The courts are holding that the services that a school district must provide to its handicapped students do not include those that would require a considerable expenditure of additional funds or the hiring of additional staff. (MLF)

This literature review addresses the question of whether or not children, adolescents, and adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and the parents of those with ADHD have lowered self-esteem when compared to children, adolescents, and adults without ADHD and the parents of children without ADHD. The research is inconclusive on…

Designed for teaching the related services staff, residential care providers, and families of individuals with severe hearing and vision impairments, this booklet explains the issues related to developing a communication system using textures. The texture symbols described are intended for use by individuals with dual sensory and multiple…

This booklet provides suggestions and techniques to promote and enhance the music education of British children who have visual impairments. The following issues are addressed: (1) recognizing early signs of interest; (2) choosing an instrument; (3) choosing a teacher; (4) getting started; (5) providing lessons; (6) practicing; (7) signs of…

A new definition of and position statement concerning learning disabilities (LD) was developed by the National Joint Committee for Learning Disabilities in response to concerns of professionals and parents regarding the federal definition of LD. Journal Availability: See EC 152 480. (SEW)

Examined approaches to the design of an assessment procedure for the child with cerebral palsy. Suggests the concept of an open-ended grid that cross-references basic psychological processes with expressive modality is a means of systematizing the individual evaluation. (Author)

Since each disabled student must be considered individually, planning and implementing a realistic individualized education program while meeting the mandates of the law will always be difficult. The primary objective of educational diagnosis should be to determine the child's present level of functioning. (JN)

Considers whether mental retardation can be considered a concomitant disability associated with learning disabilities or whether these are mutually exclusive categories. Emerging issues concerning definitions, classification, etiology, and lifelong development of these students are addressed. Also discussed are appropriate educational curricula,…

This study, involving a 10-year-old child with cerebral palsy and autism, found that the use of headphones resulted in an increase in on-task behavior whether stimuli were presented in an audiovisual mode, an audio-only mode, or a visual-only mode. Preference was for the auditory only or the mixed audiovisual stimuli. (DB)

Assessment of 67 elementary-aged subjects with behavioral/emotional disturbances admitted to a school and day treatment program within a psychoeducational center found that 54 percent exhibited some kind of speech and/or language disorder. Implications for diagnosis and treatment are discussed. (JDD)

Three high-school students with deafness and additional disabilities used microcomputer software featuring graphics and cartoons to improve their creative writing. Though use of correct syntactic structures did not improve, output of written language did increase. Descriptions of the software used and case studies of the three students are…

Discussed are principles of nonverbal therapy for deaf children with disorders in the development of self, and the possible existence of a relationship between lack of auditory experiences in deaf children and disorders in mother-child bonding. A case study presents a three-year-old deaf boy successfully treated through a nonverbal…

Research on relationships among depression, social withdrawal, reticence, and language disorders in children is reviewed. Methodological issues regarding the assessment of depression and social withdrawal are raised, and alternative assessment procedures are proposed for further research. Implications for intervention are discussed, emphasizing…

Time delay was used to successfully teach two elementary aged children with severe mental retardation and significant concomitant handicapping conditions how to request food or drink. Suggestions for implementing time delay with students not able to generalize imitative responses or to wait for a prompt are offered. (Author/DB)

An orientation and mobility (O&M) instructor presents a case study of a blind 14 year old with mild cognitive deficits and emotional and behavioral problems. The case study demonstrates the importance of individualizing the O&M curriculum, including changing the usual sequence of instruction. (DB)