The trend to include mildly mentally retarded, emotionally disturbed (behavior disordered), and learning disabled children in the same generic category and in the same school programs is increasing. The author believes that the noncategorical trend in special education can endanger the appropriate education of many children. (Author)

Three articles discuss the merits and pitfalls of categorical v noncategorical training of teachers in special education. (SBH)

Responses to EC 604 077 include "A Proposed Certification Model for Special Education" (Paul Sindelar et al.), "Categorical versus Noncategorical versus Cross-Categorical Teacher Certification in Special Education" (Ann Nevin), and "Do We Have to Choose Categorical versus Noncategorical?" (Judith Bondurant-Utz et…

Competencies of two groups of first year special education teachers were compared: 109 graduates whose training was primarily categorical and 99 graduates whose training was primarily noncategorical or comprehensive. Results of surveys on competencies completed by Ss and 27 Directors of Special Education in Pennsylvania intermediate units revealed…

Drawing upon New Hampshire data, this article analyzes transition from early intervention to preschool programs, labels assigned to preschool children, label changes as children get older, and consequences of categorical labeling. Almost one-third of children in early intervention were not eligible for preschool services because of requirements…

A national survey examined opinions of state directors of special education and special education teacher educators (n=118) about generic teacher preparation. Findings supported the value of generic teacher preparation for teachers of mildly handicapped students and identified unresolved issues including the impact of such programs on service…

A noncategorical preschool program for handicapped children employs two language-intervention methods: a precision method in which groupings are made by ability level and data-taking procedures are emphasized; and an experiential method which involves pretesting and posttesting but provides groupings across all ability levels. (CL)

The paper compares current practices of identifying students with special educational needs in Australia and Scotland. Noted are problems generated by the abandonment of a category-based approach to such children. Australian and Scottish practice are also compared to United States' experience in light of Public Law 94-142. (Author/DB)

This article describes the results of a survey of Alabama special education teacher educators, school superintendents, special education coordinators, and noncategorically certified teachers five years after implementation of a mild learning-handicaps teaching certificate in the state, and relates the findings to national reports on this topic.…

Students and recent graduates of a generic undergraduate special education program based on the Direct Instruction model as a basis for methods instruction were surveyed about their attitudes toward it. Results supported previous findings with inservice teachers that experience with Direct Instruction increases positive attitudes toward it.…

Quality education and rehabilitation programs for blind and visually impaired individuals are threatened by recent changes in federal and state education policy that favor noncategorical approaches in special education. Current special education policies are reviewed and suggestions are made for ways to avert domination by the interests of…

The study compared academic progress and behavioral ratings of students in an interrelated special education program with those of students in a categorical program. Subjects were 92 mildly disabled students from two rural special education cooperatives. Results indicated that overall student performance did not differ significantly between the…

The article explores implications of the noncategorization of exceptional students. One area of concern is that those children who fail in school will be lumped together with handicapped children, which, the author asserts, does an obvious disservice to both. (PHR)

Mildly handicapped children share common educational needs and behavioral attributes. A general theory of learning outlines the characteristics of special learners and their implications for teaching. Components include expectancy of success or failure, selective attention, organization of input for storage, memory and recall, transfer,…

Children screened and served by an early childhood special education department were followed longitudinally through age eight. Results were used to evaluate effectiveness of the screening instrument and criteria which determined service eligibility. The lack of continuity between original and later disability category supported noncategorical…