In March 1978, under the suggestion of Chinese-born Nobel Prize laureate Tsung-Dao Lee, China launched its first gifted education program at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC). Based on nominations and interviews, 21 gifted students aged 11-16 were enrolled in USTC and comprised a special class. Five years later, the early…

Gifted programs should not be developed only to compensate for inadequate regular classrooms. Instead, the principles of gifted education should be applied to the total environment, with enrichment activities for gifted students requiring intensity of effort in specialized areas. (CL)

The author defends the use of special units for disruptive students and describes aspects of the unit in Brislington (England), which incorporated accountability, voluntary attendance, limited withdrawal from the mainstream, and counseling. (CL)

A mother describes the experiences of her seventh-grade son in a special Saturday class for mathematically gifted students. She discusses advantages, as well as disadvantages of the program. (CL)

Representative reactions from eight regular class teachers regarding visits to special education classes for learning disabled students are presented. Reactions stressed the student's need for approval, the success of high expectations and realistic goals, and admiration for the work of the special education teacher. (CL)

Considers the potential detrimental effects on classroom teaching of programs that pull individual students out of the classroom for specialized instruction or activities. Suggests alternative means for meeting student and teacher needs within the classroom. (PGD)

The authors, asserting that proponents of integration have often built their arguments on mistaken assumptions, proceed to discuss these assumptions with regard to emotionally disturbed/behavior disordered children and present arguments for segregation and an appropriate procedure for reintegration. (Author)

The review of the "Rainbow Connection Instructional Guide" stresses the guide's purpose in assisting the development of model transitional services for preschool handicapped students moving into less restrictive educational environments. Noted is the guide's attention to preparation of parents, roles of training and collaboration, and…

Followup and tie in between regular classrooms and gifted programs are essential for quality programing. "Ownership" of the program by the entire school community, including counselors, librarians, and administrators, is also important. (CL)

The author cites advantages of separate classes for gifted students, suggesting that they should be protected from teachers who do not understand them and school environments with which they are bored. (CL)

Focusing on common misconceptions about children who have trouble learning to read, two papers discuss new ways to think about and teach these students. "Revaluing Readers and Reading," by Kenneth S. Goodman, argues that troubled readers should not be thought of as sufferers from an illness, but as strong, healthy individuals fully…

The article calls attention to the fact that one of the ironies of P.L. 94-142 is the constraining effect of the regulations developed to implement the law. A combination resource room and self- contained class are described as one alternative to strict adherence to the Deno Cascade model. (Author)

Factors involved in the decision to place a learning disabled child in a mainstream or special class setting include the classroom situation (class size and teacher training); the child (behavior, academic ability, and social competence); and the parents. (CL)

This paper reviews the literature on full inclusion and its applicability for students with autism. It concludes that, although the goals and values underlying full inclusion are laudable, neither the research literature nor thoughtful analysis of the nature of autism supports elimination of smaller, highly structured learning environments for…

The purposes of elementary school career education for mildly handicapped students, and specific learning activities and materials, are discussed. Elementary level career education components are identified as the development of social skills, self-understanding, communication and computation abilities, and the exploration of a variety of careers.…