A graduate program component that assigned mentors to preservice special education teachers of students with severe disabilities is described. Characteristics of effective mentoring programs, the mentoring needs of preservice teachers of students with severe disabilities, and the mentorship program components are discussed. An evaluation of the…

Reflects on research that showed that, as reading ability of students without disabilities increased in schools engaged in "effective schools" reforms, the reading ability of students with disabilities decreased. Concerns are raised that resources previously devoted to special education programs may serve to infuse general school…

Interviews with 15 ninth and tenth grade students with learning disabilities (LD), their parents, and their resource teachers determined that the Self-Advocacy Plan is an effective program clarifying students' perceptions of their roles as learners with LD, increasing their understanding of LD as a condition, and developing awareness of…

This article describes implementation of a project which facilitated the collaboration of 26 elementary general education teachers and 5 resource teachers by providing time during the school day for structured interaction and inservice training in a collaborative problem-solving process. Pretesting and posttesting with the Resource Teacher-General…

This response to five case studies of inclusive practices for elementary students with learning disabilities (LD) finds that the consistent result was to diminish and subordinate the role of the special education teacher, reduce the potential effectiveness of special education as a specialized instructional effort, and remove the academic press…

This response to five case studies of inclusive practices for elementary students with learning disabilities identifies problems inherent in inclusive education (e.g., coteaching and logistics) and suggests that fundamental school reform offers an alternative that meets recognized best-practice standards and requires the trained skills of learning…

Reports on the second year of a supplementary reading program. Notes the program was successful with nonreading or delayed-reading students from regular and special education classrooms in grades one through eight. Argues that labels such as at-risk, learning disabled, and dyslexic are excuses for not initially teaching children how to read. (SR)

Results of placing a computer in eight special education classrooms and providing the teachers with a four-month practicum on integrating the computer into instructional programs indicated that teachers viewed the computer as not only a powerful motivating and reinforcing tool but also as a generally useful tool for themselves and their students.…

Implementation of a pyramid model to teach behavior management strategies to the staff of an integrated childcare center found improvements in performance of the three trained "specialists," improvements in other staff trained by the specialists, changes in child behavior, and general satisfaction with the training procedures. (DB)

The "Bridges...From School to Work" project, funded at five sites by the Marriott Corporation, develops competitively paid internships for students with disabilities in their final year of high school. Of 762 students accepted by the program, 86% received internship placements, 82% completed their internships, and 75% were offered…

Examines the degree to which states' political climates, resources, policies, and interagency services predict progress in the implementation of Part H of Public Law 99-457, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). (Author/BB)

Fifty-four county mental health authorities in Michigan were surveyed before and after implementation of new policies and funding for support services for disabled individuals and families. Case management assessment, respite care, in-home services, and advisory committees showed significant increases in availability. Length of time that families…

A graduate teacher education program at the University of Colorado prepares special educators for urban school environments through an urban school immersion experience while learning necessary instructional and collaborative skills. Interviews with graduate students and mentor teachers addressed the special educator's role and the effectiveness…

This paper examines relationships and interactions among the consumer (with a developmental disability), his or her family, and agency staff as they impact the consumer's life course and lifestyle. Approaches and activities to enhance effective relationships include setting policies that support these relationships, training staff with this…

Twenty-nine elementary special education teachers each monitored 2 students with mild disabilities using curriculum-based measurement (CBM) for 16 weeks. Students whose teachers implemented CBM more accurately made significantly greater math gains than students whose teachers either implemented CBM less accurately or who did not use CBM. Adequacy…