This study evaluated a treatment package to improve on-task academic skills by three children with autism. Program components included delayed reinforcement for on-task and on-schedule responding, fading of instructional prompts and instructor's presence, unpredictable supervision, and response cost for off-task responding. On-task and on-schedule…

An alternating treatments design was used to evaluate the effects of the interspersal procedure on an elementary student who was referred to a school psychologist for high rates of off-task behavior during independent seatwork. Results showed that the procedure increased the student's on-task levels during classroom mathematics assignments.…

A study examined the effectiveness of a 10-week social skills instruction program for seven students (ages 8-9) at risk for antisocial behavior who were unresponsive to a schoolwide primary intervention program. Results indicated lasting decreases in both disruptive behaviors in the classroom and negative social interactions on the playground.…

A classwide peer tutoring procedure was implemented in an urban elementary school classroom of 23 students, to improve students' spelling performance. Results indicated the untrained or collateral tutoring behaviors increased the academic response frequencies of three tutees and the weekly spelling achievement of one target tutee. (Author/DB)

Observation of the different instructional grouping arrangements used with mildly handicapped students revealed that the different arrangements produced diverse student responses, such as higher participation during individual instruction, compared with entire- and small-group instruction in mainstream or special education classes. (Author/CB)

An unobtrusive self-monitoring procedure was used to teach four elementary school students with serious emotional disturbances (SED) to monitor their behavior while working independently on newly taught materials. A modest positive relationship was found between self-monitoring and the target behaviors measured (percentage of on-task behavior…

A reversal design was used in two elementary classrooms to examine effects of cooperative learning groups (CLG) in reading instruction for three students with autism and their general education peers. Results demonstrated increased reading gains, academic engagement, and peer interaction during CLG conditions. Results also documented the…

Studies comparing computer-assisted instruction with traditional print were reviewed in order to determine what researchers have discovered about using computers in reading. The research findings were then compared and integrated through using the following five categories: interaction, attitude, instructional control, time on task, and…

Performance of 5 students (ages 8 and 10) with moderate intellectual disability was compared as they received the DISTAR Arithmetic instructional intervention and a Discrimination Learning Theory (DLT) intervention not requiring a fast-paced verbal student response. Academic engagement and skill mastery were greater during the DLT intervention.…

Naturalistic observation procedures examined the use of time by 230 elementary students with disabilities in four special education placements--regular class, resource room, special class, and special school. The least restrictive alternatives, particularly the resource room, made more in-class learning time available. (Author/DB)

These reflections by the authors of a paper (EC 611 427) on computer-assisted instruction of students with learning disabilities comment on their reanalysis of the research process and their interpretations of the unanticipated results. Implications for further research on the cost effectiveness of learning-strategy training versus time-on-task…

Shares practical and successful solutions to implementing three recommendations concerning seatwork made in "Becoming a Nation of Readers." (MG)

Reports the findings of a comparative study of elementary students in the United States, Japan, Taiwan, and mainland China. Contrasts student attitude and behavior, intelligence, and achievement levels, and teacher and parent attitudes. Focuses on the factors behind the relative slowness of American children to acquire mathematics skills. (KH)

This study compared self-recording and self-recording plus self-reinforcmeent treatments with no self-recording treatment on the spelling achievement and on-task behavior of 38 children (ages 10 to 13) with severe emotional and behavioral disorders. In the self-recording groups, subjects corrected, recorded, and graphed their daily spelling tests.…

This paper describes the long-term effects of a staff-development program, "Dealing with Multi-Grade Classes," based on selected findings from teaching-effectiveness research in schools with multi-grade or mixed-age classes. The short-term effects were examined in two studies conducted in 1986-87 and 1989-90. In 1992 a follow-up study…