The field of special education's focus on moderate and severe disabilities (MSD) has undergone a number of changes in the past five decades. Some have been philosophical, some based on research, some based on mandated practices through U.S. law, and some based on the development of better technologies. While pioneers in the field first established…

This article reviews five categories of critical characteristics of high-quality secondary-level vocational instruction programs that increase the likelihood that students with severe disabilities will obtain paid community employment upon graduation. Categories include location of instruction, curriculum, instructional strategies, transition…

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…

This resource guide is the result of a 3-year effort by a task force which addressed vocational and career education services for disabled students in Louisiana. Section I reports on the assessment process for students requiring special education with subsections on essential competencies recommended for vocational assessment personnel, the role…

This compilation presents five papers on issues and research in special education. "Qualitative Research in Special Education: An Evaluative Review" (Charles A. Peck and Gail C. Furman) explicates some of the epistemological assumptions underlying qualitative research methods, reviews examples of qualitative research, evaluates the contributions…

With its comprehensive coverage of instruction and intervention practices in natural environments, this is the essential methods textbook for preservice educators and therapists preparing to work with young children who have disabilities. Focusing on children from birth to age 5, this text gives future professionals a wealth of specific, practical…

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…

This text is intended to provide new and practicing professionals with an introduction to the strategies necessary to support the transition of students with moderate and severe disabilities from school to community life. It offers recommendations for designing and implementing middle school, high school, and post-high school programs, addressing…