A study compared the academic and learning characteristics of three students with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders (AD/HD), three gifted students, and three gifted students with AD/HD. Giftedness conferred benefits related to specific talents but did not offer protection from the negative outcomes of AD/HD, such as inattention and…

A study involving 92 administrators, 266 teachers, and 211 paraprofessionals identified competencies needed by teachers to supervise or direct the work of paraprofessionals in educational settings. Results indicate participants considered the competencies very important but the competencies were not observed as frequently as their perceived…

The internal/external frame of reference model was examined for 131 adolescents participating in a summer program for academically talented students. Results suggest that the model was useful in understanding the academic self-concept development of students, with no significant differences among students with strengths in mathematics, verbal…

A study involving 887 urban special educators investigated factors that lead to attrition and retention and found several critical factors to consider to increase retention and commitment. A leading negative factor was stress due to job design. Perceived support by principals or other teachers helped alleviate this stress. (Contains references.)…

Generalizations gleaned from 25 years of research are presented, including: change is difficult and more political than data based; expectations drive the assessment process and those expectations are far too low; purpose is critical; the link between referral and eligibility is too strong; and current classification practices are problematic.…

This article discusses probable explanations for the weak effects in some meta-analyses that have investigated the effectiveness of social skills training (SST) for students with disabilities and offers specific recommendations for designing and producing more effective SST interventions. Treatment integrity issues, assessment issues, and…

A study of 51 post-treatment survivors (ages 8-17) of cancer found they had difficulties in psychosocial adjustment in the areas of scholastic competence, emotional stability, and social competence. Students who repeated a grade were particularly concerned with academic performance and peer relationships. Homebound instruction was academically…

A study of 206 Kentucky special education teachers examined the amount of time required on alternative assessment. Results found teachers spend many hours outside of class time completing one portfolio. Instructional variables, such as the extent to which portfolio items are embedded into instruction, are strongly related to student scores.…

A study examined self-definition in 11 adolescents with and without disabilities. Variation depended on sense of self, vision of the future, and access and use of supports to cope with difficulties as they prepared to graduate. Students with disabilities were most likely to have low self-definition and experience high struggle. (Contains…

Thirty students with learning disabilities (LD) in inclusive third-to fifth-grade classrooms and 60 educators were interviewed regarding social support at school. While students with LD felt part of a social network, many reported socially related loneliness. Results indicate a discrepancy between students' and teachers' choices of preferred…

A study investigated the arithmetic performance of 197 students (grades 3-8) with mild disabilities and 937 controls and data are discussed in terms of student achievement and implications for standards. The mathematics vocabulary of students with mild disabilities was less developed and they had lower performance scores on computation. (Contains…

To ensure that exit exams are appropriately carried out regarding students with exceptionalities, it is the position of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) that: (1) No single test score should be used to make critical educational decisions for students with exceptionalities; (2) All students with exceptionalities must be given the…

As the largest professional organization of special educators, the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) has taken seriously its professional responsibility for defining the criteria for a competent beginning special educator. As part of this responsibility, CEC has developed and continues to update and maintain professional standards for…

Recent mandates related to the implementation of evidence-based practices for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) require that autism professionals both understand and are able to implement practices based on the science of applied behavior analysis (ABA). The use of the term "applied behavior analysis" and its related concepts…

This paper focuses on "technologies for voice" that are related to the self-determination of youth with developmental disabilities. The authors describe a self-determination model that values family-focused, community-referenced pedagogies employing "new media" to give voice to youth and their families. In line with the adage that a picture is…