Chemical flame-retardants are used in a variety of products to prevent the spread and occurrence of fire. While fire safety is critical, this family of chemicals, known as Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are highly toxic. They are found in carpeting, foam cushions, polyester clothing and bedding, wallpaper, toys, household dust, a variety…

With increasing numbers of students with invisible disabilities attending college and university, faculty and staff find themselves faced with new challenges. This practical handbook provides lecturers, tutors, disability services, and administrative staff with an overview of the invisible disabilities they may encounter, dispelling common myths…

An interactional approach to attention problems in learning disabled children takes into account the degree of voluntary attention required by the task, the degree of structure in the setting, and the characteristics of the child. (CL)

Explores the characteristics of inattention in school children and suggests strategies for teachers. Focuses on the psychological mechanisms of arousal (both tonic and phasic), selective attention, and divided attention. Characteristics of specific attentional problems are listed along with specific suggested teaching strategies. (DB)

This paper offers teachers basic information about sensory integration and suggests strategies for managing classrooms which include children with sensory integrative dysfunction. The first section looks at what sensory integration is, noting especially the roles of the three "near senses": the vestibular system, the proprioceptive system, and the…

Precision teaching techniques can be used to chart students' attention span or endurance. Individual differences in attention span can then be better understood and dealt with effectively. The effects of performance duration on performance level, on error rates, and on learning rates are discussed. Implications for classroom practice are noted.…

This article suggests ways educators can physically alter a general education classroom to support the strengths of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and not exacerbate their problems. Characteristics, general strategies, and structural responses are provided for four common difficulties: (1) hyperactivity, (2)…

The article reviews research on children's use of time with emphasis on maintaining "engagement" (developmentally and contextually appropriate behavior). Techniques for preschool teachers to use to promote high levels of engagement by children with or without disabilities are identified. (DB)

Conventional classroom controls are not working well for teachers today. The answer: low-profile controls, which focus student attention directly on lesson content without unnecessary distractions. (Author)

This paper presents an intervention model for working with children having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The model provides a methodological approach to treating ADHD through assessing the distractibility level of the child and using interventions in a systematic manner to enhance task completion. Preliminary information lists…

This article presents instructional strategies for use with primary children who have been prenatally exposed to drugs. Recommendations are made for providing a secure and stable classroom environment, for improving the children's organization of information and attentiveness during classroom activities, and for developing security and…

Visual accents can create unique communication graphics to increase attending behavior necessary for learning symbol/referent relationships by students with severe vision loss. Accenting procedures use size, color, contrast, shape, and graphic pattern to enhance the probability that the learner will self-initiate attending to the visual symbol.…

This article presents two case examples to demonstrate how teachers can use functional behavioral assessment (FBA) to design behavior support plans. FBA helps a second grade "class clown" to learn new ways to get attention and a first grade "class lawyer" to learn to stop arguing and stay on task (with the help of an electronic record keeping…

Intended for educators, the booklet presents information on Tourette's Syndrome (TS), an inherited neurological disorder characterized by involuntary multiple motor and vocal tics. The first section describes Tourette Syndrome--its causes, symptons, and treatments. In the second section, suggestions are provided to help teachers and school…

Understanding learning strategies used by gifted students can help teachers improve effectiveness in all learners. Six traits common among the gifted and modifiable in students with learning difficulties include (1) superior concentration skills; (2) field independence; (3) reflection; (4) internal locus of control; (5) active learning; and (6)…