Examines the plight of urban students within general and special education programs, discussing traditional identification, assessment, and intervention issues that consistently magnify their plight and suggesting ways to ameliorate these problems. Describes the role of general and special educators in helping urban students succeed. (Contains…

Judicial pronouncements and legislative acts in recent years have established the responsibility of schools to provide educational services for each child, preferably in the educational mainstream. Mainstreaming represents an effort to provide equal opportunities for education to all children. A brief treatment of some of the foundational aspects…

This study investigated effects of preperformance information on actual classroom teacher's expectations and attributions for a hypothetical male student. Teachers were found to have higher expectations for students with ascending performance patterns, and for students labeled learning disabled rather than mildly retarded. (Author/LMO)

Describes recommendations of the Warnock Committee regarding the field of special education, and reports several important concepts of the 1981 Education Act. Additionally elaborates on the implications the Act has for parents whose children have special needs. Cautionary notes regarding consequences for practice are pointed out. (AS)

As an extension of the focus on the relation of special education to regular education, this study investigated the national pattern of change in the school provision for educable mental retardation for the years 1940 to 1976. Across states, increased uniformity of inclusion of mentally exceptional students is apparent. (Author/GK)

After reviewing the federal laws and the litigation that led to the passage of PL 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, the authors explain its provisions and procedural safeguards. (SJL)

This paper describes the social, political, and professional climate that prevailed in special education in the 1950-70 period, especially in Minnesota. Consideration of changes from that period to 1993 suggests the need for a delivery management plan that fosters an equal sharing of responsibility between regular and special education and…

From a disability studies (DS) perspective, the authors analyze how the historical conflation of disability with other identity factors and the ideology of normalcy contribute to the disproportionality problem in K-12 special education. They argue that this conflation and ideology make labeling and segregated education seem natural and legitimate…

This paper considers what can be done to shape an educational system that meets the needs of all students; it then recommends such a system to replace the existing situation in which certain students are labeled as "handicapped" and placed in separate programs. In evaluating the current situation, the paper examines existing educational…

Addresses the problems of special education in the larger context of curriculum theory. Points out the inadequacy of considering such issues as mainstreaming, identification of exceptional students, and teacher training in isolation from more fundamental questions of learning goals or outcomes. (TE)

Three trends in adaptive behavior measurement are noted: (1) an awareness of the paucity of suitable scales; (2) sensitivity to the effects of adaptive behavior in the declassification of students previously labeled under outdated procedures; and (3) the use of measures for identification and intervention with emotionally disturbed students.…

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)

Surveyed state special education directors in 50 states and District of Columbia regarding social maladjustment exclusionary clause in federal definition of serious emotional disturbance (SED). Thirty-four states included social maladjustment clause or some form of exclusion in SED definition. Found no significant relationship between presence of…

The unusually low numbers of students with emotional and behavior disturbances referred and provided with special education services in Mississippi were examined in a survey of 101 special education teachers. Teachers saw parental objections to the label "Emotionally Impaired" as the primary cause of the very low rate of referrals. (DB)

This article discusses arguments for and against ability grouping as reflected in the literature and research work. Such tracking problems as segregation, stigma, and elitism are discussed, as are between-class vs. within-class grouping strategies and specifically designed programs for the gifted. (PB)