A study involving two children (ages 7-8) with autism and eight typical peers investigated the efficacy of Pivotal Response Training implemented by multiple peers in enhancing social competency of children with autism. After treatment, the subjects engaged in high levels of interactions, initiations, varied toy play, and language use. (Author/CR)

Twenty-six suggestions for setting up a class environment in which children with learning or behavior problems can develop friendships are presented, including integrating friendship into the curriculum, teaching necessary social skills, structuring successful recess and lunch periods, honoring children's friendships in placement decisions, and…

A survey of 224 early childhood special education public school programs in Massachusetts obtained information on program implementation, child characteristics, program settings, service characteristics, teacher characteristics, family involvement, and funding/administration. Results revealed important variations among school districts in…

Adaptations to the Candy Land board game to allow play by children with moderate or severe disabilities are suggested, such as attaching a small photograph of the student to the marker and using large heavily weighted markers. Ways to generalize new skills and gradually remove the adaptations are discussed. (DB)

Describes focus groups held with 26 community college students to help develop survey questions for determining the social integration of nontraditional students. Indicates that three themes emerged: peer support, merging of social and academic integration in the classroom, and faculty facilitation of peer support groups. (19 citations) (BCY)

A kindergarten rodeo organized by teachers in Hector, Arkansas, rekindled family and community interest in the school and helped develop a sense of connectedness and inclusiveness toward Hispanic families new to this previously all-White, Protestant community. Contains 14 references. (TD)

This study evaluated a social skills training program with 18 deaf children (ages 9 to 13) in mainstream settings in three elementary schools in the Canary Islands. It found the intervention improved students' social problem solving skills and their assertive skills. However, no significant differences in social or academic integration as judged…

A review of 33 studies in which mainstreamed or included students with deafness were compared to another group found that hearing students were more socially mature than deaf included students, deaf students and their deaf classmates interacted more, and deaf students were somewhat accepted by hearing classmates. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

Concern about the high dropout rate among Mexican American high school students promoted a study to investigate how acculturation and social support influence academic achievement. Students who were highly integrated and strongly bicultural tended to have higher academic achievement. Females tended to have high GPAs; males were slightly more…

Domains of cultural orientation such as language, social affiliation, and cultural pride, were examined in Chinese American college students (N=353) to see how they related to self-esteem. Cultural orientation significantly predicted self-esteem differences. Cultural predictors of self-esteem varied by gender; self-esteem was mainly related to…

Korean, Chinese, and Japanese high school students (N=274) responded to a questionnaire concerning their coping strategies about immigrating to the United States. Communication difficulties were the most common problem for the three immigrant groups. The specific means each group used to cope with immigration are discussed along with how…

We need, says the author, to stop pretending that class doesn't exist and begin to critically consider it as rigorously as we do race and gender. Because social class can play a significant role in explaining the college experiences of women and students of color from working-class backgrounds, it must play a significant role in defining…

The present study, through the use of focus groups, identified the academic activities and support services perceived by engineering students as having a positive impact on their academic performance. The results suggest three primary factors: (a) individual effort and involvement, (b) peer interaction, and (c) faculty contact. Differences in…

The number of female prisoners continues to grow in the United States, yet most examinations of how to increase reintegration and reduce recidivation focus on the needs of the predominantly male prisoner population. As a result, prison education programs and post-release environments often leave women unprepared and facing special risks. This…

Reports on a ethnographic study that investigated how immigrant high school students used Cantonese and English to achieve academic and social success in a Canadian high school where English was the language of instruction. Argues that immigrant students found meaningful ways to acquire the cultural capital of the dominant society. (CAJ)