The universal playground, designed for the full spectrum of developmental abilities, works to the advantage of children with special needs. The universal playground includes spring rides, work and play tables, sympathetic swings, sand tables, steering wheels, gadget panels, wide slides, adjustable basketball hoops, and music panels. (JDD)

The feasibility of an intensified integrated camping experience for three children with and five children without severe disabilities was evaluated, as was the impact of integrated programing on camp staff attitudes. Following the two-week program, disabled children demonstrated improvements in targeted skills, nondisabled campers increased their…

Sheltered workshops are asserted to be failing to provide mentally retarded clients with appropriate work experiences because of low wage rates, unavailability of work, changing industrial forecasts for blue collar employment, financial dependence, tax returns, segregation, and normalization issues. (Author/DB)

Families (N=102) of disabled children in an Israeli kibbutz were interviewed. Parental stress was found to be reduced by the availability of material and financial resources, sharing in day-to-day child care, and overall community acceptance. Parents did experience a sense of loneliness and concerns about their children's social integration and…

Described are efforts to integrate special and regular elementary-level students from two separate but adjacent facilities. Three years after the special school's opening, observational data and questionnaires revealed almost total segregation. Subsequently, an intensive intervention program generated promising, short-term movement toward…

The study compared attitudes of 50 subjects on mental health policy when presented with vignettes expressed in "community care" terms or matched alternatives. The "community care" linguistic construction resulted in more favorable policy ratings and estimates of integration of the handicapped. Findings suggest linguistic framing may be important…

Analysis of 1980 state-level data found that white suicide rates were associated with variables indicating social instability, while American Indian suicide rates were negatively related to wealth and urbanization. Both white and Indian homicide rates were related to social instability; Indian rates were also negatively related to unemployment.…

This article presents case examples that illustrate strategies for promoting natural job supports for employees with disabilities. Strategies include, among others, collaborating with work-site personnel to develop modifications and providing general consultation on person-environment factors that promote the success of the supported employee and…

This commentary refutes use of segregation and institutionalization as a legitimate lifestyle strategy for individuals with mental retardation. It contends that advocates of this strategy have never justified its use with valid research and calls for integration that is carefully parsed into its various expressions, the highest form being valued…

In a survey, 50 continuing education faculty expressed concern about setting the right climate in the first session of a course. They attempt to balance students' needs and concerns with course and content issues. Although they wanted to create the proper social climate, they were only moderately concerned about "getting acquainted." (SK)

Fifty-four adults with developmental disabilities living independently in three different communities were interviewed about their social interactions during seven consecutive days. The study concluded that a satisfactory level of integration was not occurring when judged by subjects' interactions with persons without disabilities. (Author/DB)

This paper reports results of surveys administered in 1989 and 1990 to 197 Zimbabwean teachers. Results indicated low levels of acceptance of integration of pupils with disabilities, despite official educational policy supporting integration. Attitudes differed depending on specific impairment and whether the teacher's own classroom or classrooms…

Summarizes the main points presented in the 1989 book, "The Death of Black English" by R.R. Butlers (1989). Butler's book presents most important research of last 20 years and subjects the results to variation analysis. It is concluded that the history of linguistic assimilation points to the eventual disappearance of Black English in…

Many deaf students become perennial "outsiders," never really becoming an integral part of their mainstream classrooms. Factors contributing to this may include family dynamics, teacher attitudes, and lack of interactions between deaf and hearing children. Parents can promote their child's integration, through accessing home, school, and community…

This study interviewed students (n=24) participating in the University of Washington's Early Entrance Program. Students were unanimous in their satisfaction with their choice to forego major high school social events and found attitudes toward them sometimes annoying. (DB)