Five author contributed chapters explore the social environment of the schools as it relates to mainstreaming handicapped children. M. Reynolds discusses "The Changing Social Environment" in the first chapter. Emphasis is placed on the use of developmental scales in the organization of improved schools. "The Social Integration of Handicapped…

The authors describe program organization and teaching/learning procedures which can be employed in the remediation of mildly to severely handicapped students. Following an introductory chapter, Chapter 2 describes ways to manage educational resources such as time, aides, support staff, and student teachers to maximize learning. A brief third…

This Digest summarizes what is known about the use of positive behavioral support (PBS) and functional analysis (FA) to change the behaviors of students with a variety of disabilities. The paper notes that both PBS and FA differ from traditional behavioral management in focusing on systems, settings, and lack of skill. The 1997 reauthorization of…

This issue discusses homework issues related to students with disabilities and how to ensure that students with disabilities benefit from homework. It addresses communication problems teachers face in assigning homework to students with disabilities and recommendations for overcoming these communication barriers. Strategies are provided for…

This brief paper presents principles of universal design of learning (UDL) and applies these principles directly to good classroom practices. UDL is an approach to learning in which curriculum designers consider the full scope of student abilities including varying abilities to see, hear, speak, move, read, write, comprehend English, attend,…

This Digest reviews what is known from recent research about delivering instruction to young children with disabilities in the natural environment. It notes the endorsement of this practice by the Division for Early Childhood Education of the Council for Exceptional Children. Research is reported which has focused on validating specific…

"The ERIC Review," announces research results, publications, and new programs relevant to each issue's theme topic. This issue exammines children's readiness to enter school, via two principal articles: "Readiness: Children and Their Schools," by Lilian G. Katz; and "Getting Ready for Readiness: A Case Study," by…

The 12 items listed in this annotated bibliography are entries in the ERIC system considered to be useful and significant publications on classroom discipline. The publications cited deal with discipline guidelines, assertive discipline programs, creative solutions to discipline problems, inservice programs, and discipline programs focusing on the…

This digest summarizes the problem of over-representation of minority students in special education and offers suggestions to reduce this disproportionate representation. It notes concerns of the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) that minority students are being misclassified and receiving…

Part of a volume which explores current issues in service delivery to infants and toddlers with handicapping conditions, this chapter discusses the nature of parent involvement in early childhood special education. Acceptance of the basic axiom of parent involvement needs to be accompanied by an understanding of individual differences in family…

This digest describes the challenges of social skills instruction and provides three strategies for improving the social competence of all students, including children with disabilities. It begins by emphasizing the importance of teaching individual social skills within the context of establishing a school-wide culture of social competence. To…

A guide is designed for elementary school teachers with handicapped students in their classrooms. Seven sections comprise the document. Section I discusses the implications of mainstreaming for classroom teachers. Discussed are 1) the physical and social isolation of the handicapped students in the 1960s; 2) the impact of Public Law 94-142 which…

This publication contains two essays and an annotated bibliography of publications about risk. The entries in the bibliography were produced by the various clearinghouses in the ERIC system. The first essay, "Who Is at Risk? Definitions, Demographics, and Decisions," by Aaron M. Pallas, categorizes personal, family, and environmental factors that…

This issue presents two articles on the use of data to improve results for students with disabilities. The first paper examines how researchers supported by the Office of Special Education Programs are discovering innovative uses of scientifically derived information in instructional and administrative decision making as well as strategies for…

The "ERIC Review" announces research results, publications, and new programs relevant to each issue's theme topic. This issue is a compendium of resources, advice, and research to help guidance counselors, parents, and students plan for college. The first section, "Starting Out on the Path to College," contains the following articles: "Why Get on…