The article describes the background of Larry P. v. Riles, a class action law suit involving disproportionate placement of minorities in classes for the educable mentally retarded in California, and outlines the specific findings and remedies underlying issues, including stigmatization of being classified retarded and the nature/nurture debate.…

The article analyses Board v. Rowley's meaning for "appropriate" education and justifies the rightness of that decision in terms of its impact on the education of the child and the integration of children who have disabilities with children who do not. (Author/CL)

The second special education case decided by the U.S. Supreme Court, Irving Independent School District v. Tatro, is discussed. The case provides some criteria for determining which related services are required under the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. These criteria are discussed in relation to recent and future special education…

The authors focus on a student with severe handicaps and present the effects of the legal precedents on this child's free appropriate public education, including extended school year, related services, appropriate curriculum, and appropriate placement. (Author/CL)

Throughout the course of litigation (Frederick L. v. Thomas) the federal court has served as mediator in effecting sweeping changes in programs for learning disabled students. These changes have provided for special education of the learning disabled from school entry to age 21 and include provision for equal access to vocational training for…

The background and effects of Luke S. and Hans S. vs. Nix et al, a class action suit in Louisiana are discussed. The resulting changes in assessment practices, includng prereferral intervention, curriculum based assessment, and state-wide inservice training for assessment staff are noted. (Author/CL)

The Supreme Court in Smith v. Robinson indicated restrictions on ability of students and families to recover legal expenses incurred in pursuing due process rights. Reliance of parents private enforcement and difficulties inherent in pursuing administrative and legal remedies without legal training suggest that Congress intended that reimbursement…

In Burlington School Committee v. Department of Education, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the law does not bar parents from making unilateral placements, but they may be reimbursed only if the private educational program is eventually approved through the appeal set forth in the law. (Author/CL)

Elementary children (N=138) in LD-NLD or NLD-LD (learning disabled - nonlearning disabled) dyads were individually tested on reading comprehension after study periods which emphasized either cooperative or individual study behaviors and goal incentives. There were sex differences in the impact of cooperative goal structures on attitudes,…

Analysis of a study of 113 formerly labeled mildly handicapped students indicated that they were employed an average of 50% of the time and that they received little specific vocational training. There was a positive relationship between years of schooling completed and employment status, and a significant relationship between certain academic…

Behavioral rating scales were completed by teachers on 1,078 behaviorally disordered students assigned to resource rooms in public schools, self-contained classrooms in public schools, psychiatric hospitals, residential treatment centers, and state training schools for the adjudicated. Data indicate that some differences do exist across settings…

The article examines the development of new eligibility criteria for handicapped students, their relationship to federal regulations, and their tie to California's special education funding cap of 10% of student enrollment. Technical aspects of the criteria are examined, including two case studies, and recent litigation regarding the new standards…

The authors examine some of the underlying problems in the current organizational structure of the schools that hinder regular classroom teachers from being able to adapt their instruction to meet diverse student needs and suggest modifications needed in the traditional structure. (Author/CL)

Mathematics achievement of 36 students in mainstreamed mathematics classes was compared with 44 students in self-contained classes. Analysis showed that integrated students performed significantly better than self-contained Ss. A model is proposed to account for differences: higher expectations, exposure to greater quantities of demanding…

Possible biasing influences of student characteristics were considered for teachers' judgments of appropriate test level assignments for about 1,300 hearing impaired special education students. Analyses indicated the presence of strong influences of race and severity of handicapping condition, as well as of sex, upon change in level assignments,…