In this article, the author gives an autobiographical account of his learning experiences and the lessons he learned from his lecturers. The author learned what he subsequently found is supported by experience and research, that the informal is as necessary as the formal. He also learned that teachers and students need to interact spontaneously,…

Provides an introduction to a special section on developmental behavioral genetics (the study of genetic and environmental influences on individual differences in behavioral development), discussing the potentialities of the interdiscipline and presenting an overview of the following articles. (Author/RH)

The proposed merger of special and regular education is analyzed relative to conditions of mild handicap and the capability of the regular education system to serve all pupils effectively. Conditions necessary for restructuring include support for research and evaluation, the study of programs as well as individuals, and multiple program models.…

Suicide prevention techniques, from a clinical perspective, need to be as diversified as the population they serve. In certain special population groups, suicide has reached epidemic proportions, and there is a significant public health need for specific suicide prevention strategies. Special populations need to be identified and their suicide…

Discusses the history of the hierarchical epigenetic systems view as applied to human development and offers examples of its implementation. Notes the agreement by many authors that the multilevel systems view is the right model for developmental psychology in both human and animal studies. (BC)

Maintains that (1) research questions must address intra- and extraorganism contextual relations and must be multidisciplinary in scope; (2) research must be sensitive to contextual variability and individual differences; and (3) scholars must develop empirically generative models linking the development of human beings with changing contexts. (BC)

The effort to strengthen the critical thinking skills of students in the last two decades has led to an abundance of instructional programs instituted across disciplines and integrated into core curricular requirements at United States colleges and universities. There is no theoretical consensus about what critical thinking is; neither is there a…

Personnel preparation in learning disabilities should stress a broad theoretical understanding of individual differences, interdisciplinary collaboration, and working with families. These goals can best be met by generic programs with specialization only in terms of severity of learning impairment. An outline for such a 2-year program is given.…

The Multidisciplinary Academy of Clinical Education (MACE) believes that collaboration among children, teachers, parents, and clinicians is essential to prevent educational disabilities and handicaps. In this report, MACE offers suggestions regarding the general education of all children. A growing number of children are classified as having…

This article, originally published in 1968, examines learning disabilities from the perspectives of history, disciplines (calling for interdisciplinary convergence), education (viewing learning disabilities as a concept rather than a category), teacher preparation, province (evaluating the appropriateness of various delivery systems), and time…