This article discusses the itinerant model and suggests ways that itinerant teachers might apply best practices in pre-academic instruction to their work within community settings, including: making environmental adaptations to maximize engagement; improving the social environment; and applying naturalistic strategies to embed specifically…

This article discusses an action research project that investigated how a 10-year-old boy with learning disabilities, whose first language was Korean, was supported. His individualized instruction involved labeling items in the room, reading sentences that included priority sight words, practicing with consonant blends and vocabulary words, games,…

This article explores how tactile experience books can be used to ensure that young children with visual impairments learn to read. It discusses making tactile experience books by collecting artifacts and gluing them to cardboard pages, and the benefits of tactile books. Descriptions of two tactile books are provided. (Contains references.) (CR)

This article describes a four-session summer program that provided parents of children with speech and language delays with information on the importance of phonological awareness, research-validated teacher training materials on early literacy, and training on how to use the materials. The Summer Sound Camp was conducted in a home setting.…

This article discusses how one teacher uses a weekend study buddy as a portable learning center for students (ages 5-9) with mild disabilities. The study buddy is a colorful cloth or paper bag that the students take home over the weekend. It can also be individualized to target particular needs. (Contains 8 references.) (CR)

This article dispels myths about deafness and provides teachers with a list of academic accommodations for students who are deaf. The accommodations primarily emphasize the visual aspects of communication that are important when teaching students irrespective of their level of hearing loss. World Wide Web resources are also provided. (Contains…

This article discusses how common graphic organizers can be used in inclusive classrooms to benefit learners who have difficulty organizing information. Guiding principles for effective graphic organizers are provided and types of graphic organizers are described, including: cause-and effect, sequence charts, main-idea-and-detail, Venn diagram,…

Students in three inclusive third-grade classes (n=74 students) were taught story vocabulary using the keyword method, vocabulary words with pictures, or vocabulary with definitions. The keyword method was more effective in increasing vocabulary learning. Using the keyword method, the achievement of students with learning disabilities matched…

This article examines the runaway reaction as it was displayed by Barry, a 14-year-old eighth-grade boy with learning disabilities. It identifies some of the common characteristics of this response and proposes school intervention methods. Functional behavioral assessments and strength-based assessments are encouraged, along with using strategy…

This article describes the Learning Express-Ways Communication System. The system consists of a folder containing printed sections within which a student records his schedule, information about courses and life goals, learning preferences, strengths and challenges, and academic support system. Weekly, the student comments on progress and then the…

This article provides a synthesis of recent literature on Asperger syndrome, a condition that has received little attention in American special education. The analysis addresses the syndrome's history, definition, differential diagnosis from other pervasive developmental disorders, screening procedures, and emerging educational interventions.…

This article considers links between instructional group size and student engagement, caseload and academic achievement, and caseload and special educator attrition. Findings indicate larger caseload and group sizes negatively affect math and reading achievement, student engagement increases when group sizes decrease, and high teacher attrition…

This article delineates the reasons why educators find punishment a more acceptable approach for managing students' challenging behaviors than positive reinforcement. The article argues that educators should plan the occurrence of positive reinforcement to increase appropriate behaviors rather than running the risk of it haphazardly promoting…

This article reviews past litigation concerning the education of children with hearing impairments and explores new provisions under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act as they affect communication issues. It is argued that new regulations may improve the position of parents who have adapted a bilingual-bicultural approach for their…

A study examined understanding of number line concepts by 4th grade culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students (n=30), students with learning disabilities (n=23), and 21 controls. CLD students with disabilities demonstrated difficulty due to several factors beyond lack of language competence, including failure to apply number lines to…