities (VLA); a second group received a visual-linguistic reading method (VL); and a third group received a phonic reading method (P). The hypothesis that VLA would score higher than (>) VL = P in auditory perception was not confirmed consistently. The hypothesis that VLA > VL > P in reading also was not confirmed consistently. No consistent differences were noted for black or Mexican-Americans or for males or females on measures of auditory perception or reading achievement.
The Teacher-Consultant Model—: A Different Perspective: A Reaction To Symposium 13
Authors: Little Thomas L.
Published: December 2008

This article reacts to and expands on Symposium 13, which appeared in The Journal of Special Education (Vol. 11, No. 2, 1977). The symposium was concerned with the desirability of a transition from the traditional diagnostic-remedial model to the teacher-consultant model for providing services to children with "mild learning and behavior problems." Referring to the symposium lead article by Dr. Phyllis Newcomer, this article points out the lack of role specificity in Dr. Newcomer's discussion of the teacher-consultant concept and notes her lack of an operational model for the concept. After presenting such a model, the discussion proceeds from a perspective different from Dr. Newcomer's but offers further support to her notions that the teacher-consultant model is a more efficient service delivery model. The discussion then moves to a rebuttal of the symposium critics of Dr. Newcomer's position, again from a perspective different from Dr. Newcomer's, and concludes with implications for personnel preparation programs.
Biological Defects and Special Education — an Issue in Personnel Preparation
Authors: Reed Homer B. C.
Published: December 2008

This article examines the relationship between biological defects and educational aptitude and achievement. The author maintains that the intellectual consequences of biological impairment take 2 general forms in young children: (a) a pervasive effect resulting in a general diminishment of intellectual ability and (b) a selective impairment affecting discrete abilities or functions without a noticeable lowering of intellectual status. Highlights from research on malnutrition, neural tube defects, and pre-maturity are cited in relation to instances of general impairment, while selected case studies are used to illustrate instances of selective impairment. A methodology for the assessment of biologically based learning problems drawn from neuropsychology is presented. Dr. Reed argues for the significance of biological factors for educational practice. Knowledge of the biological antecedents of behavioral and/or educational problems is potentially useful for formulation of long-range educational goals, the evaluation of educational gains, and to a lesser extent, the selection of teaching methodologies. Awareness of the importance of the biological factors for special education will hoefully be the impetus for changes in teacher-training programs, which now generally neglect this area of research and inquiry in the training of future special educators.
Auditory Recall of Conceptually, Phonetically, and Linguistically Similar Words By Normal and Learning-Disabled Children
Authors: Swanson Lee
Published: December 2008

The effect of auditory free recall on four lists of monosyllabic word ensembles was studied in learning-disabled and nondisabled children. Familiar word lists for sequential and nonsequential recall performance included phonetic, conceptual, linguistic, and control ensembles. Recall scores of the learning-disabled children were significantly lower on all familiar word lists for both sequential and nonsequential recall compared with normal-reading children, while recall was better for both groups with conceptually and linguistically similar words compared with initial phonetic consonant cues and control words. These findings support the assumption that a deficiency in ability to retain auditory verbal stimuli is related to specific learning disabilities in reading.
A Strategy for Developing Chronological-Age-Appropriate and Functional Curricular Content for Severely Handicapped Adolescents and Young Adults
Authors: Brown Lou , Branston Mary Beth , Hamre-Nietupski Susan , Pumpian Ian , Certo Nick , Gruenewald Lee
Published: December 2008

The paper points out the inappropriateness of the typical bottom-up or norm-referenced curricula offered to severely handicapped adolescents and young adults. As an alternative, it is proposed that curricula for this population teach chronological-age-appropriate functional skills in natural environments. Functional skills, natural environments, and chronological-age-appropriate skills are defined in this context. A six-phase curriculum-development strategy is constructed based on these concepts. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of this strategy for traditional curricular content and service delivery for severely handicapped adolescent and young adult students.
Integrating Special Children in Scotland: a P.L. 94-142 Is Needed
Authors: Broadhead Geoffrey D.
Published: December 2008

