General case programing can enhance generalization in individuals with severe disabilities. Making the procedure effective involves: considering activities appropriate for general case programing, selecting examples for teaching and probe testing, determining order of presentation of examples, and determining location of instruction. A list of…

This article describes several strategies to mitigate the effects of poor time management skills in postsecondary students with learning disabilities. Strategies focus on using a calendar; wearing and/or referring to a wristwatch or clock; and practicing punctuality. (DB)

Presented are procedures for identifying important first aid skills, developing skill analyses, and teaching the skills. The procedures were successfully used to teach moderately mentally handicapped students to communicate an emergency, administer first aid for minor injuries, apply plastic bandages to minor injuries, and administer first aid for…

A framework is provided for selecting and analyzing social skills curricula for teaching students with learning or behavioral difficulties. The framework emphasizes analysis of such programing considerations as individualization, cost-effectiveness, assessment, maintenance, and generalization. Presented are a checklist for analyzing the curricula…

By recognizing the importance of early transitions for young children with handicaps and viewing transition as a lifelong process, professionals can guide parents in developing skills that can be applied to subsequent transitions throughout the child's life. Described are steps in the transition process, parents' transition skills, and expected…

The use of a token economy in teaching special needs students is outlined. Steps in establishing a token economy are presented and activities, such as the use of charge cards and a classroom bank, which help develop related skills are discussed. (PHR)

Described are strategies for teaching social communication skills to 8- to 10-year-old students with mild handicaps. The instructional model involves determining behaviors to be taught; assessing social communication skills; teaching skills through motivating student performance, modeling, and practicing; and maintaining and transferring skills. A…

Incorporating group socialization procedures into a classroom with young children with developmental difficulties requires identifying target children, implementing the procedures, and evaluating the procedures. Socialization activities may include encouraging children to interact with one another, frequent modeling of prosocial behavior, frequent…

This article describes incidental teaching of social behavior, which improves the peer interactions of young children through a naturalistic teaching tactic that can be used separately or along with other social skills interventions. The article offers a rationale, examples of incidental teaching, and helpful hints for implementing the method.…

Many pupils with mild handicaps are failing to succeed in mainstream placements because of their poor social skills. Social skills training is increasingly part of the special education curriculum for these pupils. This article examines issues and strategies regarding the generalization and maintenance of social skills in mainstream settings. (JDD)

This article describes how classroom discussion and field trips can be used to teach students with disabilities to engage in comparative shopping and informed choice making when they dine in fast food restaurants. (JDD)

The functional skills activity, "On Your Own," provides an opportunity for adolescents with mild disabilities to apply cognitive and academic skills in the program's four phases (choosing a career, finding an apartment, furnishing the apartment, and learning to budget) involve direct instruction, hands-on activities, small-group discussions, and…

Presented are examples of academic, social, daily living, and motor skills that might be targeted for observational instruction for students with handicaps. At each of three phases of development (acquisition level, fluency level, and generalization level), suggestions are offered on choosing what to teach and deciding how to teach. (JDD)

Storytelling scenarios are suggested for teaching basic first-aid skills to children (ages 4-9) who have mild to severe disabilities. The method involves four steps: assembling materials; identifying skills and conducting task analyses; teaching the skills; and assessing discrimination among different types of injuries, generalization to new…

Research based teaching strategies for improving the reading comprehension of mildly handicapped students include identifying learning goals, breaking goals into simpler units, ordering instruction developmentally, and teaching the use of metacognitive strategies for reading. (CB)