Medical problems of 262 children attending special schools for persons having intellectual impairments in Jordan were examined. The most common problems were neurological problems (affecting 38.55%), followed by dental disease, orthopedic problems, vision and eye problems, hearing/ear problems, urinary diseases, and heart problems. (JDD)

This paper highlights the historical, social, and legal aspects of Spain's movement to integrate special education students. Differences in constitutional and legislative foundations as well as in practical mainstreaming efforts and professional roles between the U.S. and Spain are noted. Educators are warned to not uncritically replicate other…

Sixty-three New Zealand schools were surveyed concerning establishment of Support Teacher positions to assist children with special needs. Results are discussed in terms of drift from the support team model, differences between primary and secondary schools in model implementation, the importance of training, and the importance of an active…

Caring for Parent Caregivers, an Australian support program to empower parents of children with intellectual disabilities and thereby strengthen family resources, was evaluated using quantitative and qualitative procedures. Program participants displayed less emotional distress than control group subjects; outcomes were positive for both mothers…

Academic and social achievement of 2 groups of 13 elementary students with mild intellectual disabilities who had been randomly allocated to either mainstream classes or a segregated special class was examined. Integrated students improved more on measures of decoding, mathematics, and time spent playing with regular peers. No negative effects of…

This paper presents Down's syndrome as a part of the human race's rich biological inheritance rather than a condition to be pitied. The history of the discovery of the biological basis of Down's syndrome is reviewed, along with attitudes toward individuals with Down's syndrome over time and developments in medicine and education. (JDD)

Thirty-six Australian students (grades 5-7) with reading difficulties were trained to cue themselves to the purpose of reading or to cue themselves in addition to underlining key words and phrases as they read. The combination of awareness of purpose and the employment of a self-regulated underlining strategy generated better reading…

This paper reviews research describing developmentally typical and atypical repetitive motor movements of children with and without disabilities. It then reports findings of a study of nine preschool-aged children with developmental delay and atypical stereotypies. Predictors of repetitive movements included level of functioning, age, ambulation,…

Twenty-nine Australian children (ages 6-9) with learning difficulties participated in 23-week programs involving music, storytelling, or both. Students participating in the programs improved in listening comprehension, phonological processing, and receptive vocabulary skills. Some effects were not evident until posttesting seven weeks after…

Interviews conducted with 13 parents, 7 teachers, and 3 school administrators in Arezzo, Italy, indicated strong teacher and administrative support for integration of students with disabilities, a good collaborative relationship between regular and special education teachers, and a focus on social development in elementary grades. Insufficient…

This paper examines the characteristics and behaviors which may exacerbate the vulnerability of children with an intellectual disability toward sexually abusive relationships. It focuses on incidence, characteristics of offenders, characteristics of children, consequences of sexual abuse, and challenges for intervention and prevention. (JDD)

This paper describes a project researching the management of menstruation for women who have severe/profound intellectual disability. It outlines the importance of acceptance of menstruation, the possibility of partial participation in menstrual care, key factors to consider in developing skill development activities (such as attitudes of care…

This article identifies factors that gave rise to current educational models to prepare rehabilitation practitioners for work in community-based services in Alberta, Canada; examines recent changes in resources available and services to be delivered; and offers examples of personnel preparation models being organized for the future. (JDD)

A survey of 752 families of individuals with intellectual disabilities in Wales collected data on personal characteristics of service system users, service process factors, and appraisals of service quality. Service satisfaction was related to empathy of service providers, existence of a key worker, involvement in case meetings, and other factors.…

This paper argues that New Zealand's policy to close special classes for students with mild intellectual disability represents a premature and unsound reduction in available educational options and that available resources are grossly insufficient to provide quality special educational services for all "children with educational and social…