This study examines the effects of using response cost in combination with positive reinforcement procedures in helping two second grade students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder maintain their attention in the classroom. This involved the loss of reinforcers/points contingent upon inappropriate behavior in the classroom, in addition…

The handbook describes first year results of a project involving microcomputers in the education of behaviorally disordered students. Following an overview of computer assisted instruction (CAI), the book specifies project goals and research questions. Software selection is examined in terms of instructional factors, program decisions, and…

This paper covers selected findings from three studies that compared different diagnostic groups: boys with attention deficit disorder (ADD) with or without hyperactivity (HY) but normal reading ability; boys with reading disability (RD) but not HY; and boys with both RD and HY. Studies examined an adapted task to assess frontal and temporal lobe…

A conceptual framework of attention can be organized around three functions of attention: determining how much capacity is to be deployed (attention allocation), for how long (attention maintenance), and to which potential information sources (attention direction). Within this framework, several critical distinctions can be made between processes…

This Kamehameha Early Education Program (KEEP) report describes the development of a systematic program for teaching academic readiness skills to kindergarten children who require special help to develop attentional behaviors. The progress of eight kindergarten children (five boys and three girls) is described to illustrate the merit of the…

This report compares the on-task behavior (industriousness) of K-3 students in the demonstration school of the Kamehameha Early Education Program (KEEP) with that of children from classes in four public schools. Industriousness was measured by tallying the occurrence of such behaviors as working on an appropriate task, attending to the teacher, or…

Four conceptual competencies were devised and deemed necessary for effective teaching. Then, a number of conclusions were drawn: a) with new competencies being stated, new forms of training must be established; b) training which occurs at the undergraduate level can be made more effective only if the statement of competencies is more realistic; c)…

A comprehensive neurodevelopment evaluation technique known as PEERAMID is recommended for pediatricians in the evaluation of learning disabilities. This multifaceted system assesses the learning process individually, analyzing: minor neurological indicators, fine and gross motor function, language ability, temporal-sequential organization,…

The study measured hearing-impaired (N=106) students' reception of language presented via five modes: oral, aural, manual, oral-aural;, and simultaneous manual and oral. The simultaneous manual and oral and the manual modes received the highest ratings. Results are discussed in terms of theories of cognitive processing and selective attention.…

A self-monitoring treatment (via taped cues) was used to increase time-on-task behavior of two emotionally disturbed and three mentally retarded elementary grade children, all of whom were easily distracted from class activities. In general, the program resulted in improved attention to task and academic productivity. (CB)

The influence of verbal and written labels on selective attention to visual materials was examined with retarded children. Under treatment conditions, retarded and normal children located an object more quickly, looked at it longer, and recognized more objects on a recognition-memory task. These results may be applied to materials development.…

The relationships of two cognitive styles to reading speed and comprehension were investigated by administering a measure of ability to disregard irrelevent stimuli (closure flexibility) and a measure of ability to move fluently from one stimulus to another (fluency) to 94 fifth-grade children. (CM)

The performance of five students (ages 6 to 10) in an adjustment class for deaf children was compared under fixed and variable ratio schedules of reinforcement. During the VR condition, students visually attended more and engaged in disruptive behavior less often than during the FR condition. (Author)

This study evaluated a computer-assisted training program used by four patients (ages 40 to 53) who had attentional deficits caused by cerebrovascular accident and closed head injury. Patients demonstrated improvements in training tasks, attention, and visual memory, but no improvements in two verbal memory tests and a general intelligence test.…