This final report discusses the activities and outcomes of a 4-year federally funded project designed to provide effective practices in the delivery of educational services to Pennsylvania children and youth with deafblindness from birth through 21 years of age and to their families and service providers. Outcomes of the project included: (1)…

These two journal issues discuss topics relating to the physical and health disabilities of children and adults. The first issue contains the following articles: (1) "Position Statement on Specialized Health Care Procedures," by the Council for Exceptional Children's Division on Physical and Health Disabilities that calls for all…

The 2004 College Applicant Survey (CAS) describes the college-bound applicant pool by covering a broad range of areas including key demographics, factors influencing college selection, academic background and financial preparedness. It is the most comprehensive and the richest source of survey data to date on applicants to the Ontario Colleges of…

Effectively teaching low-achieving and learning disabled students is challenging. Concept-based instruction is recognized as a particularly effective technique for helping students in these populations attain high levels of achievement (Tindal, Nolet, & Blake, 1992). The maze (a reading selection where certain words have been deleted and…

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was the basis for a deaf student's successful suit against a private college for failure to provide funds for an interpreter. Implications for private colleges and an argument for the unconstitutionality of the law as applied to private postsecondary institutions are discussed. (AF)

A three-year study investigated two areas of inquiry in the field of special education: (1) maintaining students with disabilities within general education kindergarten environment; and (2) impact of hypermedia software technology on the learning of kindergarten students. Results suggest that hypermedia pre-reading materials hold significant…

Ten factors are discussed for promoting the success of students who are deaf: family involvement; self-determination; extracurricular activities; friendships and social skills; self-advocacy skills; collaboration and communication with general education teachers; pre-teaching and post-teaching materials in general education classrooms;…

Specific guidelines for assessing the unique needs of migrant handicapped students include: identifying the student's language and cultural background, examining adaptive behavior, determining the student's medical needs, involving migrant parents, choosing appropriate assessment instruments, employing curriculum-based assessment, and establishing…

Describes five disorders (attention deficit disorder, traumatic brain injury, fetal alcohol syndrome, prenatal substance abuse, and fragile X syndrome) that are part of a proliferation of categories of behavioral disorders, examining how special and general education might approach problems potentially inherent in the process of including students…

A survey about inclusion of children with disabilities in early-childhood settings was responded to by 172 parents, practicing professionals in early-childhood programs, university-based trainers, and preservice students. Professional competence and importance of skills were rated for five domains: (1) working with families, (2) performance-based…

This article describes the Woodcock Diagnostic Reading Battery, an instrument designed to assess the abilities and achievements of individuals ages 4 through 90 in the areas of basic reading skills, reading comprehension, phonological awareness, oral language comprehension, and reading aptitude. Its administration, standardization, reliability,…

This article describes the Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests Revised/Normative Update, an instrument designed to assess reading ability in students in grades K-12, undergraduate college students, and adults. The tests evaluate basic reading skills, reading comprehension, and reading readiness. Its administration, standardization, reliability, and…

This commentary discusses some of the challenges teacher education programs face in preparing teachers for working with students with disabilities. Trends toward making teacher education more authentic, increasing opportunities for practicum experiences, and focusing on the abilities of teacher candidates to achieve student learning are…

Uses ecological systems theory as framework for review of research underlying inclusive early-childhood programs. Describes definitions of and rationales for inclusion, and demographics of inclusive programs and staff. Discusses research at microsystem and mesosystem levels related to classroom practices, social interaction, and teacher beliefs;…

This article discusses the problem of translating research results into special education practices. It stresses that achieving effective research in schools requires extensive collaboration between researchers and practitioners, and outlines the role of researchers, practitioners, faculty in teacher preparation programs, state departments of…