This study demonstrated the effectiveness of history strategy instruction that emphasized problem-solution-effect analysis and linkage of knowledge, in teaching 24 junior high students with behavior disorders. Instruction included a scripted curriculum, student note taking, construction of timelines, vocabulary definitions, and reciprocal…

In-depth, structured interviews were conducted over a two-year period with four young adults (previously identified as learning disabled) who had dropped out of high school. Their stories cast doubt on the idea that dropouts are necessarily "failures" but suggest serious shortcomings in the secondary education programing and the transition…

Kindergarten children (n=161) screened with the "Early Prevention of School Failure" (EPSF) measure were examined several years later. Students who had been retained, referred to special education, or placed in special education demonstrated significantly lower EPSF scores. The fine motor and auditory modalities were the most powerful predictors…

Interviews with 19 general education teachers of grades K-9 found that, despite teachers' initial negative reactions to placement of a child with severe disabilities in their classrooms, 17 teachers described positive transforming experiences and identified benefits to the students with disabilities, their classmates, and the teachers themselves.…

A survey of chairpersons of 35 postsecondary schools of education in New York State found that less than one-third of these programs were accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, offered dual certification in regular and special education, or required training in collaborative teaching and education. (Author/JDD)

The Transition Competence Battery for Deaf Adolescents and Young Adults (TCB) measures employment and independent living skills. The TCB was standardized on students (N from 180 to 230 for the different subtests) from both mainstreamed and residential settings. Item statistics and subtest reliabilities were adequate; evidence of construct validity…

An ethnographic study of 12 low-income Puerto Rican parents of children with learning disabilities or mild mental retardation found that different cultural meanings of disability and normalcy led parents to reject the notion of disability and focus on the impact of family identity, language confusion, and detrimental educational practices on…

A project to improve the writing skills of children (grades 4-10) who are deaf included instruction for teachers in the process approach to teaching writing and a data collection and analysis phase to assess short-term effects on students' writing. Pretest-posttest results showed dramatic improvement in students' writing, particularly in…

This study investigated the use of the Task Demonstration Model (TDM) with 3 groups of students (ages 16-21) with severe or moderate retardation and compared it with the Standard Prompting Hierarchy. Percent and rate of correct responses indicate that TDM can be effective in a concurrent model of group instruction. (Author/JDD)

A national survey of 133 secondary vocational educators examined practices and perceptions toward grading students with disabilities. The majority of respondents included a competency-based grading component, believed that student effort should be used to determine grades, and had never been involved in their students' Individualized Education…

Twelve male students (ages 11-15) with autism were assessed on gross motor skills after a 6-week physical education treatment period with either a task variation condition (with maintenance tasks interspersed) or a constant task condition. The task variation condition was significantly more effective. (Author/JDD)

This article introduces the papers included in this special issue on special education of African-American youth. It notes the multidimensional problems confronting African-American students in special education settings and urges special educators and service providers to take new directions in educating at-risk African-American students. (JDD)

A survey of 21 special education administrators in Ohio revealed that they perceived that special education teachers should be involved in multicultural educational training programs with special emphasis on African-American students and their families. Results also revealed that personnel responsible for conducting such in-service programs may…

This paper discusses six theoretical assumptions about effective instructional practices for culturally and linguistically diverse learners; literature on African-American cultural practices, interests, and cognitive styles; attitudes, perceptions, and instructional practices of effective teachers of African-American students with disabilities;…

Two traditions that have combined to discourage participation of African-American parents in special education procedures are described: a deficit view of African-American families and a deficit view of children's learning difficulties. Including parents in assessment, placement, policy making, and advocacy is recommended to restore the balance of…