"Special Education for Young Learners with Disabilities" brings together leaders in the field of young children with disabilities, to present their ideas and research on different disability topics. Beginning with an introduction to the topic, the remaining chapters include discussions on learning disabilities, emotional and behavioral…

This paper offers guidelines to compare the characteristics observed in children with autism and blindness and those observed in children with blindness alone. It distinguishes between stereotypic behaviors (blindisms) in blind individuals and similar stereotypic behaviors of children with autism. A table presents typical behavior patterns of…

A series of exercises was developed at a school for multiply handicapped, brain damaged and autistic children to take advantage of the opportunity for increased cooperation and socialization presented by balance beam activities. (GW)

This paper offers a model for planning services for children who are both mentally retarded and autistic. The model and recommendations for the residential therapeutic environment are organized according to the main axes of child development (biological, physical, cognitive, and socioemotional). (Author/DB)

The author, a university professor, describes his experiences in teaching language to his autistic-like son who also has visual impairments. "Experience Language," an adaptation of Language Experience Approach (LEA) is described, and its contributions to the child's reading, writing, and talking are noted. Suggestions are made on the importance of…

The effects of analog language teaching and natural language teaching on language generalization and long-term retention in 23 adults with autism and severe/profound mental retardation were examined. Natural language teaching was found to have many strengths and few drawbacks and to produce equal generalization and retention under conditions…

This paper proposes "severe developmental disabilities" (SDD) as a useful umbrella term for various severe handicapping conditions such as autism, severe mental retardation, and multiple handicaps. Diagnostic criteria for SDD include language deficiency, disturbed interpersonal relationships, inconsistent response to sensory stimulation,…

Four mentally retarded children (ages 4-11), 3 with autism, were successfully taught various adaptive behaviors for self-care skills. Training procedures involved the whole-task method and included modeling, verbal instructions, prompting, and edible and social reinforcement. (Author/JDD)

The manual presents an overview of federal special education legislation and information about specific disabilities. The summaries of P.L. 94-142 (the Education for All Handicapped Children Act) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 focus on the rights afforded to handicapped children and their families under the law. Information on disabilities is…

This annotated bibliography covers materials about children at risk because of disabilities and/or abilities. The bibliography includes approximately 560 entries. The following categories are addressed: autism; gifted; handicapped--general and multiple; hearing impaired/deaf; learning disabilities; mental illness; mentally handicapped/brain…

The evaluation report describes special education services provided to trainable mentally impaired (TMI), autistic impaired (AI), severely multiply impaired (SXI), and severely mentally impaired (SMI) students at and through the Melvin G. Millet Learning Center (Bridgeport, Michigan). The eight program components are described individually and…

This text on teaching students with language disabilities is divided into three parts. Part 1 presents the components of speech, language and communication and describes language development. Part 2 describes the language abilities of students with a variety of disabilities. Part 3 provides suggestions for assessment and intervention and discusses…

Special education is now an established part of public education in the United States--by law and by custom. However, it is still widely misunderstood and continues to be dogged by controversies related to such things as categorization, grouping, assessment, placement, funding, instruction, and a variety of legal issues. The purpose of this…

This resource guide presents general information about disabilities and summaries of relevant federal laws. A question-and-answer format is used to highlight key features of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (Public Law 94-142, reauthorized in 1990 as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act); Section 504 of the Rehabilitation…

This manual provides basic information for teachers and others who are interested in helping children learn about different disabilities. Each section includes information about a particular disability and answers questions that children might have about the disability. The first section addresses visual impairments and contains information on…