This module is designed to serve as part of a special education course in which rural-based problems and issues are addressed. The study guide is in five sections. It begins with a brief introduction to the program. Part 2 is a lecture outline, detailing the sections of the course that address rural special education challenges, life in rural…

To deliver training and continuing education for education personnel in a large rural state, Montana has decentralized its Comprehensive System of Personnel Development (CSPD) by forming five regional councils. The Montana Center on Disabilities developed a statewide training program for using paraeducators as liaisons to communities to enhance…

This paper discusses problems related to identification of gifted Hispanic children in rural areas. While the federal definition of giftedness is subscribed to by most states, local districts tend to seek and find White, middle-class academic achievers. One problem associated with identification of gifted minorities is that the research and…

As the population of minority pupils continues to increase, the need for special education personnel to identify and educate culturally and linguistically diverse exceptional students will also rise. Continuing shortages of qualified personnel in special education have been declared a national emergency, with "diagnostic staff" ranked as…

Describes processes used by rural districts and cooperatives to implement staff development programs which can improve special education procedures in rural areas, with beneficial effects on the whole system; presents four models: (1) management approach; (2) management information system approach; (3) multiple roles approach; and (4)…

All major aspects of P.L. 94-142--the concept of the least restrictive environment; due process procedures; individualized education programs; and parent involvement--were identified as problems for rural schools. Three primary hindering factors were identified: teacher retention and recruitment problems, rural attitudinal problems, and problems…

Deaf or hard-of-hearing students are influenced by four cultural groups: family, neighborhood, community, and school. Presents a framework for exploring the personal cultures of rural hearing-impaired students; strategies for gathering cultural information; and steps by which a teacher, with the help of cultural brokers, can develop appropriate…

Describes an advocacy group of teachers and parents concerned with gifted children in rural northern Florida. Discusses an unusual collaboration between university and school district, in which three teacher education courses led to advocacy group formation, and each teacher-student became an expert in one problem area of gifted children. 15…

Describes the Collaborative Career Adjustment Project, a program that allows licensed teachers in rural New Mexico to continue teaching while taking weekend, summer, or distance education courses to obtain a master's degree in speech-language pathology. Includes recommendations for the recruitment and retention of rural students in communication…

Outlines planning procedures and strategies that enable special education supervisors to fit work transition programs for disabled students to local circumstances. Discusses school and community needs assessment to establish program goals; alternative program models; and planning imperatives related to knowledge of the community, staff background,…

The pyramid model of staff training provides rural school districts with a practical low-cost solution to the problem of underqualified teachers of students with severe disabilities. In this model, special-education administrators or supervisors receive training in program improvement, train teachers in their districts, and provide ongoing…

Describes six rural service delivery models that place severely disabled students in regular classrooms: team teaching, pairing regular and special education teachers; parallel teaching by special educators within regular classrooms; regular classroom base with in-class or separate tutorial; regular classroom placement with dual-certified teacher…

A critical shortage of qualified personnel hampers the ability of rural schools to provide speech, language, and hearing services to handicapped minority group children. Four curriculum approaches are suggested to incorporate multicultural and rural concerns into professional preservice training programs. Alternative service delivery systems for…

Rural students (n=654) with disabilities from preschool through secondary school were analyzed to determine the incidence of and factors involved in categorical or programing changes. Rates of change varied significantly among classifications; and the student's initial classification, grade level, and comorbidity were predictive of change in…

Rural school districts frequently lack administrators with the training needed to manage special education programs. One solution is a collaborative, site-based administrative team of regular and special educators, parents, and community members. Team training should focus on group processes, documentation, comprehensive service plans, and program…