Coaching with live observation and immediate performance feedback is an effective means to train paraprofessionals, but might not always be feasible. We used a multiple baseline across participants design with six paraprofessionals who taught elementary students with severe disabilities to test the efficacy of two innovations designed to improve…

Coaching with live observation and immediate performance feedback is an effective means to train paraprofessionals, but might not always be feasible. We used a multiple baseline across participants design with six paraprofessionals who taught elementary students with severe disabilities to test the efficacy of two innovations designed to improve…

Classroom Pivotal Response Teaching (CPRT) is a community-partnered adaptation of a naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention identified as an evidence-based practice for autistic children. The current study evaluated student outcomes in a randomized, wait-list controlled implementation trial across classrooms. Participants included…

We reviewed the literature on function-based interventions (FBIs) implemented by school personnel in K-8 general education settings with a focus on intervention implementation. We identified 34 studies (70 students and FBIs) that met criteria for this review. For more than half of studies and participants, FBIs were implemented by general…

There are challenges and opportunities when teaching in an integrated elementary and special education (ELEM/SPED) dual certification program. Infusing special education in general education courses and collaborating with general education colleagues to create a truly integrated program is imperative. In this article, we provide a case study of…

Federal legislation allows local education agencies to use a student's response to scientific research-based interventions as a method of identifying specific learning disabilities. As a result, educational leadership is challenged to implement response to intervention (RTI). Despite increased literature addressing RTI, no consensus on…

The reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 set in motion the movement away from the typical Referral/IQ Discrepancy Model of Exceptional Student Education identification toward the Response to Intervention (RtI) model for the identification of students with reading-related learning disabilities. This…

Using a multiple-gating procedure, 5 research sites (3 elementary and 2 middle schools) were identified as implementing a Response to Intervention (RTI) framework. This study uses a multiple case study design to describe the RTI implementation in reading at these 5 sites. Findings suggest that the sites studied are utilizing a hybrid model (a…

A resource room teacher describes a three-part mini-workshop in learning disability awareness for general and special education elementary grade students. An overview of the workshop is followed by description of preworkshop activities and preparation and implementation of each of the three sessions. Insets and tables provide a summary of the…

Describes a program called Daughters with Disabilities which was created to address the fact that individuals with disabilities, especially girls, are widely under-served and under-educated in the areas of science, mathematics, engineering, and technology. Describes a program that breaks down barriers for girls with disabilities in special…

The document presents the final report of the Model Vision Project (MVP) Outreach Phase, funded to demonstrate appropriate educational, diagnostic, training, and other services to severely multihandicapped, visually impaired children. Roles of various staff are reviewed, and individuals serving as consultants are listed. Summarized are the goals…

Programs are described which use adapted puppetry technology and play with the physically handicapped, the elderly, special needs classroom students, and temporarily housed families. The programs were found to improve intellectual, social, and emotional behaviors, including self-expression, imagination, and communication skills. (Author/JDD)

Issues are discussed that arose in the training and implementation of the Advanced Learning Environments Model (an approach to restructuring educational services to accommodate full-time mainstreaming of most mildly handicapped elementary students) at two sites. A brief description of the model and sites is followed by specific issues. (Author/PB)

This report describes a practicum designed to improve physical education services for six elementary students (ages 5-9) with disabilities. The project used several strategies to improve physical education services, including: (1) inclusion of the children with disabilities in regular physical education classes; (2) inservice training for the…

A survey of 150 elementary schools was conducted to examine the organizational characteristics, not the characteristics of individual teachers, that facilitate or impede mainstreaming implementation. Individual variables were grouped into three categories--communication/information variables, administrator variables, and demographic variables. (SB)