A survey of 197 regular education teachers representing 35 states indicated few changes in structural arrangements or adaptive instruction as a function of having handicapped students in their classes. Elementary and secondary level teachers completed a 2-page survey which explored the use of other adults in the classroom, size of instructional…

The monograph summarizes findings from two research areas: teacher effectiveness and teacher decision making practices. Paradigms for research on teaching, characteristics of an effective teacher, generalizations about teachers' decision making, decision making models, and the relationship of teacher self-efficacy and teacher behaviors are…

Attributions for students described in case studies as exhibiting immature, unmanageable, or perceptually-delayed behaviors in the classroom were provided by 174 regular education elementary school teachers. The teachers' attributions for the students' difficulties were primarily "other-directed"; student or home factors were most often…

The national survey of 141 elementary and 79 secondary special education teachers documents current student-teacher ratios and instructional arrangements for students with mild handicaps receiving at least some instruction in the mainstream classroom. Overall the average student-teacher ratio was 4.7:1 with a range of 1:1 to 15:1. Minor…

A list of approximately 645 doctoral dissertations in school psychology written between 1967-1973 is presented. Listings, arranged alphabetically by state and author's name, include the title of the dissertation and its date. The dissertations address a wide variety of subjects, such as classification skills in deaf children, beginning reading,…

Six years of studies on assessment and identification issues for learning disabled (LD) students are summarized, and implications for instructional intervention are noted. In chapter 1, findings on four topics are highlighted (sample findings in parentheses); instruction prior to referral (only about one-half of the school day is instructional…

The monograph provides an integrative review on the environmental and instructional factors that appear to be most conducive to the complex, interactive, and interdependent process of learning. Ten instructional strategies empirically documented to have a critical impact on a student's ability to learn are discussed in detail. They are: (1) The…

The author traces reasons to support his contention that the state of the art in assessing learning disabled students is not good. Among issues examined are the following: use of tests for purposes other than those for which they were intended; technical adequacy of currently used tests (standardization, reliability, validity); the use of deficit…

Social validity data on different student-teacher ratios were collected from 28 administrators, 31 special education teachers, and 50 parents of students in special education programs. Respondents indicated their opinions about optimal student-teacher ratios for student learning and teacher instruction, with administrators generally expressing…

This project report describes major features of the 2-year Student-Teacher Ratio Project, including objectives, personnel, activities, findings, and resulting products. The project's purpose was to conduct an analysis of the efficacy of current practices in student-teacher ratios for providing special education services to mildly handicapped…

This report is a summary of a May 1994 meeting on the participation of students with disabilities in statewide assessment programs. The report reviews the background of the meeting, states the issues addressed, and summarizes the major points of agreement reached. A set of recommendations is offered for making participation and accommodation…

Case study analyses of nine mildly handicapped elementary students were conducted to identify factors related to gains in achievement and to higher active academic responding times (ART) in relation to different student-teacher ratios. Six learning disabled and three educable mentally retarded students (grades 3-5) were observed in special…

The study examines the extent to which categorical differences exist in the qualitative nature of instruction for mildly handicapped students. Interviews and observations were conducted of 30 learning disabled (LD), 32 emotionally-behaviorally disturbed (EBD), and 30 educable mentally retarded (EMR) students in grades 2-4. Instruction was…

This study examined the extent to which categorical differences exist in the instructional environment for students with mild handicaps. Subjects were 30 learning-disabled, 32 emotionally/behaviorally disturbed, 30 educable mentally retarded, and 30 nonhandicapped students in grades 2-4. Twenty-four special education teachers and 54 regular…

Observational data were collected on the instructional tasks used by 122 elementary students (30 learning-disabled, 32 emotionally/behaviorally disturbed, 30 educable mentally retarded, and 30 nonhandicapped). No differences between handicapped and nonhandicapped students were revealed in an analysis of time using each of eight specific tasks…