This study investigated whether teaching mothers with low socioeconomic status to comment while reading to three children with developmental disabilities and four at-risk children would increase communicative interaction and improve the children's emerging literacy skills. All children were more assertive and responsive and four improved emerging…

Examines the effects of poverty on parenting, noting the work of the Kennedy Center at Peabody College and discussing parenting as a process, how parents are influenced by poverty, how parenting in poverty influences children's development, how children are directly and indirectly influenced by poverty, and factors that mediate the debilitating…

Suggests quality indicators for special-education practices that result in socially valid outcomes such as high self-esteem, self-determination, individual empowerment, and joy. Discusses social validity, criteria for determining socially valid outcomes, and practices that promote these outcomes. (Author/DB)

Examines issues, especially definitional issues, in the practical application of effective naturalistic instructional (NI) practices in the instruction of young children with disabilities and their families. Suggests guidelines for describing independent and dependent variables in the procedural and contextual features of research into NI. (DB)

Effects of a traditional instructional format and technology-enhanced anchored instruction on the immediate and long-term acquisition of knowledge was evaluated with 100 university students in a special-education course. The CD-ROM-based anchored-instruction group outperformed the traditional instruction group on the multiple-choice follow-up test…

Describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of an innovative preservice teacher-education program in elementary education in the Inclusive Early Childhood Education Unit at the University of Tennessee. The program includes a three-phase training model, alternative approaches to instructional delivery, local school mentoring, and…

This study with a second-grade child with multiple disabilities in an inclusive setting applied (1) self-management instruction, (2) generalization methodologies (general case programming and multiple exemplars), and (3) a high level of teacher involvement in designing and monitoring the self-management plan. Implications for researchers and…

Examines the potential usefulness of intensive interaction as an educational methodology with pupils whose learning difficulties are compounded by autism. Review of empirical case-study evidence together with questionnaire and interview data from teachers suggests that this intensive approach to developing fundamental social and communication…

Review of 180 intervention studies identified instructional components that best predicted effect sizes for students with learning disabilities. These included sequencing, drill-repetition-practice feedback, segmentation of information, technology (structure-presentation medium), controlling task difficulty (e.g., scaffolding), modeling…

Describes the experiences of two faculty members at two different universities who attempted to restructure the typical "mainstreaming" course for regular educators from one that provides an overview of various disabilities to one that provides strategies that build on holistic, authentic instructional approaches and adaptations appropriate for…

Describes the organization and learning activities of a unit on Chinese folk tales in an inclusive third-grade classroom. The unit features scaffolding of integrated strategies, ongoing assessment, challenges and accommodations, and collaboration with the special-education teacher. Benefits of the approach in a social studies class are noted, such…

This study examined the relationship between adolescents' perceptions of home and school partnership practices and two outcomes: grades in French and time spent on homework. The students (525 general-education and 112 special-education) completed a questionnaire based on Epstein's framework of partnership practices. For special-education students,…

Provides an overview of assistive technology for students with disabilities in inclusive settings and legal considerations regarding assistive technology. Recommendations are given to help teachers maximize assistive technology to facilitate instruction, including finding the lowest technology solution and collaborating with other teachers and…

A study of 73 families of children (ages 3-29) with disabilities investigated what special educators could do to be more sensitive to family needs. Recommendations include listening to parents, developing effective communication among parents and professionals, increasing knowledge about disabilities, demonstrating sensitivity and respect, and…

A case study of a secondary general educator involved in a collaborative-teaching model in an inclusive suburban high school, found that replicating and sustaining collaborative teaching can be difficult, complex and, without careful consideration of contextual variables, may not lead to improved outcomes for teachers or students. (Author/CR)