This article tells the story of one elementary school faculty who responded to the call for accountability by adopting an inclusive view and implementing educational practices where all students were welcomed and considered valuable, contributing members of the school community. The inclusion of students with disabilities in the general education…

The Cooperative Vocational Program serves 300 mentally retarded, learning disabled, and behaviorally disordered adolescents in rural Nebraska in an attempt to increase employment for the students. The project is also designed to train secondary special education resource teachers in vocational preparation. Vocational services and activities…

The Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 requires mainstreaming, or the education of handicapped children with regular students, to the greatest extent appropriate. Although the provisions of the law call for each student to be assessed individually and provided with an Individualized Education Program (IEP), the costs associated…

This survey investigated caseloads and time associated with assessing, planning, developing, and updating Individualized Education Programs and providing direct and indirect instructional services, for 100 special education resource room teachers and 80 speech pathologists. Special education teachers saw more students during an instructional…

Resource teachers (n=124) from 69 middle and junior high schools responded to a survey about the collaboration model at their school site. Results indicated that resource programs are usually a combination of collaboration and traditional pull-out models. Teachers viewed the collaboration model positively, reported administrative support, and…

This guide for special education resource room teachers focuses on ways to balance the many conflicting demands of this role. The first chapter focuses on personal development with a "Personal Resourcing Questionnaire", guidelines for identifying goals and working systematically toward them, and suggestions for maintaining personal…

This study compared scores on the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT) of 50 seventh and eighth grade students receiving instruction in regular classroom settings and 50 seventh and eighth grade students receiving instruction in special education resource room settings. Scores from five test components were examined, including: Total Reading, Total…

Directed to leaders and administrators in education, the monograph reviews issues, practices, and possibilities in the interface between special educators and general educators at the service delivery or decision making levels. The first chapter examines the development of public educational systems with sections on the historical context, the…

This article explores ways computers can be used in special education resource rooms. Discusses management of computer access, integration of computer into curriculum, software selection, and negative computer practices. Models of computer use, including use of computer as individual learning center and use of computer as a cognitive "tool kit" …

This study surveyed educators in 30 school districts in Eastern Kentucky to examine the extent to which a grassroots movement toward inclusive schooling is developing, as well as teacher attitudes toward the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) of 1990. Of the 3,393 questionnaires distributed, 651 were returned from 65 (of 178) schools. Generally…

This paper suggests a process for developing Individualized Education Programs for students served through collaborative/cooperative teaching arrangements. IEPs used in pull-out arrangements are compared to in-class service delivery IEPs. The proposed IEP process is designed to meet legal requirements and guide instruction reflective of the…

This program guide examines a comprehensive occupational preparation program for the handicapped that is fiscally responsible, in concert with current practice, and has practical application possibilities. Section 1 is a position statement for the guide. Section 2 is a diagram showing program goals and objectives. The purpose of section 3 is to…

Educational practices with students in both regular and special education that have stood the tests of time, research, and application are described. They include peer tutoring; direct instruction; cooperative learning; self-instructional training; curriculum-based measurement; instructional alignment; and learning strategies. (DB)

This paper discusses the findings of a study that examined the perceptions of 270 elementary school principals about a new Alabama certification model which abolishes categorical certification areas in special education and creates a generic "Collaborative Teacher" certification. Results indicate the most frequent special education…

Vocational education is an important component of the bridge leading from school to employment for special needs youth. Studies indicate that special needs youth are not being adequately prepared for work. Unemployment and underemployment of special needs youth seem to stem from three causes: lack of interpersonal skills, lack of job-related…