In this article, the practical aspects of clothing are compared to effective practices in special education. Actual competence is more important than the appearance, or cloak, of competence. It is argued that speaking openly about disability will do more to reduce its stigma than will euphemisms. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

Welfare reform must include reform of the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, which is more costly and faster growing than Aid to Families with Dependent Children. SSI allows growing numbers of disabled citizens to depend on the government in spite of new employment opportunities for the disabled and protective legislation. (SLD)

The practice of requiring that children with disabilities undergo public medical examinations attended by numerous professional and student personnel is challenged. These discriminatory practices are attributed to uninformed attitudes of members of the medical establishment, and the implications for patients' quality of life are noted. (JDD)

Reports on 2 studies of the perceptions of 51 nonhandicapped children about severe learning difficulties. Finds that the understanding of severe learning difficulties can be interpreted in terms of three conceptual changes. Discusses these changes in the broader context of the development of social cognition. (CFR)

This article addresses the controversy regarding the exclusion of youths labeled socially maladjusted from special education services for the seriously emotionally disturbed. The article reconceptualizes the issue from a cultural-organizational perspective, viewing such exclusion as resulting from a society that has little tolerance for "deviant"…

Discusses how the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) provides the disabled greater physical access to buildings, buses, and communications, as well as greater access to the job market. Emphasizes the advantages of hiring disabled workers because of their determination to overcome their handicaps, and suggests that their inclusion in the…

Six articles review and analyze 1996 court litigation concerning higher education. Topics include: federal immunity law; tort-accident cases (traditional tort rules in the college or university setting); disciplinary and academic decisions pertaining to students; employment discrimination; and disability discrimination. (MSE)

Examines two controversial issues: Foucault's analysis of a French murder case and the debate surrounding facilitated communication and autism in the United States. Asks whether persons identified as mentally disabled are capable of representing themselves. Uses a materialist analysis to explore the implications that the poststructuralist…

This article discusses the plight of the gifted child who has a disability, society's ambivalence towards double-labeled students, and the need to ensure children be allowed and assisted to develop to their full potential. The story of a young boy who is both intellectually gifted and physically disabled is told. (Contains 1 reference.) (CR)

A survey of 75 countries investigated jobs performed by adults with visual impairments throughout the world. Although there is a greater diversity in the range of jobs in developed countries, people who are visually impaired do not have the same range of opportunities available to them as sighted people. (Contains references.) (CR)

William Harper interviews W. Ronald McCarter, President of Southeastern Community College, North Carolina, about a suit brought against the college by a hearing-impaired woman who was refused admission to the nursing program resulting in a Supreme Court decision permitting colleges to require reasonable physical qualifications. (AYC)

Advocates for disabled students now assert that the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibit discrimination against students with disabilities at public and private universities, also require accommodation for Web-based instruction. This article reviews some of the laws and current issues…

Examines the attitudes of master's-level education students towards students with disabilities. The graduate students were given a questionnaire before and after completing a university course on teaching music to special education learners. Results showed an increase in participants capability but a decrease in willingness to pursue this work.…

This article discusses barriers to sexual fulfillment faced by women with developmental disabilities, including: access to gynecological healthcare, limited choices regarding reproductive issues, lack of sex education, and prevailing negative stereotypes that affect the way women are viewed by others and the way they view themselves.…

Outlines the major barriers to independent living faced by disabled persons in communities, and suggests alternatives. Utilizes quantitative data from a survey of 13,000 disabled persons in 319 communities in 10 states and qualitative data from local town meetings and public forums. (FMW)