The project was sponsored by the Lake Region Special Education Program, a special education cooperative serving 22 school districts of rural northeastern North Dakota. Funding for the 2-year project came from ESEA Title IV-C, state, and local agencies. The major goals of the project were to train and educate personnel so that at the end of the…

This document is a monograph in a personnel development series addressing issues that are pertinent for policy-making personnel concerned with personnel preparation for moderately and severely handicapped populations in the area of vocational preparation. The discussion is divided into three major sections. Section 1 addresses the state of the art…

One partial solution to problems caused by declining enrollment and decreasing revenues, particularly in small districts, is the sharing of personnel, facilities, materials, and even students among neighboring districts. The first section of this report summarizes results from a survey sent to all public and nonpublic school administrators in and…

One of the major concerns in educating children with exceptional needs in the public school is the extent to which these children are socially accepted by teachers and peers. It has been suggested that the teacher may influence students' perceptions of handicapped children and that attempts to improve the social position of these children depend…

Addressing acute problems in delivery of services to rural handicapped students, the document emphasizes the need for relevant preservice training for special education teachers who will work in rural areas. A list of specific elements for inclusion in a rural-focused curriculum philosophy includes: training students possessing appropriate skills…

Major findings are presented of a national comparative study with two primary objectives: first, to identify performance of rural special education service delivery systems prior to the 1975 enactment of Public Law (PL) 94-142 and again during the 1979-1980 school year in providing a free, appropriate education for all handicapped children, with…

Selective research studies were examined to determine the competencies necessary for successfully mainstreaming handicapped students. An understanding was sought of: (1) the problems associated with competency development for mainstreaming situations; (2) the areas of training for both regular and special education personnel; and (3) the…

Intended as a resource and guide for teacher educators, the document presents information on training in vocational programming for special needs disadvantaged and handicapped students in public schools, with emphasis on the adolescent and adult population. Section I reports on the current situation in preparation of vocational and special…

The overall goal of the module is to train educational personnel to enlist family support in helping the young handicapped child realize his fullest educational potential. It was designed for use in training special education personnel without regard to categorical designations, and focuses on situations common to most handicapped children and…

Two cases of youth violence in southwestern New Mexico, one involving an Anglo youth and one a Mexican American youth, highlight the diversity of the area and the biased treatment of Mexican American youth. New Mexico demographics suggest a link between diversity and high rates of crime and violence. National reports clearly report the extent of…

A study examined the feasibility of marketing a national model of alternative special education teacher certification/licensure, the extent of program need, and the types of content and processes that such a program should have. A telephone survey of State Improvement Grant Directors or their equivalents in 14 states indicated that most states had…

The fourth in a series of studies investigating the educational context and outcomes for high school students with disabilities (SWDs), this study examined types of courses in which SWDs are being enrolled, and the role perception of special education teachers. Twenty-one special education teachers from three high schools in urban areas, three in…

Intended as a reference guide for early childhood special education personnel in North Dakota, this guide addresses required and recommended practices related to the delivery of services to children with disabilities, ages 3 through 5, and their families. The guide was developed by 50 specialists including parents and reflects all segments of the…

This study surveyed special education teachers teaching eighth and ninth grade students in 27 Minnesota school districts to determine how decisions were made on the inclusion of children with disabilities in the 1997 administration of Minnesota's Basic Standards Test and what accommodations were provided and desired. Analysis of the 259 responses…

This report contains data on three facets of special education attrition in Kansas. First, the report documents attrition information for special education personnel who were employed during the 2000-2001 school year (SY) but who did not return to a special education position in Kansas for the 2001-02 SY. Second, attrition rates for special…