The term "multiple disabilities" is general and broad. From the term, you cannot tell how many disabilities a child has; which disabilities are involved; or how severe each disability is. Many combinations of disabilities are possible. The different disabilities will also have a combined impact. That is why it is also important to ask:…

This article reflects on how the first author has adapted aspects of the TEACCH structured teaching approach--developed for use with students with autism--in her work with students with multiple disabilities and visual impairment (MDVI) in a special secondary school for students with severe learning difficulties in England. A brief overview of the…

The handbook describes the structure and process of practica for teachers of students with severe and multiple handicaps at the University of Alberta. Guidelines for introductory practica are presented and eligibility, practica duration, and location of the practica are discussed. The handbook includes forms of evaluating individual and group…

This task force report considers strategies designed to elicit active participation on the part of severely multihandicapped students. The first section considers ways to gather information on environments and daily activities of severely multihandicapped students. Hypothetical daily home and vocational routines were composed and estimates made of…

Ten multihandicapped high-school students in the Dayton (Ohio) Public Schools were trained using a curriculum of independent community social skills, focusing specifically on restaurant skills, travel skills, shopping skills, self-care skills, and skills for visiting a business or government agency. The students made weekly trips into the…

An itinerant teacher of multiply handicapped students with low vision shares learning activities in which students learn to use coins with the aid of a computer program and make a shopping list using advertising flyers. (DB)

For students with moderate or severe disabilities, developing literacy skills is a critical component of successful communication, employment, and community participation. Finally, educators have a practical, concise guidebook for helping these students meet NCLB's academic standards for literacy. Appropriate for use in all settings, including…

Techniques are presented to teach students with severe and multiple handicaps to record their performance data using adapted mechanical or electronic counting devices such as calculators. Described are the purposes of self-recording, materials needed, training guidelines, and evaluation procedures. (JDD)

Contained in this teaching guide are two units that offer teaching strategies and activities for use with severely and multiply mentally impaired elementary aged students. The with severely and multiply mentally impaired elementary aged students. The guide is intended to provide structured experiences to foster the use of augmentative and…

Research on emergent literacy is applied to children with severe speech and physical impairments (SSPI). Factors shown to have the greatest influence on emerging literacy skills are identified, as are diverging experiences of young children with SSPI. Intervention strategies suggested for these children include increasing access to books and…

Intended for teachers of students with severe multiple impairments, the booklet examines the role of physical activities in the education of this population and suggests approaches to exhancing their motor development. Suggestions are offered for stimulating movement in preschool, elementary, and secondary immobile children, including tactile…

The use of pictures in task analysis to teach complex tasks to students with multiple disabilities is detailed. The paper presents: benefits of picture task analysis as a receptive communication strategy, memory aid, and instructional efficiency; approaches to developing and implementing a picture task analysis; and a case study illustrating the…

Intended for use by New York City special education teachers with little or no experience serving students with dual sensory impairments as well as cognitive disabilities, the manual identifies teaching strategies that are easy to implement yet based on direct experience and the current research. Chapter titles and sample topics include the…

How can educators and therapists best teach students with severe and multiple disabilities to communicate effectively? Developed by a highly respected expert, this practical guide has the comprehensive, research-based information professionals need to support students from preschool to high school as they learn and use communication skills. With a…

The development of visual perception skills in children with partial vision as well as developmental disabilities is considered. A model of visual learning is offered which incorporates the role of visual experience, movement, and visual learning. Specific teaching suggestions for developing visual attention and visual search skills are offered.…