Investigated interactions among 18 African American mother-infant pairs participating in an early intervention program for infants with developmental delays or at risk for developmental disabilities. The hypothesis that mothers would become less responsive to infants over time as a function of drug addiction, poverty, or serious developmental…

This study evaluated the effectiveness and desirability of dual communication boards as receptive and expressive forms of communication by 3 deaf-blind students (ages 16-21) in community-based vocational instruction settings. One year after implementation, students and communication partners were successfully using the boards. Use of dual boards…

This position paper of the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities urges comprehensive transition planning for students with learning disabilities, especially as applied to their progression from secondary to postsecondary education. It outlines the roles and responsibilities of the student, parent, secondary school personnel, and…

The obligations of law schools, under federal law, to accommodate faculty with disabilities are examined. Employment provisions of the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the definition of a disabled individual are reviewed, and real and hypothetical scenarios in hiring and employing law teachers are…

Assessment of the impact of the Life Centered Career Education curriculum on 23 special education students in a small rural high school revealed that special education students increased their job skills to a level comparable to that attained by regular education students. However, special education students did not report fewer barriers to…

Examines six issues that can make or break an inclusion program (commitment, flexible scheduling, working as a team, making modifications, classroom setup, and believing in the students). Information is provided on statistics on inclusion by state, percentages of students with various disabilities in regular classrooms, and resources and…

A survey of 397 parents of infants and toddlers with disabilities and 226 early intervention service coordinators (SCs) was conducted to identify necessary factors for successful SC-parent collaboration. Surveys indicated that interpersonal skills were critical for successful collaboration. A microcounseling model involving behavioral consultation…

This article profiles a third-grader with physical and learning disabilities to exemplify the use of physical and occupational therapy in school and the teamwork required to achieve inclusion and to facilitate a comprehensive educational program. Providing related services in an educational environment is discussed, along with legal requirements.…

This article argues that if the policy of inclusion in Great Britain is to have value, impact, and longevity it needs to be considered in the light of the prevailing real-world context of special education-focused teacher education. Recommendations are made for addressing special education in teacher education programs. (Contains references.) (CR)

This article considers links between instructional group size and student engagement, caseload and academic achievement, and caseload and special educator attrition. Findings indicate larger caseload and group sizes negatively affect math and reading achievement, student engagement increases when group sizes decrease, and high teacher attrition…

This article recommends revamping special education certification to support quality education in inclusive settings by aligning special education certification with general education certification, allowing for collaborative teacher training for general and special education at the initial certification level, and providing advanced training for…

This commentary reviews previous articles highlighting key issues relevant to special education teacher certification. It discusses the low percentage of students who complete teacher education courses and are teaching three years later, the need to restructure special education certification, and the promise of distance education in teacher…

A study examined the causal effects of distal and proximal risk factors for the use of gateway substances by 136 Mexican American adolescents (ages 11-15) identified with learning disabilities. Factors included peer delinquency, school satisfaction, self-esteem, language acculturation, socialization acculturation, self-reported delinquency,…

This article reviews resources that offer personal insights and lessons from families of children with disabilities. Five books are reviewed that offer perspectives from fathers and mothers on raising and coping with a child with a disability, along with three Web sites for families of children with disabilities or premature infants. (CR)

Analysis of survey responses of 37 directors of special education revealed that states are complying with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (1997 amendments) in developing disciplinary policies and monitoring procedures, in providing training and technical assistance concerning discipline to school districts, and in developing…