A study involving 11 elementary and 9 middle schools illustrates how office discipline referrals can be used to indicate the status of school-wide discipline, and how schools can use the information to modify their universal interventions for all students and their targeted interventions for students with severe behavior problems. (Contains…

Sample forms and form completion instructions are provided for the referral, initial placement, annual review, and reevaluation of exceptional children. The forms were developed for use by North Carolina local educational agencies. The forms encompass the exceptionalities of academically gifted, specific learning disabled, behaviorally-emotionally…

The article describes the problem of assessing culturally diverse students for behavior disorders, proposes a solution which replaces norm referenced assessment with functional assessment, and offers recommendations for implementing such a nonbiased, functional approach. (DB)

When culturally different children are referred for suspected emotional/behavioral disorders, their native cultural customs and beliefs must be considered. Examples of withdrawn, defensive, disorganized, and aggressive behaviors are cited. (CL)

The booklet, designed to accompany a videotape, explains the similarities and differences among students with learning problems, specific learning disabilities (LD), mild mental retardation, or behavioral disorders. Specific implications for special education in Illinois are outlined. The underlying problem of over-identification of LD students is…

Discussion of school violence compares possible causes of the school shootings in Colorado and Georgia with a prior analysis of possible causes of school shootings. Characteristics of these violent perpetrators are discussed as a possible guide to help identify these seemingly "invisible kids." Identification options include warning…

This article provides a proactive functional assessment and intervention framework for addressing challenging behaviors in young children. A three-tiered model is described that outlines prevention on the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels and remediation strategies that may be used to ameliorate challenging behaviors demonstrated by young…

The first in seven sets of guidelines based on the consensus of experts in the treatment of psychiatric and behavioral problems in mental retardation (MR) focuses on diagnosis and assessment. It includes the definition and levels of mental retardation, difficulties in diagnosing psychiatric and behavioral problems in the presence of MR, assessment…

The manual examines issues in determining eligibility criteria for students with serious emotional disturbance (SED). Educational and clinical definitions of SED are compared, components of the educational definiton are examined, and the issue of differentiating behavioral disorders from serious emotional disturbance is considered. The assessment…

This booklet provides an overview of the causes, symptoms, and incidence of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and addresses the key features of OCD, including obsessions, compulsions, realizations of senselessness, resistance, and shame and secrecy. Research findings into the causes of OCD are reviewed which indicate that the brains of…

The newsletter's main article focuses on hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder. The causes of hyperactivity, which affects 3-5 percent of all children, are elusive but may include neurological immaturity, inherent genetic problems, or fetal exposure to harmful substances. Patterns of behavior that typify a hyperactive child include a short…

The manual is intended to present professionally defensible and generally agreed on criteria for the identification of students with behavior disorders in Iowa. Six major topic areas are examined in separate chapters: (1) overview of behavioral disorders in Iowa (historical background, assumptions underlying definition, desired use of definition…

This article examines the legal requirements of assessing students with disabilities, especially students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). It reviews assessment legislation and litigation in special education and explains specific requirements for assessing students with EBD. The article also examines school districts' obligations…

This paper presents information on the diagnostic criteria and management of disorders that may be wrongly identified as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or may coexist with ADHD thus complicating identification and treatment. The disorders discussed are: depression, mania, primary disorder of vigilance, narcolepsy, developmental…

This guide offers assessment and intervention guidelines for the Connecticut Birth to Three system concerning the emotional and psychological well-being of infants and toddlers in the system. Emphasis is on infants and toddlers who exhibit symptoms of traumatic stress disorder, depression or other affective disorders, regulatory disorders, sleep…