This study examined the construct validity of curriculum-based measures of oral reading fluency from basal reading programs. Twelve special education students (grades 2-5) were monitored for oral fluency using 2 reading curricula (their instructional curriculum and the mainstream reading curriculum) throughout the academic year. Performance…

The study questioned 41 employees with learning or other mild disabilities, their parents, and employers on vocationally related items. A four-factor model--job match and accommodation, social acceptance, work rationalization and family support, and special programs and services--is advanced to explain job success. Results are interpreted in terms…

The article presents an approach to instructional design for mainstreamed students with and without mild disabilities, stressing functionality in a three-step procedure: (1) select what the student (general, gifted, learning disabled, or mildly retarded) needs to learn; (2) determine its functional value; and (3) decide how best to teach the…

The performance of two students (ages six to seven) with mild disabilities was compared across two instructional conditions (Voice Plus Text versus Text Alone) as the students participated in daily computer-assisted instruction for development of reading readiness skills. Both students made fewer errors in the synthesized speech condition than in…

Eight adults with mild disabilities were successfully taught to write checks, complete deposit slips, and reconcile monthly bank statements using a personalized system of instruction which involved a self-paced manual, progression to new material only after demonstrating mastery of previous material, and repeated testing. (Author/JDD)

Reviews research on reading fluency and provides recommendations for teaching reading skills to students with mild disabilities. Interventions that are discussed include repeated reading, peer-mediated instruction, computer-guided practice, previewing, and combined instruction. (Author/CR)

School study teams' use of results from traditional psychoeducational measures in determining eligibility for special education is examined. Three groups of students were studied: (1) learning disabled (N=47); (2) mildly mentally retarded (N=43); (3) low achievers (N=60). Relatively low agreement was found between eligibility and research…

This study evaluated the effects of peer coaching of five low-performing special education teacher trainees learning to deliver direct instruction procedures to elementary students with mild disabilities. High-performing peers used videotapes and individual counseling to help trainees. Results indicated increased effective teaching behaviors by…

Considerate instruction, defined as combining effective teaching practices with effective teaching tools such as textbooks and media, is seen as successfully enabling students with sensory and mild cognitive disabilities to achieve. The concept is applied to the teaching of mathematics, science, reasoning, and history. (DB)

Pennsylvania requires intervention-assistance services prior to special education referral. This study evaluated the use of instructional support teams (ISTs) in nine urban Pennsylvania elementary schools with 140 children referred for intervention assistance due to academic and/or behavioral difficulties. Results suggested that the intervention…

The authors investigate the effect of schooling on the aspirations of young people designated as having mild learning difficulties (MLD) or emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD) in the first large-scale study of its kind in England. Data were collected from parents and their 15/16 year-old children in the final year of their compulsory…

This study investigated the peer acceptance of integrated students with disabilities as a function of severity of disability and amount of overall student variance in the class. The study involved 14 classrooms and 285 students. Of the 44 students with disabilities, 30 had been classified as mildly disabled and 14 as severely disabled. A…

This conference paper describes the use of integrated media-oriented instruction in a self-contained class at Yokohama Municipal Elementary School in Japan. Three students with mild disabilities, in grades 5 and 6, participated in the project. Integrated media (IM) is defined as the linkage of text, sound, video, graphics, and the computer in such…

This informational digest considers assistive technology for students with mild disabilities in the context of Public Law 100-407, the Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1988 which was designed to enhance the availability and quality of assistive technology devices and services to people with disabilities and…

Recent research indicates that problems in the transition from school to employment are frequent among students with learning disabilities, particularly those in rural areas. While a systematic approach to transition appears to be beneficial, the best method for implementing such an approach is still in question. One hundred seventeen special…