In this article Denise Chilvers and Angela Cole describe a school-based study which is located very much in an action-research idiom. Starting from a questioning, but collegial, stance on identifying positive interventions for children who challenge, the authors illustrate how theory and reflection on practice can lead to significant innovations…

This study investigates the application of voice recognition technology to online lectures focusing on the efficacy of the text component of a multimedia presentation. Specifically, participants were provided with online access to multimedia instructional packages comprising an image of the lecturer with accompanying computer slides, plus…

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a multisensory spelling intervention under two conditions using high-frequency words written in isolation and in context. The population for the study was 15 fourth and fifth grade students with learning disabilities. A randomized, pretest-posttest control group design was used. The…

Semiotics, the study of signs of all kinds, can be subdivided into (1) semantics, dealing with the meanings of signs and systems of signs; (2) pragmatics, dealing with inferential meaning; and (3) syntactics, dealing with the structure and systems of signs. As such, semiotics provides a useful framework for conceptualizing curriculum. Such a model…

The study developed and used a self-report graphic Multisensory Imagery Scale (MIS) to analyze imaginal behavior, and to test the hypothesis that multisensory (MS) imagery is a specific teacher competency associated with effective teaching, particularly in special education. The MIS was field-tested, abbreviated, performed on teacher trainees,…

A project to evaluate the effectiveness of 14 preschool centers in combining the services of family, community, and professional resources in a program to increase children's school readiness and potential for academic success involved eight hundred 3- and 4-year-olds and their parents. Meetings were held to teach parents to reinforce children's…

The chapters in this yearbook describe some of the experiences the individual authors have had in making and/or using multisensory aids in mathematics instruction. A number of different aids are noted to indicate the range of possibilities. Three more chapters set the stage for the remainder of the book which is divided into the following…

A study was made to determine whether instructional cues presented to the learner as variations of audiovisual and textual information including a cue summation condition (combined textual, pictorial, and auditory cues) can facilitate the achievement of precise instructional objectives. Some 112 education students enrolled in a course on mental…

Seven New York City urban education programs were evaluated under the direction of the state urban education coordinator, and the evaluation reports on those programs are included here. The seven programs are: Strengthening Basic Skills in the Junior High School, Reading Diagnostic Centers, Multi-Sensory Stations, Guidance Interim Class, Bilingual…

The purpose of the Dyslexia Association, established by school officials, teachers, and parents of the Natchez-Adams County School District, was to explore the nature, diagnostic techniques, and remediation of this learning disability in order to establish a specific program in the public schools. Procedures were developed which could be used by…

In order to reach and teach homeless adults, teachers must acknowledge each student as an individual and take into account the talents and intelligences each person possesses. Students should be encouraged to share their backgrounds, both as a source of improving their self-esteem and as a starting point for enhancing their educational work.…

These four newsletters focus on issues related to adult basic education and the challenges faced when teaching adult learners. The first issue looks at the characteristics of learning disabilities, providing information to help teachers determine whether a learner has a learning disability and who might be appropriately referred for testing. The…

In a study 12 normal children and 12 reading disabled (word recognition difficulties) children (mean age 9.2 years) were compared for reading and listening comprehension to test whether disabled readers, given an auditory presentation, would show comprehension of material comparable to that of normal readers given visual presentation. (PHR)

The progress of 138 elementary students with specific learning disabilities was followed as they were instructed using the Alphabetic Phonics curriculum. After 3 years, the curriculum produced significant progress in reading comprehension for average and above average students, though below average students did not advance substantially in…

A research review on the use of Snoezelen (multisensory training) with people with mental retardation demonstrates a wide range of positive outcomes, though there is little evidence of generalization even to the immediate post-Snoezelen environment. The issue of staff attitudes and the place of Snoezelen in facilitating positive interactions is…