The author of a former paper (EC 600 327) responds to commentaries on her analysis of curriculum-based assessment and direct instruction in special education. The response focuses on the ideological basis of mechanistic thought in the study of human behavior, the shift toward holistic education, and use of scientific methodology. (JDD)

As American democratic society becomes more accepting of its own plurality, methods of communication that are clear and acceptable to all must be found and nurtured. Young people with no other effective way of communicating turn to violence. Essential ingredients for nurturing a child's literacy development include motivation and an adult who…

Two approaches to measurement for instructional decision making (specific subskill mastery measurement and general outcome measurement) are described and illustrated with case studies. The paper concludes that measuring general outcome indicators can bridge traditional and contemporary assessment paradigms to form an innovative approach to…

The conversations of 10 deaf children (ages 10-12) and their families at dinnertime were examined, and spoken and signed verbal exchanges were documented. Results showed that deaf children responded more loquaciously to questions than they did to statements or expressions of ideas, and the children were unsuccessful in continuing topics of…

This study of 241 students found that at-risk low-socioeconomic status (SES) students involved in classwide peer tutoring from grades 1-3 spent more time in academic instruction and engagement and performed better on Metropolitan Achievement Test subtests than an at-risk control group and a nonrisk comparison group of higher SES students.…

Fifteen students read expository texts and filled in deleted words and phrases. The five deaf high school youths reported using similar strategies as hearing elementary school youths and hearing reading-disabled high school youths, but deaf readers more often relied on rereading and background knowledge, whereas hearing readers more often used…

This paper examines objective and subjective fairness of due process hearings in special education disputes and reports findings from a study of parents' and school officials' subjective experience of the fairness of their hearings. Results showed that neither school officials nor parents felt positively about the experience. (Author/JDD)

This commentary on an earlier paper (EC 230 267) notes that the debate on the regular education initiative (REI) should focus on the future, teachers should become personalizers of curriculum and instruction, classroom teachers are one member of an interdependent teaching team, and an adhocracy should be developed among educators of all…

This reply to a commentary (EC 600 858) on a previously published paper (EC 230 267) dealing with the regular education initiative (REI) argues that a critical element in managing mainstream classrooms is use of team approach, that existing visions of the future are tenuous, and that integrated student placement is a preferred condition but not…

The retiring Executive Director of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) offers his ideas (in the form of excerpts from previous columns) on CEC membership, on being a professional, on today's leaders, and on teaching. (DB)

Analysis of the Supreme Court's 1982 decision in "Board of Education of Hendrick Hudson Central School District versus Rowley" suggests that the more recent and more liberal interpretation requiring educational programs to confer some meaningful benefit is in keeping with Congress's and the Court's original intent. (DB)

Three adult subjects with mild mental retardation were trained in individualized social skills and then taught to self-monitor their behavior, initially using a self-monitoring device. Self-monitoring assisted in generalization of trained social skills across settings and people; however, maintenance results were variable. (Author/DB)

This study, with 30 students with learning disabilities (grades 6-9) and 15 nondisabled students, found that instruction in a 5-rule summarization strategy significantly increased reading comprehension of expository prose. Strategy use was maintained over time, and students were reported to generalize its use. (Author/DB)

This study found significant relationships between measures of adaptive/maladaptive behavior and community adjustment in 239 adults with mild to severe mental retardation. Results provide evidence for the criterion-related validity of measures of adaptive/maladaptive behavior, and suggest the importance of such skills in community adaptation and…

This study examined teacher-student interactions in 18 middle school social studies and science classes (which included mainstreamed students with disabilities) whose teachers received a 6-session inservice emphasizing teacher effectiveness variables. Differential effects were found for teacher and student type. (Author/DB)