This digest discusses the process of referring language minority students to special education, focusing specifically on the problems of overreferral and underreferral. The prereferral process, the assessment and referral process, and the characteristics and behaviors of language minority students in need of special education are described in…

Seventy-seven references from the ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center) database and the Exceptional Child Education Resources database are presented, on the topic of prereferral interventions for students with learning and behavior problems. References are arranged by database and then alphabetically by author. Information for each…

The paper provides a framework for a nonbiased placement system for students with suspected handicapping conditions. The suggested approach is designed to help school districts determine whether the appraisal system is contributing to the disproportionate placement of minority group students in special education classes. Nineteen steps in the…

This digest, based on a longer document titled "Alcohol and Other Drugs: Use, Abuse, and Disabilities" by Peter E. Leone, addresses the following questions: (1) "Are students with disabling conditions more likely to use or abuse alcohol or other drugs than their peers?" (usually a "no" response); (2) "Are…

This digest discusses ways in which public libraries deal with latchkey children who spend their after-school hours at public libraries while their parents are at work. Research conducted in 1990 of 110 public libraries revealed that almost all libraries encountered unattended children after school hours, and that most libraries surveyed were not…

Key aspects of P.L. 99-457, the Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments of 1986, affecting handicapped infants, toddlers, and preschoolers from birth to age 5 are summarized. Presented in a question answer format the information digest addresses the following questions: What children are eligible for early intervention services? Are these…

The special instructional needs of limited English proficient (LEP) students in special education programs are discussed. The degree of the student's disability (mild, moderate, or severe) directs both the program focus and the need for specialized knowledge to deliver appropriate instruction. A responsive English as a second language (ESL)…

The Intellectually Gifted/Learning Disabled Project investigated characteristics of this population and implications for educational programming. Twenty-three children, aged 7 to 16 years old, were identified through a referral process involving schools and parents. Only two subjects were female. A detailed analysis of school records; individual…

This digest summarizes information on incidence in and identification and intervention of potentially suicidal children and youth with disabilities. Estimates suggesting that some categories of exceptional youth have higher suicide rates than the general population are cited. Suicide risk factors and signs that a student is potentially suicidal…

Many migrant students are not identified for needed special education services in a timely manner. This digest describes the obligations of schools to provide such services, and discusses approaches for student referral, assessment, and placement and working with migrant families. Federal mandates concerning special education are summarized, and…

This booklet reviews the role of school personnel in detecting signs of depression and potential suicide, taking appropriate actions, and developing and implementing treatment programs. An introductory chapter notes factors related to depression and suicide that may be evident in exceptional children. The second chapter provides a research…

This ERIC/EECE Digest was adapted from a position paper of the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA). Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) organizations are important for their ability to meet the needs of: (1) consumers, for a single point of access that can help them understand their child care…

The paper, originally given at a 1986 Ethnic and Multicultural Symposium, reports on the development and use of a screening instrument for use with language minority students. The literature on disproportionate representation of racial and language minorities in special education and the assessment of limited English proficient students is…

This digest summarizes the problem of over-representation of minority students in special education and offers suggestions to reduce this disproportionate representation. It notes concerns of the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) that minority students are being misclassified and receiving…

Part of a volume which explores current issues in service delivery to infants and toddlers (ages birth to 3) with handicapping conditions, this chapter provides an overview of the relationships among screening, assessment, and curriculum in programming for this population, with attention to the potential impact of Public Law 99-457 and the…