The progress of 30 mildly handicapped students in grades 3-8 was monitored simultaneously in alternative levels of a reading curriculum, and students' slopes of improvement and variability of performance were compared. Regardless of the level of the curriculum in which progress was assessed, the slope of improvement was similar over time.…

Assessment of the use of pupil performance data bases in supporting educational goals revealed that teachers who used a computer to track the progress of their mildly handicapped students more frequently recorded superior performance within the goal-based evaluation conditions than did teachers who did not use the computer. (Author/CB)

Children (N=567) in two cohorts were stratified by birthweight into groups of very low birthweight, low birthweight, and normal birthweight. Children were then tracked into the school system to determine educational achievement as an outcome measure. The distribution of handicaps is analyzed, and estimated relative risk ratios are presented.…

This study investigated the differential effects of pausing during mathematics instruction in which 22 students with mild disabilities either worked independently or together. Results provided support for incorporating pauses during lecture. Performance gains were found in both accuracy and fluency of computation. Only multiplication performance…

This paper examines trends in mathematics assessment for students with mild disabilities, with emphasis on implications of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Standards. Results of two studies are reported, one reviewing current mathematics assessment procedures in special education, and the other comparing the Key Math-Revised measure…

This study with 12 2nd- and 3rd-grade students with mild disabilities compared memory for new reading words following instructional sessions in which either word meaning or phonic cues were emphasized. The phonic instruction resulted in a greater number of words remembered either within sentences or on word lists. (Author/DB)

This article describes a functional mathematics activity to help secondary students with mild disabilities develop critical thinking, calculation, and reasoning skills by evaluating the "rent-to-own" option for furnishing an apartment. Suggestions address needed materials, prerequisite skills, procedures, sample worksheets, and modifications. (DB)

This article suggests the acceptance and promotion by special educators of the four basic process standards of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and restructuring of the Council's content standards to make them compatible with the developmental growth of students with mild disabilities. (DB)

Two Israeli studies compared a total of 108 elementary or high school students with mild learning disabilities placed in either self-contained or regular classes. The studies found no evidence that student growth was greater in the self-contained class, although these students did tend to have a higher academic self-concept. (Author/DB)

Examination of the school records of 41 children (ages 3 to 18) identified as having higher functioning autistic disorder (H-F AD) indicated that subjects' characteristics (including cognitive, language, social, developmental, and medical) were as similar to those of children with learning disabilities as they were to other children diagnosed as…

This paper discusses research on cooperative learning, shows how it can help meet student needs in heterogeneous classes, addresses how to overcome potential problems, and offers implementation guidelines. It also provides a framework for initiating cooperative learning in ways that reduce or eliminate resistance. (Author/JDD)

A survey of the perceptions and opinions of 381 special and regular educators found that pullout programs are favored over Regular Education Initiative implementation for elementary students with mild disabilities. Survey data were analyzed into 14 categories such as teachers' responsibility and ownership, teacher preparedness for meeting student…

The article describes a cooperative learning activity to help mildly handicapped students learn specific study strategies. The activity involves silent reading followed by small group discussion, generation of questions, answering the questions, and use of the student-generated questions on a follow-up exam. (DB)

The article reviews what is known about memory strategy development and recommends that teachers of children with learning problems provide intensive training, offer feedback about the strategy, and suggest other situations in which the strategy could be used. (DB)

The article examines options in social skills training for students with mild disabilities. Described are behavioral interventions and five packaged curricula. Among eight guidelines for evaluating a package are efficacy of approach, cost, and concern for generalization. Teachers are encouraged to teach social skills both directly and incidentally…