Examines variables influencing integration of severely handicapped students into less restrictive school environments. Specifically presents research and practice findings related to (1) opportunities for interaction; (2) the social behavior of handicapped and nonhandicapped individuals; (3) activities typically used in transition efforts; and (4)…

Interviewed parents and staff of Stepping Stones, a project to transition severely disabled children from home-based intervention program to preschool, to identify concerns and information needs. Found that parents were unsure about educational objectives for non-disabled children at the preschool and were therefore uncertain about what to expect…

The report describes the first 3 years of the Homecoming Project, which was designed to return disabled students in regional special education programs to regular classes in 26 local Vermont schools. Fifty-eight such students (of whom 45% were moderately or severely handicapped) were transitioned into regular classes and 19 other students at risk…

The Employment Training and Transition Model is presented as a comprehensive classroom model whose goal is to prepare students with severe handicaps to work, live, and recreate in their home communities while in high school and after graduation. The model is built on the assumption that high school programs should be integrated, age-appropriate,…

The survey was designed to describe and assess the types of services that Indiana agencies provide to learners with severe handicaps. The survey consisted of a section on general descriptive information and sections on daycare and transition services. Sixty-two surveys were distributed to service agencies, and 39 were returned, representing 97…

The effects of deinstitutionalization on 110 severely to profoundly mentally retarded and 68 moderately to severely retarded children drawn from Laconia State School in New Hampshire were examined. Study objectives were to determine: (1) educational and residential consequences of deinstitutionalization; (2) the stability of community placements;…

Each issue of "PRISE Reporter" focuses on some aspect of educating handicapped students and offers a feature article, other sources of information, and descriptions of research projects. The December 1988 issue contains an article titled "Now That the Door Is Open: Social Skills Instruction in the Classroom" (Sue Vernon et al.) which targets…

Work Inc., a community rehabilitation center south of Boston, provides moderately to severely disabled (primarily mentally retarded) students with paid work opportunities while they are still in school. In the Work Inc. program, the Greater Boston business community becomes part of the daily curriculum of 500 students in 35 different communities…

Ten issues of the 1997 newsletter of TASH comprise this document. An issue typically contains news items, a column by the organization's executive director, reports from special interest groups, legislative testimony, conference information, and several major articles, such as the following: "Multicultural Perspectives: Excerpts from Opening…

The panel presentation traces the development of and describes the operation of a Brentwood (California) project to prepare approximately 75 severely disabled individuals, ages 12-22, to function in the least restrictive recreation/leisure, vocational, and general community environments. Transition Steering Committee developed such project…

These six papers address theoretical and practical issues in the inclusion of students with severe disabilities in regular classes and related settings. Emphasis is on how communication and other social skills can be taught to these students in inclusive settings. A prologue and epilogue, by Beth Dixon, a parent, relates her severely disabled…

A survey was sent to 1,153 Indiana special education teachers, special education directors, principals, and parents, and 447 usable responses were received. The purpose of the survey was to describe and assess current service delivery systems within Indiana for children with severe handicaps. Part One of the survey gathered data on: the types of…

Discusses theoretical bases and practical applications of therapeutic leisure and recreation programs in assisting children with mild, moderate, severe, and profound handicaps to become more accepted by their normal peers. Examples show how such activities can be designed to create an environment to facilitate the educational treatment of…

This document presents a "Quality Program Indicators Checklist" developed with the goal of program improvement in classrooms for students in Kentucky with moderate and severe handicaps. The checklist evaluates program effectiveness in six component areas: (1) integration (interaction opportunities and teacher behaviors supportive of…