In Scotland educational legislation has traditionally been so lacking in detail and force that authorities in the Regions have been able to interpret the law in widely differing ways — from a Region which pursues a policy of integrating handicapped children into the educational mainstream to another which continues to build separate special schools for the handicapped. The paper describes the developments in the Regions and draws comparisons with the United States practice. A call is made for more positive governmental guidance in Scotland than is currently the case.
Evaluating Mainstream Programs: Capitalizing on a Victory
Authors: Hauser Carl
Published: December 2008

Evaluation of mainstream programs is becoming a prominent concern in recent special education literature. In contrast to past conceptualizations of program evaluation, current writers in this area are advocating the use of formative rather than summative evaluation models, at least in the initial stages of program development. The present paper is not antithetical to this perspective. However, it argues that mainstream programs require elaborate conceptualizations of evaluation, conceptualizations which are more capable (in comparison with traditional formative evaluation models) of handling the dynamic and complex nature of the component processes involved in mainstreaming. This position is congruent with recent in-depth discussions of mainstreaming as an educational reform. An extensive literature on planned organizational changes and responsiveness to change and innovation provides its primary support base. Davis's (1973) A VICTORY model of factors associated with organizational change represents one distillation of this literature. A VICTORY is presented descriptively, drawing parallels among its 8 factors and aspects of mainstream programs. Although formal, proven instruments for making use of A VICTORY in formative evaluations have not yet emerged, the model itself suggests potential strategies. General guidelines for identifying purposes, sampling, and instrumentation requirements are presented briefly. Conclusions call for evaluators to: (a) deal actively with the complexities, intricacies, and dynamics in the organizational context of mainstream programs, and (b) deemphasize generalizability as a goal for evaluation in favor of focus on program-specific interactions, their precise descriptions, and documentation.
Evaluating Error-Correction Procedures for Oral Reading
Authors: Jenkins Joseph R. , Larson Kathy
Published: December 2008

Six procedures for correcting oral reading errors were examined. Five learning-disabled, junior-high students served as subjects in the experiment. The experiment consisted of 5 phases, each lasting a minimum of 7 days. Treatment effects were assessed on 2 word-recognition measures 1 day after corrections were applied. Results indicated that some form of error correction tended to be significantly superior to no correction, but that many correction procedures used by teachers appeared to produce rather small effects on word recognition. One correction procedure, which consisted of isolated word drill, far exceeded the other corrections and produced relatively high levels of word recognition. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for instructional practice.
School Achievement and Behavior of Children With Mild or Moderate Health Conditions
Authors: Guerin Gilbert R.
Published: December 2008

This study examined regular classroom teachers' perceptions of the academic and social behavior of children with mild or moderate health conditions. It was found that children with certain conditions were more likely to exhibit school problems than were children with other conditions. Children on prescribed behavior-controlled drugs had the greatest evidence of school problems; those with hearing losses exhibited the most positive teacher-perceived behavior.
Handicapped University Students' Views of Educational Programs as Compared With Those of Majors and Nonmajors
Authors: Mesibov Gary B. , Turnbull Ann P. , Raper Anne B.
Published: December 2008

The present study solicited opinions of and experiences in the public school system from handicapped students who had successfully matriculated into a university program. Their opinions and experiences were found to differ significantly from those of special education majors and nonmajors, the latter group having had no training in special education. Furthermore, the two groups of nonhandicapped students (special education undergraduate majors and undergraduate nonmajors) were unable to predict the opinions and experiences of the handicapped students, and the special education majors were no more successful at doing this than the nonmajors. In particular, the nonhandicapped students consistently overestimated the limitations and perceptions of special needs of the handicapped students by continually viewing them as more disabled than the handicapped students viewed themselves. When asked to rank the value of various aspects of educational programming for young handicapped children, the nonhandicapped students emphasized the development of a special curriculum for handicapped children to accentuate strengths, while the handicapped students rated assessment procedures and training of public school teachers as their highest priorities. The results of the investigation suggest that handicapped students are different from their nonhandicapped counterparts in terms of their opinions and experiences and that their views should be carefully considered by those working in educational programs for handicapped populations.
Comparison of Response Cost and Timeout in a Special Education Setting
Authors: Gresham Frank M.
Published: December 2008

