This article presents the findings of a set of Action Research projects carried out by practitioners in 14 Local Education Districts in collaboration with a team of university tutors over a period of three years. The aim of the project was to explore ways of nurturing the gifts and talents of children aged 4-7 years. The project was funded by the…

The author discusses some of his experiences during the 13 years he has taught handicapped infants to swim. Lessons are usually given for a 10-minute period daily and progress is recorded on a swimming behavior chart. (PHR)

The first paper considers the rationale and presents some criteria for assessing the speech perception of children with disorders at the phonological level of language. In Part II, methods to assess speech perception are grouped into two types, including speech production-perception tasks and oddity tasks. (Author/CL)

The authors review research on attempts to promote speech acquisition in severely handicapped students. Studies on verbal imitation, syntactic forms, and semantics are summarized. Implications for instruction are noted, including careful selection of responses likely to occur in the child's normal environment and which have intrinsic reinforcing…

The effectiveness of using the school principal for behavior contracting with problem students was studied with nine students (sixth through eighth grade). Implementation of administrator-student behavioral contracting successfully decreased the number of teacher referrals to the principal's office. Suggestions for implementing…

The model involves the following five steps: (1) brainstorm the problems; (2) evaluate the brainstorm list and select the most important one; (3) brainstorm solutions to the problem; (4) create a synthesis of 3; and (5) develop a plan to implement 4. (PHR)

Described is the Music for Slow Learners Project in Great Britain which was designed to examine the special contribution music can make to the education of slow learning children. (IM)

The effects of a classroom program designed to improve 109 fifth- and sixth-grade students' attitudes toward blind peers are examined. The results indicated that children who received the lessons had better feelings about blind children but were less inclined to engage in activities with them than those who received no lessons. (Author/PHR)

A study was undertaken to determine whether five blind children could learn to use a spatial sensor to enhance their interaction with the environment. The results of the study, in which the teaching occurred in game format, was that four of the Ss were very quickly able to use the sensor. (PHR)

This paper provides a rationale for basic research and metatheory development in the field of learning disabilities, outlines the steps and cognitive parameters involved in validating such a metatheory, and discusses integrating the findings of basic research with instructional manipulations and reasons for the poor integration of theory and…

This paper affirms H. Lee Swanson's views in "Toward a Metatheroy of Learning Disabilities" and elaborates upon the role of basic research in learning disabilities. An alternative perspective on the nature of applied research is described that views applied research as theoretically driven research aimed at practical matters. (JDD)

In response to H. Lee Swanson's paper, "Toward a Metatheory of Learning Disabilities," this article argues that the field of learning disabilities does not need to be legitimized and that basic research in learning disabilities is not necessarily the prerequisite vehicle by which theoretical progress can be made. (JDD)

The article outlines practical strategies based on a theoretical model and research support for establishing constructive interaction among mainstreamed handicapped and nonhandicapped students. (SBH)

Educators can provide sound interventions for gifted students if they carefully consider their special needs, based on their characteristics. The learning needs of gifted students are delineated, based on their characteristics, and curriculum implications are derived. (TE)

An investigation of methods to manage verbal aggression in elementary level emotionally handicapped and learning disabled students in self-contained classrooms and resource rooms is reported. The bulk of the document contains a synopsis of the guide given to the 27 master's level Florida teachers who volunteered to use the 14 recommended…