The curriculum guide consists of a set of assessment tools, curriculum decision guidelines, instructional recommendations, and sample activities focused on teaching basic social and communication skills to children with autism and severe developmental handicaps. Section One provides an introductory discussion of issues related to effective…

Twelve years have elapsed since Public Law 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA), was passed by Congress. This paper accordingly reviews the far-reaching effects of EAHCA on the educational enterprise, focusing on the legal, administrative, and instructional challenges of disciplining handicapped students in a…

Following a description of the pattern of burnout symptoms, which include attitudinal, emotional, and physical components, measures are discussed for determining individuals' reactions to stress and their tendencies to "burnout." A discussion on strategies to cure or prevent burnout includes consideration of three basic methods: cognitive…

A report is given of a statistical analysis of the summary findings of 14 empirical studies on the effectiveness of human relations training programs for teachers. The study sought to determine the direction and size of the effect produced by training, and determine which programs were most effective. Program approaches included: (1) Social…

The paper considers improved instructional design for learning handicapped students including the development of a cooperative and supportive school organization, the creation of appropriate classroom management systems, and the employment of active teaching strategies. A supportive school organization requires a positive interpersonal climate,…

The problem of increasing academic motivation and performance in low-achieving students is conceived as an instance of cognitive control, the deliberate process of regulating one's own thinking. The study used experienced teachers to aid in adapting and testing classroom techniques for helping low-achieving students to become more self-regulated…

This workshop, designed to use motivational theories in understanding work behaviors and to increase job satisfaction and performance, deals with cognitive theories in motivation, need theories, and the Equity Theory within the Expectancy Valence Model. Counseling technique areas of communication skills and rational thinking that facilitate the…

A behavioral intervention program for child abusers was evaluated using multiple outcome criteria. Families were assigned to treatment (N=8) and control (N=8) on a first-come basis. All families were supervised by protective services and none had requested help voluntarily. A treatment program involving group parent training in the clinic and…

This model, developed to establish standards for effective detention home education, is based on results of a questionnaire sent to staff members of 45 youth homes in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin. The model covers seven aspects of youth home education: (1) purpose, (2) target persons, (3) personnel, (4) program, (5) procedures,…

A 2 year project to research, design, implement, and evaluate a model of service to families or "acting families" with a mentally retarded child who presents abusive and/or disruptive behaviors at home is discussed. In the project a husband/wife therapist team spent 80 to 100 hours per family over a 3 month period to assess the problems and…

The study is a project undertaken by the school psychologists of the Milwaukee Public Schools in order to evaluate the psychological services provided to primary and secondary school children from areas of economic deprivation who are experiencing learning or behavioral problems. Research design was of the test-retest variety; specifically, I.Q.…

A brief inservice program followed by supervisory prompts and feedback provided to 39 education staff in 21 classrooms serving 152 severely handicapped students was consistently accompanied by increased student involvement in functional educational tasks. Improved services continued throughout a two-year follow-up period. (Author/JW)

The authors discuss activities that help mentally handicapped adults emphasize thinking processes: observation questions, impact chart, solving a puzzling situation, and use of examples/nonexamples. The authors stress use of simple concepts, concrete objects, and realistic situations in developing intellectual skills. (CT)

This teaching guide combines a multisensory approach to teaching children and adults with autism through a structured teaching model for direct instruction. Part 1, divided into three sections, discusses important links to learning: improving communication with multisensory techniques, using practical behavior management techniques to help…

This introductory information packet is designed to increase awareness of assessment and treatment of attention problems in children. Included are excerpts from a variety of sources, including government fact sheets and the classification scheme developed by the American Pediatric Association. Symptoms are discussed in terms of degree of severity.…