An art teacher describes some of her techniques for working with trainable mentally retarded (TMR) students who are also physically disabled. Included are lesson planning, student needs, and adapted materials. Part of a theme issue on art education for children with special needs. (SJL)

The article describes the process of teaching abacus to moderately retarded blind students as a means of developing concepts of numbers, addition and subtraction, and money values. (Author)

This study found six students (ages 5-7) with multiple disabilities correctly used a choice card to set goals, assign worksheets, complete work, and evaluate results more frequently during independent work sessions that followed a student choice condition than in independent work sessions that followed a teacher choice condition. (Contains 8…

The article describes methods used to bring a seven-year-old boy with severe auditory and visual impairments and no communication skills to a level of oral communication within one year. The manual, graphic, and oral-aural strategies used are described. (Author/DB)

CHARGE association is described as a diagnostic label for a group of congenital malformations, including coloboma, heart defects, atresia choanae, retarded postnatal growth/central nervous system defects, genital hypoplasia, and ear deformities. Etiology and characteristics of the CHARGE association are discussed, along with implications for…

Three youths with mental retardation and behavior disorders were taught functional sight words that supported participation in recreation activities in community settings. Direct instruction with in vivo word find activities was demonstrated to be effective in promoting acquisition of functional sight words. Word recognition was maintained at…

The SKI*HI Institute (Utah) has developed a system of coactive signing for children who are deaf and blind. The system includes optimized coactive signs that are functional, easy to feel, easy to relate to the referent, and easy to make. It also includes techniques for effective coactive sign use. Videotapes of lessons are described. (Author/DB)

A study used a progressive delay procedure to teach self-control to six adults with mental retardation. At baseline, participants chose an immediate smaller reinforcer rather than a larger delayed reinforcer. Progressive increases in work requirements for gaining access to a larger reinforcer resulted in participants selecting larger delayed…

A study investigated the effects of the Mobility Opportunities Via Education (MOVE) curriculum on the functional walking skills of five elementary students with severe, multiple disabilities. Repeated measures were taken during baseline, intervention, and maintenance phases. All students demonstrated progress in taking reciprocal steps during…

Students with the dual handicaps of hearing impairment and mental retardation display special problems in language acquisition. These problems do not appear to have been addressed by curricula that have been designed for either of the single handicap groups. Since specially designed curricula for this population are virtually nonexistent, a…

The manual presents a methodology for teaching multihandicapped students which stresses development and utilization of classroom routines to enhance individualized instructional effectiveness. The first chapter (by Paul Carreiro and Sue Townsend) provides the theoretical basis for using a routine-based teaching approach. The second chapter…

Contained in this teaching guide are two units that offer teaching strategies and activities for use with severely and multiply mentally impaired elementary aged students. The with severely and multiply mentally impaired elementary aged students. The guide is intended to provide structured experiences to foster the use of augmentative and…

Normal children (average age 11, n=25) and multiply disabled children (aged 9-15, n=8) were integrated in physical education classes, emphasizing work with disabled-normal dyads. Girls were more willing than boys to accept disabled children into their groups, but during individual activities, boys were less reticent about making physical contact.…

Research on emergent literacy is applied to children with severe speech and physical impairments (SSPI). Factors shown to have the greatest influence on emerging literacy skills are identified, as are diverging experiences of young children with SSPI. Intervention strategies suggested for these children include increasing access to books and…