The report considers two major issues in the provision of special education services to handicapped children in Minnesota schools: eligibility for instruction and services, and effectiveness of special education programs. The first chapter provides an overview of special education programs in the state, with data on number and types of children…

Since 1955, deinstitutionalization has brought 1.5 million chronic mental patients back into the community. Studies have shown that perception and citizen support of this population vary greatly. To investigate responses to encounters with chronic mental patients in public settings, 160 college students responded to vignettes manipulated for four…

Prevention and problem solving approaches to behavior management in classrooms for behaviorally disordered (BD) students are reviewed. Attention is focused on positive strategies teachers can use to manage inappropriate behavior and to teach students alternative appropriate behaviors. The following components of prevention that contribute to a…

This directory contains information about organizations in the United States that offer support, education, referral, advocacy, and other assistance to parents of children and youth with emotional and behavioral disorders. Organizations included are those identified as providing one or more of the following services: education and information;…

Twelve author-contributed papers representing a cross-section of resarch, practice, and professional opinion are presented from a conference on severe behavior disorders of children and youth. The keynote paper, "In Search of Excellence in Special Education" by T. Lovitt is followed by these papers: "Autism: Some Commonly Accepted Presumptions"…

The Florida Mental Health Institute and the Department of Special Education, both at the University of South Florida, have created a practicum program for teacher trainees in behavior disorders. The program was designed as an intensive, sequenced approach for training in basic academic and behavioral skills related to successful teaching…

The article focuses on administrative policy issues related to reintegration of students with emotional and behavioral difficulties from special into mainstream schools in England. Based on the results of interviews with administrators and teachers, readiness factors are discussed and administrative guidelines to prepare for reentry are outlined.…

The study investigated the relationship between topographically different child behaviors (compliance and inappropriate activities) in four mentally retarded subjects (aged 3-5) by using a methodology that tests for response covariation. Regardless of the intervention used, the behavior targeted, or the direction manipulated, the nontargeted…

A rationale for the establishment of human rights review procedures within local education agencies is presented, focusing on students who have severe behavior problems with or without mental retardation, for whom intrusive behavioral treatments are considered. Topics discussed include informed consent, committee review, due process, and least…

A consultation model provided technical assistance in the areas of behavior management and curriculum design for the treatment of severe behavior problems exhibited by persons with severe/profound retardation and dual sensory impairments (deaf/blind). Four of the five clients showed significant behavioral improvements as a result of the…

Results of a series of three experiments with four developmentally disabled males (ages 7-13) who exhibited hand flapping and body rocking indicated that some forms of repetitive stereotyped behaviors may serve social functions (e.g., escape from aversive situations), and that teaching a functionally equivalent communicative alternative can be an…

To collect data on program descriptions in the field of serious emotional disturbance/behavioral disorders, an instrument was developed and field tested with 145 school districts. Findings indicated that few comprehensive program descriptions (outlining student identification procedures, instructional methods, community involvement, evaluation,…

This study sought to determine the effects of an instructional pause procedure on the verb identification performance of eight 8th- and 9th-grade students with severe behavior disorders. Seven of the students showed improvements of 14 percent to 29 percent, and significant generalization to student-generated written work was also demonstrated.…

Investigated were the effects of a jogging program on talking out and out of seat behaviors exhibited by six elementary-aged behaviorally disordered students in a resource room setting. Results indicate a decrease in the occurrence of both behaviors following jogging for five of the six students. (Author/JDD)

A study of the reintegration of 382 severely emotionally disturbed/behaviorally disordered students (preschool through secondary) into less restrictive programs revealed that the expected continuum of services (most to least restrictive) were reversed. The predominant placement was full integration, followed in descending order by resource and…