Data elicited by two questionnaires on the characteristics (numbers, nature, extent, and location) of the multihandicapped population under 21 years of age in California are presented. Based on replies by 613 programs (47% response) and estimated to include 80 to 90% of the state's multihandicapped blind children, statistics concern…

An overview of services to help the handicapped is given in light of the characteristics of social conditions and social development in Denmark, and the history of rehabilitative care is examined. Information is given on the following areas: legislative, organization and financing; the national health service; the general education of handicapped…

The different classes of handicaps, the size of the problem, the causes, and the principles and methods of psychological and educational care concerning children with partial and total blindness, cerebral palsy, deafness, or autism are discussed. Concepts treated include incidence, etiology, diagnosis, learning difficulties, social and emotional…

A study was made to determine the effectiveness and acceptability of cassette books for blind and physically handicapped readers. Commissioned by the Ohio State Library, an interview survey was conducted to 300 diversified users from the Cleveland and Cincinnati-Hamilton County Regional Libraries for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. The…

Electronically paced materials for teaching blind students to typewrite were written and taped. The effectiveness of the materials was tested, and a teacher's manual prepared. A control group was taught by conventional methods, while an experimental group used the electronically paced materials. These consisted of ten audio-taped programs for…

Describes graduate teacher education program at University of Northern Colorado emphasizing full and equal training in three competency areas: academic instruction, orientation/mobility, and needs of severely/profoundly handicapped blind children. Finds program serves rural/small schools and districts lacking sufficient population of visually…

A curriculum for disorders of oculomotor control, binocular vision, and visual perception, adopted by the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry, is outlined. The curriculum's 14 objectives in physiology, perceptual and cognitive development, epidemiology, public health, diagnosis and management, environmental influences, care delivery,…

The newest publication in the Spotlight series, this book gathers articles from state music educators association journals that give music teachers ideas on how to include special needs students, discuss why special learners benefit from music education, offer suggestions for dealing with specific types of special needs students, and address…

This report presents estimated data on the exit reasons for students with disabilities projected to leave Illinois public schools after the 1997-98 school year. The data were prepared by averaging the information provided by school districts regarding students who were no longer receiving special education services during the 1995-96 and 1996-97…

This final report describes the activities and outcomes of a University of Northern Colorado project designed to enhance programs for preparing teachers to work with students with sensory impairments from linguistically diverse backgrounds. Project accomplishments included: (1) financially supporting 18 trainees who were pursuing a graduate degree…

This article describes a train-the-trainers course that provided training in sound instructional strategies to 10 assistive technology specialists who work with people who are visually impaired. Topics included conducting assessments, writing training proposals, developing the curriculum, planning lessons, and analyzing learning styles. All…

Discussion of new factors in legal requirements for school accommodation of persons with disabilities highlights statutory and case-law interpretations for persons with disabilities such as Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, sensory impairments, orthopedic impairments, learning disabilities, and drug and alcohol addiction, and includes policy…

This article discusses two collaborative efforts of classroom and computer teachers to integrate adapted technology into the elementary and secondary curriculum of 24 students with visual impairment. In the primary-level project students developed computer Internet and word processing skills while studying desert life. In the secondary-level…

Previous reports in this series (#32 and 36) have discussed online software features of value to disabled learners in distance education. The current report evaluates four specific assistive software products with useful features for visually and hearing impaired learners: "ATutor", "ACollab", "Natural Voice", and "Just Vanilla". The evaluative…

The shaping of positive attitudes toward the inclusion of children with disabilities is an important aspect of the education of university students preparing to become teachers in regular education. This study examined: (1) components of university student attitudes toward inclusion requests; (2) whether attitudes toward inclusion varied by…