Intended for parents, the handbook explores the nature of and rationale for integration with young disabled children. Social and instructional integration are defined and similarities with mainstreaming are noted. Answers are provided to commonly asked questions, such as whether nonhandicapped students begin to imitate behaviors of handicapped…

Parents of children with disabilities must maintain a fine balance between protecting their child from thoughtless cruelty and discrimination and teaching their child to deal with such actions. Parents should quickly end any cruel actions toward the child, be open about the disability's nature, and talk to parents of the child's peers. (CB)

Many deaf students become perennial "outsiders," never really becoming an integral part of their mainstream classrooms. Factors contributing to this may include family dynamics, teacher attitudes, and lack of interactions between deaf and hearing children. Parents can promote their child's integration, through accessing home, school, and community…

The article looks at the role of play and recreation in the lives of children with learning disabilities and suggests ways parents can help integrate such children into recreation and sports programs. The importance of three systems of support--the family, the school, and the peer group--is stressed. Parents are urged to work toward providing the…

This manual makes a case for cooperative (as opposed to competitive) play among disabled and nondisabled children. Part 1, which concerns the philosophy involved, discusses the rationale for cooperative games, the importance of play, cooperative games as an alternative, components of cooperative games, structure of cooperative games, and…

Explains how parents can help their middle school students cope with cliques and find a sense of belonging in a healthy, positive way. This includes helping them identify the school's social hierarchy (the popular group, fringe group, friendship circles, and loners); discussing the advantages and disadvantages of each group; and helping them…

A parent describes how presenting information on what it is like to have a disability to his son's teacher and fifth grade classmates helped his Down Syndrome son to adjust to a new school and achieve acceptance. The success of this strategy should encourage other parents to make comparable efforts. (JC)

This book describes what makes it so difficult for young people with learning disabilities and attention deficit disorder (ADD) to get along in their world and suggests ways that parents, teachers, and other caregivers can help them with their social as well as their educational problems. Chapters address: (1) the characteristics and social…