This study, involving 24 children or adolescents with pervasive developmental disorders, assessed 3 autism scales: Autism Behavior Checklist, Real Life Rating Scale, and Childhood Autism Rating Scale. The study analyzed interrater reliability, correlations between pairs of the three scales, diagnostic classification cutoff scores, and…

The Autism Behavior Checklist was completed for 67 autistic and 56 mentally retarded and learning-disabled children (ages 6-15). The checklist was effective in classifying children when using either the full scale or only the more highly weighted items. Results did not support a single unidimensional scale or subdividing the checklist into five…

Examines racial identity attitudes that characterize African-American people at different stages of life and the relationship of these attitudes to several demographic variables, using the model of psychological nigrescence of W. E. Cross with 37 male and 77 female adults. Findings suggest that the model may require expansion. (SLD)

To provide a systematic means of selecting hearing-impaired children for cochlear implants, the Children's Implant Profile has been developed for use by teams of educational staff. The profile assesses 11 factors, such as speech and language abilities, family support, and cognitive learning style. A case study illustrates the process. (PB)

Written feedback was collected from 170 parents and professionals concerning psychoeducational reports about 80 children referred to pediatric hospitals for suspected learning difficulties. Reports were generally rated favorably for understandability, explanatory value, and utility. Parents gave lower ratings for understandability and reported…

Two parent report inventories geared at assessing language skills in toddlers are examined, in terms of reliability, validity, and application. The MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory: Toddlers and the Language Development Survey are compared and their combined use in handicap identification is discussed. (PB)

Discusses the tendency of whites to deflect attention from racism, which is the main problem underlying the need for multicultural education, and suggests a role for whites in examining their own generally unrecognized white racial bonding. To mitigate effects of white racial bonding, advocates of multicultural education must recognize them. (SLD)

The progress of a Chicano prison inmate in a tutorial literacy course demonstrates ways in which writing can negotiate and reorganize race, class, gender, and power identities for both tutor and student, and legitimize the voice, native language, and discourse stance of the student. (SLD)

Examines problems inherent in the overuse of testing as a way to identify giftedness, especially with respect to assessing the culturally diverse. Use of portfolios is suggested as an alternative procedure that can provide a more equitable and culturally fair assessment of the culturally and linguistically diverse child. (SLD)

Reviews and critiques the ethnic preference research that views minorities' own-group preference behavior as indicative of self-esteem and identity achievement. The assumption that own-group preference is ideal, normative, or healthy is called into question; and an alternative conceptualization is presented that considers age and maturity of the…

Identifies factors that inhibit the recruitment and retention of minority students in gifted education programs including screening and identification issues (definitions and instrumentation); educational issues (quality of students' education); and personnel issues (lack of teacher training in gifted and urban education, low teacher referral).…

In examining the issue of overrepresentation of minority students in special education, this article distinguishes between the percentage of category or program by group and percentage of group in category or program, which provide very different perspectives. Caution in interpreting data from the Office of Civil Rights relating "race/ethnicity"…

Reviews the continuing overrepresentation of African-American children and youth in special education programs for students with learning disabilities, severe emotional or behavioral disabilities, and mental disabilities. Uses a critical-theory model to examine how basic assumptions, world views, beliefs, and epistemologies serve to perpetuate…

Two cohorts of 3694 second-grade children were screened for emotional/behavioral disorders (EBD). Children were identified by using the current federally mandated definition and by also using an alternative definition that requires school and parent involvement in determining symptom presence. Most participants were identified by schools as…

Explores the dynamics of ethnic identity for a Hispanic population, paying particular attention to determinants of inconsistent ethnic identification. Finds that English monolingualism and attendance of schools with few Hispanic students are strongly associated with inconsistent identity; areas with larger Hispanic populations are associated less…