Evaluation of the unsuccessfully closed cases of 57 deaf vocational rehabilitation clients found that the presence of a secondary disability, a low family income, few years of formal education, inexperienced counselors, and reduced funding for rehabilitation were predictors of unsuccessful closure. (DB)

A survey of 54 personnel preparation programs in the education of the hearing impaired found that most teacher educators believe there is a need to modify existing curricula in order to prepare teachers of learning-disabled hearing-impaired students, though neither separate state certification nor a specific teacher preparation program was…

A blind multiply handicapped preschooler was taught to respond appropriately to two adjacency pair types ("where question-answer" and "comment-acknowledgement"). The two alternative language acquisition strategies available to blind children were encouraged: echolalia to maintain communicative interactions and manual searching…

Among developmentally disabled persons (N=35,000) young and middle aged adults were found to receive psychotropic medication at higher rates than children, adolescents, or elderly persons. Medication increased with severity of retardation, restrictiveness of residential setting, severity of problem behaviors, and presence of a psychiatric…

Analysis of characteristics of hearing-impaired United States preschoolers (birth through five years) in 1977 (N=2,044) and 1984 (N=2,404) revealed an increase in: hearing-impaired minority children; prematurity and "other" unspecified conditions as causes of hearing impairments; and multiply handicapped (especially physically disabled)…

The study examined the effects of a cued self-monitoring procedure (using a small light) on achievement and on-task behavior of two multiply handicapped hearing impaired students (ages 12 and 13). Weak effects on behavior and mixed performance results are discussed in the context of needed direction for further research. (Author/JW)

The study evaluated the effects of extended year (summer) programming with 36 multihandicapped students (ages 7-16). Data collected indicated that students enrolled in summer programming acquired new skills, and that acquisition was additive to skills acquired during this regular year. (Author/JW)

It is argued that the same problems associated with the learning disabilities classification for hearing children may accompany this emerging classification for deaf children. Problems are discussed in light of instructional methods, individual learning and motivational styles, and parents' tendency to promote the learning disability level.…

An analysis of legal and factual bases for designing an appropriate program for sensorily impaired children, consistent with P.L. 94-142, The Education For All Handicapped Children Act, asserts that state schools for the deaf and blind must continue to exist. (CL)

The relationship between chronological age, social age, motor, sensory and concept skills, and the orientation and mobility skills of 37 mentally retarded visually impaired children was examined. Results revealed a strong relationship between developmental level in the areas of motor, sensory, and concept skills, and mobility proficiency.…

The application of microtechnology in a school for multiply handicapped children is explained to include a language arts program stressing sentence formation and letter matching, production of artificial speech, and communication aids for physically impaired children. Adaptations for severe physical involvement and for visual impairments are…

The study confirmed previous research indicating that workshop training by itself is an ineffective method of increasing direct care staff compliance to treatment prescriptions, and that providing direct staff supervisors with a training and management tool (prescriptive checklists) may be an effective alternative for serving multihandicapped…

Two studies examined cross-modal transfer of sign language performance in 11 and 12 children (ages 6-17) with speech, language, or hearing disorders and mild to moderate retardation. Findings indicated that transfer from receptive to productive signing required explicit training, particularly of complex forms. (CL)

The study compared amount of instructional time in classrooms for severely multiply handicapped children when student/staff ratios ranged from 10:3 to 5:3. Results suggest a point at which instructional and noninstructional time are approximately equal, at a 2:1 student/staff ratio. Thereafter, gains in instructional time become less pronounced.…

Teacher-paced instruction was effective in reducing inappropriate mealtime behavior of a severely retarded and physically handicapped 10-year-old. Treatment was faded easily and quickly, and followup revealed maintenance of treatment effects. (Author/CL)