The report provides an overview of the nature of the open classroom in terms of implications for special education, describes an ongoing research project on the open classroom, and presents data on one phase of the project. Considered in the overview of the open classroom are the teacher role in the learning process, the role of individual…

From a paper presented at the Annual Convention of the New York State Association of Teachers of Mentally Retarded (2nd, October, 1968).

Open education offers much more flexibility for mainstreaming than the traditional approach; open classrooms are designed to accommodate children in their individuality. Making adaptations is not upsetting to open classrooms. If children must go to special classes, the open school tendency toward community blurs boundaries between special and…

This paper argues for considering the uniqueness of each student with serious emotional/behavioral disorders when deciding on placement. A full continuum of alternatives should be considered, including the possibility that a self-contained class with a low student/teacher ratio may be the least restrictive setting needed to produce successful…

The article criticizes current special education practices, noting that the concept of individual differences has led ultimately to the practice of labeling children with special needs. The "medical model" has put children in special classes, where they tend to perpetuate and reinforce both the labels and behaviors implied by those labels.…

Thirty gifted education teachers were compared with 46 regular education teachers using the Teacher Perceiver Interview. Gifted teachers differed from regular teachers on six characteristics (Focus, Gestalt, Innovation, Mission, Rapport Drive, and Investment) but did not differ on two commonly cited characteristics of gifted teachers:…

The literature review examines the issue of whether categorical differentiation and placement of mentally retarded and learning disabled students is educationally warranted. First, the two conditions are defined; next, a comparison between the two on psychological, behavioral-social, and educational characteristics usually ascribed to children so…

In order that we may know where we stand in secondary education, the membership of the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools four years ago took the lead in urging a study. It seemed to them that it was wise for such a study to be made by the Government of the United States rather than by a private foundation; for if such an…

The problem of variability of data, even in presumable homogeneous subgroupings of handicapped children, which contaminates the results of many special education curriculum evaluation studies is examined with a study of 103 second-grade learning disabled students. The distortion of statistics calculated on samples of extreme variability; coupled…

This paper summarizes the proceedings of a 1991 meeting of the Council for Cultural Cooperation's Educational Research Workshop on gifted children and adolescents. Introductory material briefly summarizes the nature of the meeting, aims of the workshop, and opening addresses (by the Rector of the University of Nijmegan (The Netherlands), the Dean…

This final report summarizes results of a 1991 conference of an Educational Research Workshop on gifted children and adolescents held by the Council of Cultural Cooperation. The report identifies major points from the keynote papers and then summarizes the discussions of the working groups. The contents of the keynote papers and the discussions…