Explains how middle level educators can provide learning environments supportive of gifted students by understanding in depth the differences and similarities between general education at that level and gifted education. (ET)

Studied connections between parent involvement programs, teachers' attitudes, and teachers' practices in inner-city elementary and middle schools. Examined patterns according to academic subject, classroom organization, and level of support for parent involvement. Found that each variable has implications for the strengths of school programs and…

Study examined differences between self-contained and team teaching approaches when two groups of elementary teachers implemented a physical education curriculum during an inservice. Researchers collected lesson completion forms, specialists' reports, class observations, and teacher surveys. Results indicated those using self-contained approaches…

The relationship between classroom characteristics and student perceptions of differential teacher treatment in elementary classrooms was examined. Teacher treatment was found to be unrelated to openness of classroom structure. In all classrooms, teachers gave more negative feedback, direction, more orientation to work, and rules to low than to…

Forty students with severe disabilities were evaluated across two years of either inclusive or self-contained educational programming. Comparison of child development and social competence found the inclusive group made statistically significant gains on the developmental measure and realized higher social competence scores in comparison to the…

Suggests that there is a "second system" of specialist teachers and that this system has largely failed to fulfill the goal of accelerating the literacy development of participating children. Explores a "whole day model" as an alternative to the highly regulated "second system," wherein the classroom teacher would assume the responsibility for the…

A survey of 140 deaf and hard of hearing students attending integrated or self-contained high school classes in New South Wales, Australia, found that, although students were aware of the advantages and disadvantages of various placements, 80 percent were generally satisfied with their current placement. Results support provision of a range of…

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Division of Special Education (DSE), per Missouri Revised Statute 162.1136, conducts an annual study of the educational status of eligible blind/visually impaired students and reports the findings to the Missouri Legislature on December 1st each year. The information contained in…

A study identified the competencies needed by and the inservice problems of vocational teachers involved in teaching disadvantaged students in self-contained classrooms. During the study, each of the 100 vocational education teachers instructing disadvantaged learners in state/federally funded self-contained programs for the disadvantaged in…

This minireport deals specifically with one classroom environment variable, the physical structure of the classroom as an open-space or a self-contained room. The data for the analyses were drawn from 190 primary grade classes (grades 1-6) and 182 intermediate grade classes (grades 4-6). Classes were analyzed as units, using class means. A total…

This action research study examined how peer tutoring of students with disabilities causes changes in the attitudes of high school peer tutors. Data were gathered through surveys, interviews, and open-ended questions completed by 18 high school peer tutors. Results showed that the peer tutors involved held positive attitudes and beliefs toward…

This study examined whether graphic organizer instruction would facilitate comprehension, recall, and information transfer, and how much explicit instruction was necessary for independent generation of graphic organizers. Fifth graders read social studies information with or without graphic organizers and explicit instruction. Explicitness and…

In the spirit of educational reform, this paper discusses school restructuring and proposes a model for making education more responsive to the needs of urban youth by fostering competence built upon unique cultural resources and individual skills already possessed. The proposed project would target the middle school, which is considered an ideal…

A study gathered quantitative and qualitative data on the cognitive and affective outcomes for gifted students (grades 3-6) in full- and part-time programs from three classrooms in each of two neighboring school districts, one urban and one rural. While the belief emerged in both districts that the full-time program served the needs of gifted…

A study gathered quantitative and qualitative data on the cognitive and affective outcomes for gifted students (grades 3-6) in full- and part-time programs from three classrooms in each of two neighboring school districts, one urban and one rural. Results suggested that outcomes are affected by the goal structures of classrooms and that the…