Describes the work of the Toussaint Institute, a nonprofit organization that places African-American male students in about 53 African-American independent schools in New York City. The institute investigates the schools, places and monitors students, and helps schools become local and national resources. Advantages of these schools are described.…

Discusses treatment modalities for drug-abusing women. The following are barriers that prevent women, particularly pregnant women, from getting treatment they need: (1) lack of programs admitting women; (2) lack of programs tailored to women; and (3) fear and isolation experienced by drug-abusing women. (SLD)

Future special education placement bias litigation can be prevented if special education and related services programs meet certain principles of responsibility, including ensuring the development of effective interventions in regular education, using assessment procedures that are oriented toward intervention rather than student classification,…

Studies ethnic differences in parent involvement and ways to increase involvement of low-income parents. Interviews with 83 parents (51 identified as Latino) of 83 students indicated parent attitudes. An intervention with 58 families of 119 kindergarten and first grade students resulted in greater participation than for 61 control families. (SLD)

This article on the social behavior problems of children with language disorders who have or are at risk for developing emotional or behavioral disorders examines: prevalence of these disorders, social functioning of these children, early precursors to social competence, relationship challenges of school-age children, implications for assessment…

A professional development project was designed to support teachers in planning communication interventions with students having moderate/severe mental retardation. Special emphasis was on systemic and personal factors in adopting change and on training activities to foster application of skills. A program evaluation instrument focusing on teacher…

Interest in the dropout question has centered on the disadvantaged dropout. The gifted or talented dropout has not been addressed, but some characteristics of gifted students at risk of dropping out can be recognized. Interventions that take individual learning styles and developmental needs into account can be derived. (SLD)

Traces strategies for preventing high school dropouts from the traditional reliance on remediation or incentives to recent negative sanctions (e.g., West Virginia's "no school, no drive" law). The General Educational Development Program serves those who return voluntarily to school after having realized the importance of education. (JB)

Describes 17 family education programs considered innovative and promising. The programs selected target low-income families with children between three and eight and are linked with public schools. All of them work with parents to enhance children's cognitive development and academic achievement. Summarizes methods used in recruitment, staffing,…

This article describes common forms of relaxation training that can be used with at-risk or exceptional students in remedial, special education, or regular settings. In addition to reviewing salient research assessing the effects of relaxation training on reading achievement, attention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, self-concept, stress, and…

Because research does not support the efficacy of any single service delivery arrangement for all mildly handicapped and at-risk students, the best approach is to maintain familiar service delivery structures while testing new ones. Direct instruction and behavioral interventions are probably the most effective classroom strategies with most of…

Describes a qualitative research project examining homelessness's effects on children's schooling, highlighting a South Carolina intervention program's success. Research disclosed an informal homelessness "caste system," the political unpopularity of providing homeless services, homeless kids' high rates of academic failure and problem…

Reviews past and present research on early communication and language intervention at the Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, presenting three premises that inform most of the Kennedy Center's research on the issue, summarizing seven lines of contemporary research by Kennedy Center investigators that influence the development of…

Describes a model of comprehensive individualized support for young children (ages 24 to 48 months) with severe developmental disabilities, including autism, based on a triad of essential elements: (1) development of functional communication skills; (2) supported participation in socially inclusive environments; and (3) multifaceted family…

Evaluated effects of Chicago Child-Parent Center and Expansion Program on 559 low-income, inner-city African American children. Found that program participation for two or three years after preschool and kindergarten was associated with higher reading achievement up to seventh grade and lower cumulative grade retention and special education…