A norm referenced model was used to evaluate the relative effectiveness of intervention efforts with 3,896 learning disabled elementary and secondary school children. Ss were tested on the Wide Range Achievement Test. Significant growth was observed in students from resource and self contained classrooms. Gains did not appear to vary with the…

A study involving 16 preschool students was conducted to determine whether severely handicapped preschool children could learn normal classroom behavior through the single treatment variable of exposure to the regular classroom environment with normal peers. Systematic observation of the children's free play and verbal interaction, independence in…

To meet the needs of the handicapped, vocational training programs for handicapped people should provide individuals with technical, personal, social, and communication competencies. As competition for Federal funds becomes more acute, questions will increasingly focus on program effectiveness. Data on young deaf adults, even with professional or…

Screened for psychiatric, neurologic, perceptual, psychologic, and educational deficits were 168 New York City first graders; and provided was an intervention program for 29 children judged to be perceptually handicapped, Socioeconomic and racial data showed Ss to be 79% white, 12% black, 9% oriental; and 23% of the sample to be from Spanish…

After a 2-month combined reading and writing training period, followed by a 1 1/2-year lapse, a 16-year-old initially paraplegic cerebral palsied boy received a 1 year of reading training followed by 2 3/4 years of writing training. (Author/SBH)

The Teaching Research Transition Planning Project (Oregon) is implementing and evaluating the development of school/community teams to facilitate transition of handicapped students into the community. Preliminary evaluation results support the value of an outside stimulus to encourage collaboration, locally generated plans, and policy decision…

An historical analysis of early intervention efficacy research documents the need for longitudinal studies of early intervention with handicapped children. Sixteen such studies were recently funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The article describes the issues they will address, discusses their design characteristics, and summarizes their…

The Early Intervention Research Institute (EIRI) reviewed extensive data reported by early intervention projects. Among surprising findings were that half-day programs produced as many gains as full-day programs, and programs which expected parent involvement were not more effective than those which did not. Current EIRI research efforts are…

The effectiveness and efficiency of two instructional prompting procedures, progressive time delay and the system of least prompts, in teaching manual signs was evaluated with three moderately or severely retarded adolescents with additional handicaps. Results indicated both procedures were effective though the time delay method appeared to be…

Evaluated an instructional approach that combines the use of student worktexts with other strategies for mainstreamed classes. Found that increased learning resulted for normal, mentally handicapped, and learning disabled students. Recommends the development of student worktexts that coordinate with teacher materials. (JOW)

Presents an overview of research literature on the effectiveness of early intervention programs for handicapped and medically at-risk infants. Describes problems of intervention research and elements common to most programs. Reports that although analysis uncovered flaws, reviewers uniformly encourage further efforts to devise effective…

High school students with disabilities encounter many barriers to successful transition, and thus they are likelier to drop out of school than their nondisabled peers and have more difficulties finding employment. Policy makers and practitioners in many fields are increasingly using communities of practice as a core strategy for developing…

Supports for families of young children with disabilities--as provided by Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act--are vital, according to a study that assessed family outcomes at the end of early intervention near their child's third birthday. This report summarizes the main findings of the study in response to the five broad…

Head Start programs provide critical comprehensive services for young children with or at risk of developing disabilities. Both the Head Start Act and federal Head Start performance standards require a mix of outreach, early child assessments, and evaluations, followed by comprehensive educational, medical, and social services provided in an…

This final report summarizes the activities and outcomes of a federally funded outreach project designed to provide training and materials to educators interested in replicating key aspects of the Regional Program for Preschool Handicapped Children, located in New York State. All the major objectives of the project's outreach efforts during the…