An overview of the Pierce County Vocational/Special Education Cooperative is presented along with data on the employment level, quality of employment, and attendance in postsecondary education settings of graduates of this program (N=120), a preintervention group (N=120), and a comparison cohort (N=564). Significant differences are noted in favor…

Suggestions are made for improving high school work-study programs for the mildly handicapped which have tended to be self contained and segregated, and which have produced graduates who have high unemployment rates. (MC)

The peer interactions and cognitive levels of play of mildly developmentally delayed preschool children were compared as they participated in mainstreamed and specialized settings. They engaged in substantially higher rates of peer-related social behaviors and constructive play when mainstreamed. Factors affecting early childhood mainstreaming…

Despite the growing momentum of the special education consultation movement, data indicate that in practice special educators spend very little time in a consulting role. The article examines the emergence of the consulting movement and barriers impeding the integration of consultation into the role of the special educator. (Author/JW)

The first goal of this research project was to demonstrate the use of computer assisted video instruction (CAVI) for teaching mildly handicapped students school to community transition skills. Two CAVI learning modules were developed on asking for help and budgeting. The first includes eight lessons focusing on questions of why, when, who, what,…

This paper compares eight inclusive models for elementary students with mild disabilities, described in terms of curricular innovations and organization of personnel and classrooms. Results suggest that inclusive programming can be effective for some, but not all, students with mild disabilities and that organizational and instructional changes…

Program Evaluation in 6 elementary school resource rooms (30 mildly handicapped students) found that students receiving the experimental program scored significantly higher on posttraining measures of peer acceptance and social skills. Experimental students also made a slightly greater improvement than controls in social behavior in natural school…

This paper on secondary students with mild disabilities, in the context of the twenty-fifth anniversary of papers by Lloyd Dunn and Evelyn Deno, focuses on adult outcomes indicating the efficacy level of secondary special education programs; alternative curricular orientations available; and current and emerging curricular models associated with…

Two studies compared the inclusion only, pull-out only, and combined services models for elementary students with mild disabilities, using a survey of 80 teachers and comparison of reading improvement in 240 students in the 3 models. Teacher satisfaction and student progress in reading were significantly greater for the combined services model.…

This article reviews research, policy, and practice related to the use of assistive technology by students with mild disabilities. It addresses the potential of technology for individuals with disabilities, consideration of assistive technology in the Individualized Education Program, and strategies for capturing the potential of assistive…

The effect of pull out remediation on grade point average (GPA) was studied with high school students receiving special education services. For 30 students receiving pull out remediation and 30 students not receiving the pull out component, data were collected on semester GPA, student gender, year in school, and type of class (alternate or regular…

The effectiveness of using volunteer reading tutors to work with students with reading difficulties was examined. Changes in academic engaged time, active responding time, achievement, and student attitude were assessed, along with information from tutor evaluations. Nine intervention and 8 control students (grades 3-5) with mild handicaps…

Formative evaluation focuses on program modification based on ongoing measurement of student progress. The literature on formative evaluation for mildly handicapped students indicates that four measurement dimensions are critical: (1) focus of measurement; (2) frequency of measurement; (3) data display; and (4) data utilization methods. (Author/CB)

The article offers a critical inspection of the effectiveness of resource room programs in serving students with disabilities. Types of resource models (categorical, cross-categorical, noncategorical, specific skill, and itinerant) are described. Also noted are ethical considerations (segregation versus integration) and suggested improvements in…

A meta-analysis of 166 HIV-prevention interventions tested theoretical predictions about the effects of experts, lay community members, and similar and dissimilar others, as agents of change. In general, expert interventionists produced greater behavior change than lay community members, and the demographic and behavioral similarity between the…