Two punishment procedures, response cost and timeout, were compared to determine their effectiveness in reducing rates of noncompliance in a class of educable mentally retarded children. Response cost consisted of taking tokens away from a child contingent upon noncompliance with teacher commands. Timeout consisted of placing noncompliant children outside of the group for 1 minute for each noncompliance. Results suggested that response cost was as effective as the response-cost-plus-timeout contingency and that it was the controlling variable in reduction of noncompliant behavior. The potential of response cost as an effective alternative to the use of timeout is discussed, and ethical and legal ramifications concerning the use of punishment in special education settings are addressed.
Assessment and Education of Children With Cerebral Palsy in the Soviet Union
Authors: Holowinsky Ivan Z.
Published: December 2008

Soviet defectological literature on children with cerebral palsy (CP) is concerned with diagnosis and assessment of cognitive functions as well as with education and training. Three syndromes have been identified as part of childhood cerebral pathology: CP, oligophrenia, and minimal brain damage. Various communication, sensory, perceptual, and cognitive defects of CP children are discussed in the literature, as well as educational difficulties with acquisition of arithmetic, reading, and writing skills. Remedial efforts have included physical exercise, manual labor, perceptual training, and verbal mediation techniques.
Reading and Perceptual-Motor Performance: Can We Strengthen Them Simultaneously? 1,2
Authors: Fuchs Douglas
Published: December 2008

The study attempted to ascertain whether a direct remedial-reading program would improve performance on a perceptual-motor test as it strengthened reading skill. Subjects were 119 intermediate grade pupils whose average reading achievement was more than 2 years below CA. They were randomly assigned to a remedial-reading program or to regular classrooms for instruction in reading. A comparison of pre- and posttreatment functioning on perceptual-motor and reading measures revealed that: (a) The experimentals' gain on the perceptual-motor instrument was significantly and dramatically greater than the controls' improvement on the same test; and (b) while both treatment groups' reading skill appeared to improve substantially, the experimentals' gain was not significantly greater than the controls'. Thus, the experimentals' more impressive functioning on the perceptual-motor test cannot readily be attributed to reading achievement. Nevertheless, findings indicate that performance on a perceptual-motor measure can be positively affected by a reading instructional program which does not explicitly employ perceptual-motor training. This seriously questions the belief, popular among perceptual-motor practitioners, that perceptual-motor functioning can be improved only through direct training. If perceptual-motor functioning is strengthened concomitant with, and indirectly by, standard remedial-reading instruction, educators may think twice about routinely assigning reading-disabled students to perceptual-motor training programs when the more direct method not only achieves the goal of perceptual-motor training but teaches reading skill as well.
Certification and Special Education Leadership Personnel: an Analysis of State Standards
Authors: Whitworth Jerry E. , Hatley Richard V.
Published: December 2008

The study describes recent changes that have taken place in state certification standards as they apply to special education leadership personnel. Data were collected from the 50 state education agencies regarding certification of special education administrators and supervisors. An analysis of these data revealed that a number of changes have occurred. There are presently 30 states that have some provision for the certification of the leadership position in special education. However, specific criteria for certification vary a great deal across states. Several states confirmed that they are in the process of developing or revising their certification standards for special education administrators and/or supervisors.
Mainstreaming: a Study of the Variables Affecting Teacher Attitude
Authors: Larrivee Barbara , Cook Linda
Published: December 2008

An attitude scale was constructed using the method of summated ratings. The scale was used to investigate the effect of selected institutional variables on the attitude of the regular-classroom teacher toward mainstreaming special-needs children. The scale was administered to a sample of nearly 1,000 public school teachers in the 6 New England states. A stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to investigate the effect of the institutional variables on teacher's attitude toward mainstreaming. Results of the analyses indicated that of the 7 variables considered, the regular-classroom teacher's perception of degree of success in dealing with special-needs students had the most significant relationship to teacher attitude.
Regular-Classroom Teachers' Attributions and Instructional Prescriptions for Handicapped and Nonhandicapped Pupils
Authors: Palmer Douglas J.
Published: December 2008

