Presented are the formal presentation and edited comments from the 1981 Statesmen's Roundtable focusing on professional accountability in special education. The author's presentation addresses some of the assumptions made about special education, and the role of The Council for Exceptional Children regarding evaluation and accountability. Among…

The booklet reviews the history of special efforts to educate gifted children, notes characteristics of giftedness, and describes current efforts to provide special help for gifted students. Various subgroups of the gifted (including creative children, gifted women, and those talented in leadership) are mentioned. Trends in education of the gifted…

The paper identifies areas of agreement among leaders in learning disabilities (LD) including heterogeneity of the LD population; explores the classification problem as it relates to etiology and/or treatment, and proposes a five-step plan to influence public policy concerned with differentiation and treatment of different types of learning…

The author critically analyzes the current American educational system and philosophy, with emphasis on educational needs of handicapped children. He finds special educators often are not aware of the different language required to communicate with the general public, influence molders, decision makers, professionals, and academicians. He believes…

Presented by the Technical Assistance Development System are a planning model for the specification of problems and an evaluation strategy for information collection to implement decision making in the First Chance network of programs for preschool handicapped children. The first chapter offers a planning model in terms of measurable goals,…

The author raises questions concerning the nature of learning disabilities and the effectiveness of special disabilities and the special education services (including resource rooms and secondary programs that are basically extensions of elementary programs) for this group. Three organizational solutions concerning research, policy analysis, and…

Special educators need to consider the implications of trends toward the rapid expansion of preschool programs for the handicapped, and the increased demand upon educators at all levels for systematic planning. (Author/DB)

Discussion of changing views in the education of gifted students identifies five dimensions of change: (1) changing views of the concept of intelligence, (2) changing views on who is gifted, (3) differentiation of curriculum for gifted students, (4) the competing values of equity and excellence in American education, and (5) the new easy access to…

This report focused on special education activity at three different levels in the educational establishment: teacher-handicapped child interaction, educator-handicapped child level, and policy maker-handicapped child interaction. (Author/RK)

Comments on a previous paper concerning Early Childhood Special Education in the year 2000 include the endorsement of a forecast that a new type of research will emerge for intervention procedures. Suggested is the progressive case study approach. (DB)

The role of research in the future of special education is discussed. The impact of research on practice is exemplified in the rise of the mainstreaming movement from research findings unable to find benefits in special class instruction for the mildly handicapped. The continuing ambivalence of the practitioner toward research is noted. The past…

This monograph reviews the role played by public policy in the education of gifted students. It describes the special rule making in identification, placement, program, and accountability. These rules emerge from legislation, court decisions, administrative rule making, and professional standards. Special problems involving racial discrimination,…

This paper examines gifted education in the context of current educational reform efforts. It offers a rationale for the differentiated education of gifted students based on American values and equitable allocation of educational resources. Examples are offered of curriculum content modification for math, science, language arts, and social studies…

This paper, commissioned for the development of the national report, "National Excellence: A Case for Developing America's Talent," provides historical background on issues in gifted education, together with ideas and practices from the special educational strategies now in use for gifted students. The report focuses on the nature of superior…