Special education teacher preparation is analyzed in a small college, a medium-sized university, and a large doctoral-degree-granting university. A comparative profile of such programs is developed, using such information as definition, areas of programmation emphasis, diversity of faculty, curricular flexibility, faculty-student ratio, resources,…

Results indicated that cooperative learning experiences, compared with competitive and individualistic ones, promoted more interpersonal attraction between 12 learning disabled and behavior problem fourth graders and 47 nonhandicapped peers and promoted higher self-esteem for all students. Cooperation promoted greater perspective-taking ability…

The use of social skills measures as a component of multifactored assessment in making mainstreamed placement decisions is recommended. It is suggested that social skills information may be more important in making a decision to mainstream than IQ or achievement. (Author)

The social-cognitive problem-solving approach is presented as a means for ensuring social and affective development of handicapped and nonhandicapped children in public schools. A television-based instructional format to facilitate children's social and affective development is described, and an actual example of a television-based instructional…

Seven professionals and paraprofessionals working with severely behaviorally disordered adolescents participated in relaxation training and systematic desensitation. Compared to a control group, Subjects reported a significant reduction in anxiety, demonstrated significantly fewer anxiety-related behaviors when working with students, and improved…

Small group and individual training sessions for 14 mothers of handicapped preschoolers resulted in significant knowledge increases regarding instruction. Training involved instruction in record keeping. Results emphasized the need for including fathers in parent training. (CL)

Parents of six developmentally delayed young childen (one- to four-years-old) significantly increased their use of five language stimulation techniques (referencing, parallel talking, questioning, replying, and demanding) as a result of a 10-week parent training course. (CL)

Four severely handicapped children participated for 21 weekly sessions in snack time, outdoor play, and a structured group activity with nine nonhandicapped kindergarteners. The handicapped children made significant increases in social gains, and the nonhandicapped children significantly increased their positive attitudes, as measured by the…

Questionnaires completed by 51 state administrators of exceptional students indicated few programs being planned or in existence to compensate regular class teachers for additional responsibilities in mainstreaming. A chart depicts state responses in terms of additional pay, compensatory time, lower pupil-teacher ratio, lower adult-student ratio.…

Four groups (40 school psychology graduates and practitioners and 40 special education trainees and practitioners) rated 11 multidisciplinary child study team (MT) professions according to influence on child placement and desirability to chair the MT meeting. MT professions were found to exert disproportionate influence on placement decisions. (CL)

Analysis of academic responding and its instructional correlates for fourth graders in Title I and non-Title I schools revealed that instruction in both groups provided relatively infrequent amounts of academic responding time. This time was significantly lower among minority students in Title I schools. (CL)

The article introduces three papers on providing special education for handicapped children in private schools. The author reviews issues addressed in the three papers, including policy, relationships between private schools and state education agencies, and administrative problems. (CL)

Decisions of New York's Commissioner of Education regarding private school placement of handicapped children are analyzed according to categories: least restrictive environment, placements made by parents, untimely appeals or procedural defects, and exhaustion of all other administrative due process procedures. Implications of the Windward and…

The authors cite New York's inconsistent public policy regarding the use of private schools for handicapped children and discuss effects on such aspects as least restrictive environment, prompt placement, special transportation, staffing problems, accountability, and local district responsibilities. They suggest development of policy that…

An administrator considers local dilemmas, such as transportation, rising costs, and unanticipated placements involved in private school placement of handicapped children. He asserts that the local special services director should assume major responsibility in resolving the problems, but that state officials should devote more attention to…