The study examined regular-classroom teachers' attributions and instructional prescriptions for normal achieving (NA), educationally handicapped (EH), and educable mentally retarded (EMR) pupils. Teachers were provided an experimental packet containing simulated background and current achievement information on an NA, EH, or EMR pupil. Background descriptive information reflecting an NA, EH, or EMR pupil affected teachers' failure but not success attributions as well as the manner in which they revised their failure-attribution ratings. In addition, it was found that teachers' initial instructional prescriptions were anchored by descriptive information reflecting characteristics of NA, EH, and EMR pupils. However, as teachers continued to receive current achievement information their instructional decisions appeared to be more weighted on pupils' current performance and less on achievement history. Findings are discussed in light of attributional research and current federal legislation mandating education of handicapped pupils in regular-education settings to the maximum extent possible.
Effects of a Short-Term Intervention Resource-Room Program On Task Orientation and Achievement
Authors: O'Connor Peter D. , Stuck Gary B. , Wyne Marvin D.
Published: December 2008

Elementary school pupils identified as being a year or more behind in reading and/or math achievement and who were observed as spending low percentages of time on-task were selected for participation in an intensive engineered resource-room program. Groups of approximately 10 children participated in each of 3 8-week intervention phases. For each phase, a comparison group of approximately 10 children remained in the regular classroom. Following the intervention, resource-room pupils spent significantly more time on-task and achieved at a significantly higher level in reading and math than did their comparison counterparts. These advantages were maintained over a period of 4 months after their return to regular classrooms on a full-time basis.
A Functional Analysis of the Relationship Between Attending and Producing in a Vocational Training Program
Authors: Rusch Frank R.
Published: December 2008

This study evaluated the relationship between attending to task and speed of task completion in a vocational training program. Six mentally retarded male adults were randomly assigned to 2 experimental groups and treated in multiple-baseline fashion. Group 1 received reinforcement for speed of task completion; Group 2 received reinforcement for time spent attending to task. Results showed that subjects who spent more time completing tasks also spent an appreciable percentage of their time attending to task, by comparision with baseline measures. Also, subjects reinforced for not attending to task without exception did not complete tasks. On the other hand, directly reinforcing speed of task completion resulted in speedier completion of tasks and increased time spent attending to task. Further, directly reinforcing time spent attending to task resulted in more attending and more rapid task completion. Determining which measure, when treated, would be the more economical to address was only conservatively estimated. It was suggested that reinforcing facilitative responses may reduce observed variability in responding associated with speed of task completion.
When a Map Is Worth One-Thousand Anovas: Applications of Statistical Cartography in Special Education Research and Planning
Authors: Joiner Lee Marvin
Published: December 2008

Statistical cartography, the production of statistical maps, has been widely used in fields such as medicine, geophysics, criminology, linguistics, and biology to address questions concerning the spatial distribution of phenomena. Recent advances in computer hardware and software have made it possible to produce statistical maps rapidly and economically. Few applications of the methodology in special ecuation research and planning have yet surfaced, however. The article describes the basic methods and procedures of computerized statistical cartography and provides several suggestions for its application in special education research and planning, both state and national. A study of regional low-incidence handicap service patterns is presented. Included are examples of special education service maps produced by computer.
The Roles of Information and Experience in Improving Teachers' Knowledge and Attitudes About Mainstreaming
Authors: Johnson Alex B. , Cartwright Carol A.
Published: December 2008

