Five articles discuss designing library interiors for ergonomic needs and requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Highlights include elements of library furnishings for use with technology; directories of vendors that supply libraries and distributors of technological devices for the blind and physically handicapped; adaptive…

This essay reflects on the role of special educators in the education reform movement, stresses the need for ongoing dialogue in educational policy making, and counters concerns over the exclusion of special education from major reform reports with comments on the reform movement's vision of and commitment to educational equity and excellence for…

This survey of 442 service providers and 422 supervisors of early intervention programs revealed few differences between the 2 groups regarding their perceptions of necessary supervisor competencies. Survey items ranked as the most important had three themes: knowledge of rules and regulations, competence in interpersonal skills, and awareness of…

The Birth to Three Inservice Training Project was a federally funded demonstration project which trained Connecticut early interventionists from a variety of backgrounds. The model stressed a conducive learning climate, mutual planning, diagnosis of individual learning needs, continuous evaluation, and follow-up training. The service delivery…

This article describes application of a collaborative service model for students with disabilities in a Minnesota middle school. The model delivers special education services in mainstream classrooms through curricula that are adapted, supplemented, and modified. The characteristics and role of the effective collaborating teacher are explored. (DB)

This model assessment procedure for gifted/learning-disabled students utilizes the concepts of the tetrahedral learning model and self-regulation versus other-regulation. Stage one focuses on the compilation of a summary profile of learner strengths and weaknesses; stage two deals with the learner in context, using a structured interview format.…

A model higher education in-service project in Louisiana, called Success and Certification for Special Education Starters, has been implemented to support and assist first-year special education teachers and noncertified special education teachers. The project is based on a faculty consultation and supervision model where students earn university…

Five special education student teachers and their cooperating teachers maintained weekly journals reflecting upon successive, prescribed themes. The journal entries of both students and teachers confirmed that a practicum situation provides an opportunity for critical reflection, enhancing the student teaching experience as a shared occasion for…

This article examines categories of eligibility for Public Law 99-457 Part H services and their relation to factors of multivariate risk and mandated family focus. Professionals are challenged to reconsider the purposes of screening and evaluation as well as the relation between primary health care and community-based early intervention. (PB)

A survey of 49 state Part H coordinators was conducted to review standards in place for personnel serving infants, toddlers, and their families. The study analyzed, by state, the standards for all 10 professional disciplines addressed under Part H of the Education of the Handicapped Act. Implications for state practice and policy are discussed.…

The Thematic Unit approach to content-area learning integrates reading, writing, and speaking exercises for learning-disabled students while fostering active and strategic study of the content. Features include use of natural materials, teaching of learning strategies, and emphasis on student decision making and involvement. Guidelines are…

This study examined relationships between parenting, severity of disability, and 5 aspects of family ecology for 83 preschool and 69 elementary school children with disabilities. Family ecology variables included socioeconomic status, coping styles, social support, stressful life events, and marital quality. Results showed positive correlations…

Describes specific plans for making environmental education accessible to disabled people by adapting trail systems and facilities for safety, interpretative programing, and access. Encourages the inclusion of disabled people in the wide variety of environmental education programing by presenting solutions to traditional barriers. (MCO)

This case assessment of a man with dual diagnosis (mental retardation and mental illness) exemplifies the use of recent psychological measures, computerized programs, and structured assessment, including the Reiss Screen for Maladaptive Behavior, the Psychopathology Inventory for Mentally Retarded Adults, the Apperceptive Personality Test, and the…

This paper reviews literature on the application of developmental and learning theories to program development and outcome evaluation in early childhood special education (ECSE), and reports on a survey which indicated that ECSE professionals (n=169) knew little about theoretical underpinnings of curriculum implementation. (Author/JDD)