The paper reviews cognitive development during the sensorimotor period (approximately the first two years of life) and considers approaches to assessing multihandicapped, deaf-blind, or severely/profoundly retarded students functioning at this level. Evaluation and training of basic sensorimotor schemes (visual fixation and tracking, sucking, and…

The paper addresses the assessment of sensorimotor and communication skills in profoundly/multiply handicapped children. The problems inherent in assessing this population are described, including lack of validity of developmental norms established on children with intact sensory systems. Factors affecting sensory organization are reviewed,…

The article provides guidelines for developing curriculum objectives for multiply involved hearing-impaired students. Emphasis is placed on procedures for establishing instructional priorities, assessing the learner against these priorities, selecting and using prosthetics to overcome learning and behavioral deficits, providing educational…

Describes a school-based curriculum for children with profound and multiple learning difficulties in community schools. Considers issues which schools will face as the children are integrated into the community. (RJC)

First discusses the philosophy, structure, and content of instruction for students with severe disabilities and then presents procedures to define and incorporate strategies to meet the unique needs of students with visual and multiple impairments. A five-step analysis process is suggested for modifying a core curriculum to individualize…

This article describes the types of preference assessment procedures that have been used with individuals with profound multiple disabilities (PMD). It provides a rationale for conducting preference assessment to assist in curriculum development and describes a process for conducting preference assessments and targeting social, affective, and…

This article describes a process for customizing instruction for students with profound multiple disabilities that has been used to design instructional programs and maximize attainment of functional outcomes. The process focuses on collaborative teamwork and problem solving to design and implement instructional programs and includes five major…

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…

The paper addresses issues involved in the management of and curriculum for children with sensory impairments combined with cerebral palsy. The first part details typical deformities and their causes in children with cerebral palsy, and describes (with illustrations) techniques for therapeutic handling and positioning in daily living tasks at home…

The monograph is intended to offer educators a systematic approach to using electronic technology and computers with students having multiple handicaps. A model is presented which features a top down approach to curriculum with emphasis on developing age-appropriate functional skills useful in future environments. A training sequence based upon…

These guidelines were prepared to provide direction toward implementing a functional instruction curriculum that leads to independence and occupational skills for Ohio's developmentally handicapped and multihandicapped students. The curriculum uses a three-part definition of adaptive behavior, involving independent functioning, personal…

This combined audiovisual and textual package presents results of a symposium which attempted to identify critical issues and best practices in developing communication skills of children and youth with severe disabilities and to recommend future directions. The package is intended for group use and includes a guide, a videotape, and texts of the…

The 15 papers in this book on teaching students who have visual impairments and other disabilities are grouped into three parts which examine first, characteristics of students with visual impairments and other disabilities; second, the instructional process, curriculum, and methods; and, third, disability-specific curriculum. The papers are: (1)…