Research on mainstreaming suggests that teachers are often ill prepared, both in terms of knowledge and attitude, to teach handicapped children. The present research investigated whether information about and experience with the handicapped would improve prospective regular education teachers' attitudes toward and knowledge about mainstreaming. In addition, data were gathered and reported on the relationship between teachers' attitudes and knowledge and certain characteristics, including term standing, areas of specialization, and grade-point averages. The results indicated that the teachers did not increase their general knowledge about mainstreaming as a result of only information about or only experience with the handicapped. However, attitudes toward mainstreaming significantly improved as a result of a combination of information about and experience with the handicapped and as a result of only information about the handicapped. The results also indicated that prospective teachers' attitudes toward and knowledge about mainstreaming were not significantly influenced by their term standings, areas of specialization, or grade-point averages.
The Effect of the Reliability of the Dependent Variable On Power
Authors: Hopkins Kenneth D. , Hopki ns B.R.
Published: December 2008

This article illustrates a method to estimate the effects on the statistical power of a study that accompany changes in the reliability of the dependent variable. Examples are given where σ is available in the planning stage of a study (such as when standardized tests are to be used), as well as for situations in which the investigator must deal in standard deviation units, i.e., z-scores. When power is very high (e.g., above :95), it will continue to be very high (e.g., above .90) even if reliability is reduced considerably, such as by using a half-lengthened test. But if power falls in the moderate or low range, such increases or decreases of the dependent variable can have a large effect on the statistical power of the study.
A Review of the Bender Gestalt Test as a Screening Instrument for Brain Damage With School-Aged Children of Normal Intelligence Since 1970
Authors: Eno Larry , Deichmann John
Published: December 2008

The authors review recent literature regarding the effectiveness of the Bender Visual-Motor Gestalt Test in screening for brain damage in school-aged children of normal intelligence who display learning problems. Problems with research of this type and various administrations and scoring methods are discussed. All methods reviewed significantly discriminate between groups of brain-damaged and unimpaired children. No method, however, provides successful predictive rates high enough to warrant the use of the Bender as the sole diagnostic instrument in individual cases.
In Search of the Cognitive Deficit in Autism: Beyond the Stimulus Overselectivity Model
Authors: Gersten Russell M.
Published: December 2008

Research on overselective attention in autistic children is reviewed from a critical perspective. The philosophical underpinnings of this body of experimental literature are made explicit, and some limitations of the approach are discussed. The information-processing paradigm of Hermelin and her colleagues is explored as an alternative conception. Methodological flaws and uncertainties in both groups of research are detailed, particularly the use of matching, imprecise definitions of autism, and reliance on the dubious construct of mental age. Suggestions for future research paradigms are offered. Finally, the current state of knowledge on overselective attention is detailed. A critical review of the literature indicates that overselective attention: (a) is not limited to autistic children, (b) may be only one of several developmental lags these children display, and (c) may or may not be strongly correlated with children's language abilities and general intellectual abilities. At present, there is no clear evidence that overselective attention is a productive way of analyzing children's learning in a natural setting when educationally relevant materials are presented to the child. Research to explore this type of situation is recommended.
Ethnic Proportions in Classes for the Learning Disabled: Issues in Nonbiased Assessment
Authors: Tucker James A.
Published: December 2008

Data from a large racially representative sample of school children show that the trend toward placing minority students into special education classes in disproportionate numbers has been complicated by the introduction of the learning-disability (LD) category. While the proportion of blacks in classes for the mentally retarded has decreased with the recent emphasis on protection in evaluation, the increased proportion of blacks in LD classes has been so great that the result has been an increasingly disproportionate number of blacks in special education classes overall. This is in spite of national efforts to the contrary.
The Mentally Retarded Defendant-Offender
Authors: Reichard Cary L. , Spencer John , Spooner Fred
Published: December 2008

Approximately 20,000 mentally retarded persons, or 10% of the total prison population, are currently incarcerated in our nation's penal system. This is a significantly high percentage as compared with the prevalence of retarded persons in the general population. Although several professionals have suggested possible causes for the disproportionate percentage of imprisoned retardates, only a few have addressed issues of prevention. The authors recently concluded a study of retarded persons prior to and after adjudication proceedings. This was done to identify measures that can be initiated to prevent the apparent injustices currently facing retarded persons accused of violating the law. A study of each state was conducted to determine the current status of legislation and programmatic endeavors as related to the mentally retarded defendant-offender. The results of the study are analyzed, and recommendations are made based on the study results and relevant literature.