The potential of multidisciplinary teams to control for possible errors in diagnosis, classification, and placement and to provide a vehicle for ensuring effective outcomes of diagnostic practices is illustrated. The present functions of the school-based multidisciplinary team (also called, for example, assessment team, child study team, placement…

This article argues that the multidisciplinary team (MDT) can provide more effective and satisfying psycho-educational services by adopting a family systems model. A brief overview of the model is provided, followed by a discussion of specific MDT functions that serve to facilitate a school-family alliance. (Author/PN)

Studied whether special education placement decisions made by teams are superior to those made by individuals. The investigation was conducted in Puerto Rico to determine the benefits of the cooperative group process. Results indicated that teams generated significantly less variability (i.e., errors) than did the same specialists acting…

The interprofessional child study team can provide greater accuracy in decision making and a creative extension of psychoeducational services to the school. Four problem areas presently interfere: minimal parental and educator involvement, unsystematic analysis of diagnostic information, a loosely construed decision-making/planning process, and…

Results showed that the labeling process does not lead diagnosticians to place children in more restrictive educational programs. A comprehensive assessment-intervention-follow-through model that minimizes the potential dangers and abuses of labeling is proposed. (Author)