One of the most frequent problems in reading comprehension is the difficulty in making inferences from the text, especially for students with mild disabilities (i.e., children with learning disabilities or with high-functioning autism). It is essential, therefore, that educators include the teaching of reading strategies to improve their students'…

Including students in the general education classroom successfully requires multiprofessional coordination. However, given the well-documented barriers to successful collaboration, special educators in the inclusive model face a task that can be overwhelming. Research has shown that effective communication is one of the biggest hurdles in the…

Students with mild and moderate disabilities need to be skillful at problem solving. This article provides an overview of a problem-solving intervention designed to teach students with mild and moderate disabilities the skills of problem solving. An explanation of the assessments, materials, instructional outline, and methods is presented.…

Recent legislation such as No Child Left Behind and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 has made significant changes in how all students are assessed. Because scores on state and district tests have important implications for students, parents, and school personnel, teachers and students should approach testing with…

This article presents information on using mnemonic strategies to enhance learning and memory of students with mild disabilities. Different types of mnemonic strategies are described, including the keyword method, the pegword method, and letter strategies. Following this, a number of teachers describe their own applications of mnemonic strategies…

The content mastery center (CMC) model is responsive to the federal requirements of providing access to the general education curriculum for students with disabilities and allowing special education teachers to meet the highly qualified requirement by providing consultation and support services in the content areas. The CMC model has been…

Teaching children with mild disabilities to read can be a challenging task for even the most seasoned teacher. In order to be successful, teachers need to be knowledgeable about the big five of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension (National Reading Panel, 2000). While the ultimate goal of reading is…

This article explores the benefits of the Internet to enhance history instruction for all learners. The authors describe a Web-based learning environment, the Virtual History Museum (VHM), that helps teachers create motivating, inquiry-based history units. VHM also allows teachers to build supports for learners with disabilities or other learning…

When students are struggling to be successful in the general classroom, collaborative efforts should include planning for academic and social needs. Students with disabilities may display significant social difficulties such as establishing friendships or feelings of isolation and loneliness. Because peer relationships in childhood play a…

This article identifies content and process components for developing and evaluating schoolwide programs as well as programs for individual secondary students with mild disabilities. Program comprehensiveness and flexibility are stressed. Content components include social/oral communication, basic literacy, life skills, and others; process…

Classroom modifications used successfully by teachers of mainstreamed students with handicaps are described. General guidelines for dealing with daily assignments and activities are outlined, followed by specific guidelines concerning worksheets, textbook/end of chapter questions, study guides, notetaking, tests, and grading. (JDD)

Twenty-nine high school students with mild disabilities were interviewed concerning their perceptions of their Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Analysis showed that most students were unfamiliar with the IEP process and contributed little to it and that most IEPs were not individualized. Suggestions are presented for encouraging students…

Teaching writing as a process is advocated to enhance a student's metacognitive skills and understanding of writing. The process can be used with students who have mild disabilities. Prewriting techniques such as clustering and color coding are explained, along with three teacher options for prewriting instruction to address class and student…

This article discusses the difficulties students with mild disabilities can have with note taking. It begins with a vignette and then describes how teachers can modify their lectures and how they can teach note-taking techniques to students. The two note-taking techniques described are strategic note taking and guided notes. (Contains references.)…

The article describes Project SHINE (Summer Home Instruction and Evaluation), which trains parents to provide brief instructional sessions to their mildly handicapped children. Five parent-child teams were trained in the six program components: pretest, practice, test, track and chart, supplemental practice, and maintenance probes. (DB)