Three themes related to the education of British pupils with disabilities are addressed: the role of categories in special education, the impact of legislation on assessment procedures, and developments in inclusive education. It is argued that more inclusive practices and an enhanced role for parents have brought about positive developments.…

A follow-up study of 29 British students, transferred from their special school for pupils with moderate learning difficulties into mainstream schools, found high levels of unemployment among these young people ten years later and indications that the quality of their adult lives is less than satisfactory. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

This article discusses integrating communication skills and the use of real object "props" with the teaching of literature to students with severe and profound and multiple learning difficulties. The novel "Oliver Twist" is used to illustrate how objects of reference can be used to teach literature and promote communication skills. (Contains…

This article reviews special needs education history in Great Britain, and the contradiction between society's intention to treat all learners as essentially the same and an equal and opposite intention to treat them as different. The role of inclusion and the emergence of the social inclusion agenda is discussed. (Contains references.) (CR)

A study involving 30 British elementary children investigated the relationship between reading and gender and attitudes towards the literacy hour. Findings indicate boys wanted shorter time spans of learning activities, preferred independent work, and liked computer work. Both sexes liked working in small groups and disliked sharing their work…

A study involving 28 new Local Education Authorities in England and Wales investigated the impact of the creation of smaller unitary authorities. Results found a new wave of enthusiasm to tackle special needs issues, collaboration taking place between the new authorities, and closer contact with the clients. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

A multiple problem single-subject design replicated across 4 youth (ages 10-14) with disabilities was employed to assess participants' achievement of objectives associated with Og, a computerized leisure education program. Results indicate that there was support for the social validity of the intervention and similar leisure education computerized…

A 10-year-old student with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, predominately inattentive type, was provided with computer software and a paging device with word prompting capabilities to prompt him to initiate and complete daily tasks. The intervention was effective in promoting the occurrence of target behaviors but did not affect overall…

A survey of 91 early childhood special education teachers found they placed a high priority on characteristics of developmentally appropriate software, primarily use of computer technology, to develop and reinforce academic skills, wanted more computer training, and asked that software reflect the developmental needs of young children with…

This article describes the DT Trainer, a software tool and behavioral teaching method which breaks down the learning of a task into small steps, giving the student a very high chance of success. Students are motivated to succeed with this program through ample praise statements and other on-screen reinforcers. (Contains three references.) (CR)

This article describes a university course designed to introduce preservice teachers to current technologies, help them attain a reasonable skill level using these technologies, develop effective integration strategies, and become critical thinkers and evaluators of digital information. The development and evaluation of the program is discussed.…

This article reviews "Learning with Technology: A Constructivist Perspective" (Jonassen, Peck, and Wilson), which presents ways for students to learn with the latest technology in a constructivist framework. Chapters describe the creation of a constructivist learning environment and the use of technology to help students develop intellectually and…

This article examines technology tools and strategies that enhance the process of conducting a comprehensive review of the literature. Strategies for accessing digital resources include: identify key words, identify appropriate databases, execute the search, and document the results. Seven strategies to consider when executing a search are…

This article investigates the rising costs in special education and discusses results from a study of 34 states that indicate federal funding for special education has changed relatively little, state share of funding has decreased, and localities are shouldering an increased financial burden (from 37 to 45 percent). (Contains references.) (CR)

This article examines trends in special education expenditures, revenues, personnel, and student enrollments for 1993-94 through 1997-98 in Pennsylvania, the first five years of implementation of the census-based approach. Patterns and changes are analyzed to see the impact of the new approach on school districts and the state over time. (Contains…