The vigilance of young adults with and without mild mental retardation (MR) was compared, with subjects performing two memory demanding, cognitively based tests. The vigilance decrement of MR adults declined more rapidly than did the vigilance of non-MR adults, due to an interaction between target detectability and response bias, and poor target…

Forty-seven young children, 15 with disabilities, were observed 4 times for types and levels of engagement. Results indicated that engagement is difficult to measure through molecular data collection techniques because of error in dependability measures. The number of observed sessions could be increased to achieve generalizability, but increases…

Direct observational data were collected on the behavior of 26 elementary school-age boys with fragile X syndrome (FXS), the most prevalent inherited cause of mental retardation, during classroom academic activities. Findings indicated classroom engagement comparable to that of peers and not related to intrasubject variables such as severity of…

Two studies with 50 students (ages 1 to 21) with severe, profound, and multiply handicapping conditions examined similarities and differences in behavior state conditions. Among findings were that profile groups could be identified by behavior state patterns and that students spent an average of 42 percent of classroom time in state conditions not…

This study evaluated effects of computer-assisted biofeedback on the electromyographic activity of three students (grades four and six) with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Results indicated increased relaxation abilities and, in the case of the one student also observed in the classroom, increased on-task behavior after the biofeedback…

Three groups of elementary school children, rated on activity and distractibility, were given a visual search task with three levels of display load and tested twice in two conditions of stimulus visibility. Encoding deficit or data limitation did not account for the attentional performance of either hyperactive or somewhat hyperactive subjects.…

Examines the engaged rates of children in kindergarten to fourth grade for differences and makes some assessment of attention span as it relates to engaged rate and achievement. (HOD)

This study, involving a 10-year-old child with cerebral palsy and autism, found that the use of headphones resulted in an increase in on-task behavior whether stimuli were presented in an audiovisual mode, an audio-only mode, or a visual-only mode. Preference was for the auditory only or the mixed audiovisual stimuli. (DB)

A federally funded research project investigated the relationship between academic learning time (ALT) and achievement of 43 educable mentally retarded, emotionally disturbed, and learning-disabled students, aged 7-13, in grades 1-5. The project's final report, titled "An Analysis of the Impact of Instructional Time within Different Service…

This study of two fifth grade classes investigated students' reports of attention, understanding, cognitive processes and affect during a nine-day mathematics unit on measurement. These self-reports appeared more valid indicators of classroom learning than observed time on task. Student affect mediated the relationship between instructional…

Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC) is discussed as an emerging and effective model of home-school collaboration and shared problem solving. A case study is presented to demonstrate how practitioners can use CBC to deliver high quality consultation and intervention services to students, teachers, and parents in a real world setting. An…

Investigates the influence of the teacher's presence/absence on primary children's group work in a World Studies class. Discovered that, although children generally remain on task, the teacher's presence resulted in improved quality and consistency. Includes tables of statistical and observational data, as well as excerpts from the students'…