A seven-week summer academic noncategorical training program for special education teachers organized around specific teaching competencies resulted in significant academic gains for 80 mildly handicapped elementary students. (CL)

Five components were identified as crucial to the success of the mainstreamed peer tutoring program (selection, training, matching, supervision, and communication with/support for the regular classroom teacher). Data provided support for the conclusion that the on task behavior of tutees improved significantly as a result of the program. (SB)

This study found that 47 mildly handicapped third graders in a full-time integrated program, Team Approach to Mastery (TAM), experienced greater achievement gains than 31 students in resource rooms, though differences were significant only in math. Nonhandicapped TAM students (n=176) made greater gains than mildly handicapped TAM students and…

Reports the results of three studies conducted to determine the efficacy of the Early Literacy Project in improving the reading performances of elementary students with mild disabilities. Results indicate the program has been effective in accelerating literacy learning and can be integrated into the general education curriculum. (Author/CR)

A 2-year study of cost-benefits in special education undertook activities in five years: development of a cost analysis framework, cost data collection, outcome data collection, development of benefit-cost analysis procedures, and benefit-cost analysis application. A generic school-based model was developed in which costs could more accurately be…

The author describes an approach to mainstreaming handicapped middle school students in which students were placed in a regular remedial class with a regular education teacher, a special education teacher, and an aide. The model evolved originally because of staffing problems, but achievement in both self confidence and academics resulted in its…

This paper describes Project ASSIST, an early intervention pilot project involving 40 Singaporean infants with disabilities (ages 2-5) that integrated children with mild disabilities into mainstream preschool centers. Results indicated high levels of peer and school personnel acceptance and the feasibility of integrating children with disabilities…

This study evaluated a computer-assisted instructional program employing a constant time delay prompting procedure to teach spelling of abbreviations to four adolescents with mild learning disabilities. The program was found effective, and training generalized to hand-written performance in both a special and general education setting. (Author/DB)

A computer assisted instruction system for drilling educationally handicapped children in word decoding skills is described. A theoretical rationale for the objectives and design of the system, based on research from the psychology of reading literature, is discussed. In addition, certain system design constraints, applied in order to accommodate…

An instructional model for improving reading skills of poor readers is described and progress data of mildly handicapped elementary and secondary students are reported. The approach includes curricular assessment and placement in lower levels of classroom curricula, direct instruction in deficit skills areas, data-based instruction, repeated…

The article reports on 2 Minnesota Educational Effectiveness Project studies on the relationship between school effectiveness variables and attitudes/achievement of 2,604 students in general and 758 students with mild disabilities. Results did not support the idea that general efforts at school improvement will lead to improved outcomes for…

Using a Delphi approach, 10 experts identified 186 practices from the fields of transition and dropout prevention that would be effective with high-risk students, including those with mild disabilities. Rating these practices indicates that many prevention practices are important and feasible to implement. (SLD)

Project RETAIN (Retention in Education Technical Assistance and Information Network) is a Florida project that assists school districts through identification and dissemination of effective practices that keep students with mild disabilities in school. One part of the project was the development of a database of school district efforts in the area…

The article presents evaluation data on Project RETAP (Regular Education Teachers and Principals), an inservice program focusing on competencies for successful mainstreaming of mildly handicapped students. Findings are reported in terms of teacher and student outcomes based on participation by 25 kindergarten through sixth grade teachers. (CL)