A survey of 103 Canadian and U.S. medical schools found 93 accepted students with learning disabilities whereas 10 did not. Only two-thirds had support programs, and half lacked capacity to diagnose learning disabilities. Twenty-five did not know they could administer licensing examinations in a nonstandard manner. Nineteen had no senior…

A Javits grant implemented statewide in Kentucky used innovative curriculum and team teaching to identify and serve middle school gifted students. Project components included interdisciplinary curriculum development, staff development, expanded provision of services, alternative methods for identifying middle school gifted students, and parent…

Describes a project for first and second graders involving gathering and interpreting survey data from another student they have never met to identify the student at the end of the project. Includes sample curricular goals and instructional strategies. (MKR)

Reviews recent research on the epidemiology, subject characteristics, and service needs of the homeless population who are dually diagnosed to suffer both severe mental illness and substance abuse disorders. Discusses evolving approaches to providing social services, various treatments, system and legal issues, and problems with current research.…

Geographic region is a useful starting point for thinking about multiculturalism. Multiculturalism encompasses a regional view that acknowledges the value of different vantage points and environments. A bibliography is included of works on the American West that illustrate these points. Editorial notes provide additional titles. (SLD)

Issues to be considered in evaluating a program for the musically gifted are presented as a series of questions evaluators and teachers in the field should ask. The following are considered: (1) student characteristics; (2) participant evaluation; (3) curriculum development; (4) teacher characteristics; and (5) outcomes. (SLD)

The reasons Emporia State University (Kansas) selected American College Testing Program composite scores only to identify freshman recipients of a no-need scholarship are discussed. First-semester performance of recipients with discrepant preadmission scores are used to support a recommendation that a weighted combination of pre-admission variates…

Several assessment procedures were analyzed to determine their ability to discriminate below-average from above-average readers among 50 first graders. Results indicated that language tests were more successful in classifying reading skills than were sensory-motor and perceptual procedures. Clear cut asymmetrical hemispheric specializations,…

A direct observation procedure was used to evaluate first-grade children identified in kindergarten as at risk for development of conduct disorders based on behavior problem incidence rates of schools, teacher reports of school readiness, and parents' ratings of child behavior. High-risk kindergarten children demonstrated first-grade difficulties…

A study that followed 1,008 children from prekindergarten through grade seven or eight for 13 years found that defining reading comprehension disability in terms of a discrepancy between group-administered tests of listening and reading comprehension provided a fairly accurate estimate of the stability, gender ratio, and prevalence of the…

Recounts two personal experiences of graduate school work on Indian Reservations. For one student, it was a returning home to the culture she was familiar with but for the other, who only learned about her Native American heritage in high school, it was an awakening. Their experiences led them to consider the identity problems they observed among…

This article describes the development of a school-based dysphagia team (swallowing action team (SWAT)) in Louisiana. It addresses how the team was initially formed, the process of identifying students who were exhibiting a swallowing disorder, steps taken for staff development, and problems encountered in seeking administrative approval.…

This article describes the Behavior Assessment System for Children, a multimethod, multidimensional approach to evaluating the behaviors and self-perceptions of children ages 2.6 to 18 years. The BASC contains a Teacher Rating Scale, a Parent Rating Scale, and a Child Self-Report of Personality. Its administration, reliability, and validity are…

This article describes the Comprehensive Assessment of Reading Strategies, a six-level diagnostic series for evaluating mastery of 12 reading strategies at each level by students in grades 3 through 8, as well as allowing for their metacognitive self-assessment. Its administration, standardization; reliability, and validity are discussed.…

A study examining 14 introductory textbooks in exceptionalities, published between 1992 and 1995, found that the cultural diversity topics discussed most consistently included bilingual issues, identification and assessment issues, overrepresentation in special education, underrepresentation in gifted programs, and the relationship of culture to…