A program in Quincy, Massachusetts, is designed to teach nonhandicapped fourth grade students to understand what it is like to have a handicap. The six 45-minute units include an introductory puppet presentation as well as units on physical disabilities, mental retardation, learning disabilities, visual handicaps, and deafness. Puppets provide…

The presentation covers assessment and intervention of social interaction skills with emotionally disturbed children. Noting the importance of social interaction skills and yet the neglect of such skills in the literature, the paper advocates a systematic instructional approach to improve the social acceptability of emotionally disturbed children.…

A study of the gravity of non-native speakers' speech errors, particularly as viewed in the workplace, was based on two assumptions: that certain features of spoken English contribute more to speech acceptability than others, and that native speakers have an internalized, ordered list of criteria for making judgments about non-native speakers'…

The efficacy of a contextualist training model for increasing the peer acceptance of learning-disabled students through skills training and systematic opportunities for interactions with peers and teachers is evaluated. Ten peer-rejected learning-disabled subjects (seven males and three females) in grades 3 to 6 were selected to participate in the…

Interviews, record reviews, student follow-up, achievement tests, survey instruments, and observation were used to gather data for the 1986/87 evaluation of the Topeka (Kansas) Educable Mentally Handicapped (EMH) Program. Strengths of the program were identified and included: a dedicated, well-trained staff; a good special education/regular…

This study evaluated two social skills interventions designed to increase the peer acceptance of six students (ages 10-12) with learning disabilities in regular classrooms. The students were instructed in two social skills strategies as well as in skills for working in small groups and leading group activities. Two mnemonic devices were used to…

This study examined the aggressive behaviors of children through peer ratings to teacher ratings of problem behaviors and social skills and peer ratings of friendship. Peer data are valid measures and may be more accurate than teacher or self measures because peers are more likely to be present when aggression occurs. This study examines a peer…

This final evaluation report describes the Curriculum-Based Vocational Assessment (CBVA) project of the Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS). The program serves mildly handicapped (learning disabled and mildly retarded) secondary level students in 18 regular vocational education courses delivered in 45 middle, junior high, and senior…

The purpose of this study was to characterize the nature of conversational engagement evidenced by 30 learning-disabled and 30 nondisabled children while they participated in a semi-structured dyadic interaction. Also investigated were the relationships among the levels of engagement employed by the elementary or junior high students and their…