This paper presents a summary of the current status of efforts to include students with mental retardation in mainstream educational programs. It begins with a summary of a New Jersey federal court's ruling requiring more inclusive education and a discussion of the commitment of the Arc (formerly The Association for Retarded Citizens of the United…

This document describes a community resource plan developed for rural special educators at a small elementary school near Salem, Oregon. The plan was designed for the specific needs of rural special educators, who generally have greater need for materials, personnel support, and financing than their urban counterparts. The resource plan includes:…

A study explored the effects on both students and teachers of an alternative service delivery model (different from the traditional removal approach) for serving both low-achieving and learning-disabled (LD) students. The process-consultation model was chosen as the topic of this study. To its usual in-class team approach was added a focus on…

Cognitive and achievement levels were analyzed for 192 students (grades 1-12) served in generic special education resource rooms in a Texas community, using cognitive and achievement test data, service delivery information, and demographic data. Grade levels of the subjects were used as a constant in the data analysis. Among reported findings were…

Variability of attention to task and its relation to instructional contexts for learning disabled (LD) children was investigated. Subjects were 24 mainstreamed elementary grade LD children. The children's behaviors relating to academic engagement and the situational contexts in which they occurred were observed and coded in both the regular class…

A brief description is provided of a successful peer tutoring model implemented by Portsmouth High School (New Hampshire) in which student tutors volunteer to work under the direct supervision of the special educator on reading, math, science, and pre-vocational skills. Peer tutor responsibilities on assisting students in reading are presented,…

Part of a 10 booklet series on talented and gifted education, the booklet discusses developing and administering policy for talented and gifted students. Some aspects to be considered before implementing a new policy are considered, including social issues, administrative concerns, trends in talented and gifted programs, and instructional…

The Tillamook program provides support to learning disabled students who experience difficulty in science, social studies, and other content areas in the regular class setting, as a result of mainstreaming efforts. The program model includes a professionally staffed resource room, a diagnostic-prescriptive team, and a library of multimedia…

This action research study examined the effectiveness of Touch Math, a math series that emphasizes use of manipulatives, to improve mathematics achievement with four third or fourth grade students with special needs (either mild mental retardation, learning disability, or health impairment). The students received mathematics instruction for 45…

This practicum was designed to improve the problem solving skills and social language skills of 19 elementary grade students with emotional disabilities through coordination of school professionals and direct instruction. Problem solving skills taught by special education teachers were reinforced during small group speech and language resource…

This report contains data on students with disabilities (ages 3-21) in South Carolina public schools during the 1996-97 school year. The data indicate that special education students (ages 5-21) represent 12.9 percent of the student enrollment in South Carolina. The included data charts depict the following information: (1) children with…

Interviews with 15 ninth and tenth grade students with learning disabilities (LD), their parents, and their resource teachers determined that the Self-Advocacy Plan is an effective program clarifying students' perceptions of their roles as learners with LD, increasing their understanding of LD as a condition, and developing awareness of…

A survey of 48 secondary-level learning disability content teachers and 45 basic skills teachers examined their relationship with the mainstream, curricular structure, instructional methodology, and students' behavioral characteristics. The two groups differed little in how they taught but more in how they perceived their interactions and their…

This study of 20 sixth- and seventh-grade students with learning disabilities receiving social studies instruction found that prelesson learning set activities (including interactive review of previous instruction, statements of lesson objectives and expectations, and discussion of the lesson's importance) resulted in significantly better…

This article tells the story of one elementary school faculty who responded to the call for accountability by adopting an inclusive view and implementing educational practices where all students were welcomed and considered valuable, contributing members of the school community. The inclusion of students with disabilities in the general education…