Four middle schoolers with learning disabilities were taught to recruit teacher attention while they worked on assignments in two inclusive classrooms. The students were taught to show their work to teachers two or three times per session for feedback. Training increased their rate of teacher praise, instructional feedback, and accuracy.…

A study explored the validity and reliability of using curriculum-based measurement reading procedures for progress monitoring purposes with 36 students with hearing impairments who used manually coded English. Results indicated that interjudge and alternative form reliability was very acceptable. Limitations and implications for using…

The author, the 1996 winner of the Council for Exceptional Children Research Award, reviews trends in research and changes in special education over the past 25 years. Emphasis is on the continued need for research on learning disabilities and ways to ensure that research findings are translated into practice. (DB)

Identifies ways in which practices and attitudes work against the prevention of emotional and behavioral disorders in students. These include an overriding concern for labels and stigma, objections to a medical model and failure-driven services, a preference for false negatives over false positives, proposals for a "paradigm shift," and statements…

A review of special-education court cases found that, while school district wins exceeded parent wins in due process hearings and appeals, the margin narrowed through litigation. The most predominant issue in dispute was placement in terms of parents seeking more restrictive settings. The Supreme Court's language in Board of Education v. Rowley…

Analysis of the narratives of 150 Latino mothers of young children with developmental disabilities concerning themselves and disability found that most mothers portrayed themselves as good mothers in line with larger cultural notions, and viewed their children as bringing about positive transformations in their lives. Suggestions for using…

This study examined the relationship between adolescents' perceptions of home and school partnership practices and two outcomes: grades in French and time spent on homework. The students (525 general-education and 112 special-education) completed a questionnaire based on Epstein's framework of partnership practices. For special-education students,…

This study used ethnographic methodology to evaluate the impact of mediation on transition outcomes of six persons with mild mental retardation. Strategies used by focal persons, their parents, and agencies/schools are discussed in relation to (1) empowerment and self-determination, (2) social dimensions of transition planning and "balanced…

This study investigated the academic effects of classwide peer tutoring (CWPT) in spelling for four students with mild mental retardation (MMR) and their typical peers in two inclusive classrooms (grades 2 and 3). Results indicated increased spelling accuracy and increased levels of engagement for students with MMR and their typical peers during…

This review of educational practices for students with hearing impairments summarizes federal efforts to address these students' needs, offers current statistics on this population, and reviews communication options and current challenges in the areas of new technologies, approaches, and options. Promising practices and recommendations are…

Presents results of a policy study of implementation of the transition mandates of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Five "model sites" and four "representative sites" were identified and visited. Results of the cross-case analysis focus on factors supporting and posing challenges to implementation. (Author/DB)

Three fifth graders with learning disabilities received instruction designed to help them incorporate three common planning strategies into their current approach to writing. Students learned to set goals, brainstorm ideas, and sequence their ideas while writing stories and completing assignments. The schematic structure of stories improved, and…

This volume presents an organized collection of peer-reviewed articles focused upon issues faced by young persons with intellectual disabilities and those who support them as they prepare for and transition to postsecondary education and other life-long learning activities. The reader is provided with an overview of this field of work, a range of…

This article discusses the Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics, the advantages of the standards, and the following three recommendations for implementing the goals of the standards for students with disabilities: effective instruction techniques, manipulatives, and real-life application. Guidelines for the effective…

This article describes how a group of elementary teachers set out to master their instructional software to turn the collection into an effective aid for enabling the success of students with and without disabilities. It discusses planning for systematic intervention and positive outcomes through the use of computer programs. (Contains…