This document summarizes the key issues discussed at a "Listening Session" on the topic of alternative schools, held on December 8, 1998. The session was convened at the request of the Secretary of Education, Richard Riley, and included practitioners, researchers, administrators, policy makers, and teacher trainers from across the country who have…

This report discusses the outcomes of a study that tested the effectiveness and compared two different approaches of conjoint behavioral consultation using a manual versus a videotape series as the main components of training parents and teachers to treat children's behavioral difficulties. Children (n=68) exhibiting externalizing or internalizing…

The purpose of this topical review is to examine the current state of accountability policies that impact students with disabilities who are educated in special schools and settings. For the purpose of this review, special schools and settings are defined as public or private settings outside of comprehensive K-12 school buildings. This review…

Describes using debriefing activities to increase the proactive and preventive benefits when negative consequences are given to students who display problem behavior. Discusses why educators use debriefing activities, how to determine effectiveness, what a debriefing activity should look like, and when it should be used. (Author/CR)

Reviews the types of treatment facilities being utilized by youth facilities nationwide and their practices regarding self-mutilating residents. Results indicate varied frequencies of self-harming behavior. Findings suggest that departments that chose to take responsibility for stabilizing mutilating adolescents as a distinct group express greater…

First addresses the use of destructive labels to describe students with behavior disorders, including negative multiassessment practices, weakness-focused Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), punitive management programs, disparaging remarks, and behavioral descriptions that accentuate student weaknesses. It then suggests ways to promote dignity…

Examination of effects of students with disabilities (N=614) on group cooperation in 3,731 grade-five groups that were completing group science projects found that most integrated groups functioned like groups with all general education students but that groups with students having behavioral disorders or mental impairments had less participation…

Gives an overview and the most important research results of a home-based approach for children with behavior problems. The program advocates parental assistance so that parents can meet their child-rearing responsibilities. Case studies and process-outcome research corroborates the importance of encouraging and validating parents. (RJM)

This study evaluated a multicomponent treatment package with three adults having profound mental retardation who engaged in self-injurious hand mouthing. The intervention, which involved brief response interruption followed by the introduction of a preferred leisure item, was successfully implemented during both individual and small group…

Groups of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) children taking a placebo, high dose, or low dose of Ritalin were compared in their responses to reward and punishment. Results suggest that Ritalin may improve the ability of ADHD children to withhold inappropriate responding by dampening their response to reward cues and, possibly, making…

Reviews the book "Handbook of Child Behavior Therapy in the Psychiatric Setting." Discusses impact of professional and scientific writing on the reputation and growth of the field of behavior therapy. Considers the book impaired by lack of consistency across chapters with respect to level of sophistication, by redundancy, by an almost total…

This introduction to the special issue on research needs and issues in education for students with emotional and behavioral disorders explains how the special issue originated, and identifies major topics of papers included in the issue, such as the importance of classroom structure, the role of setting events, social skills training, and…

Addresses the use of functional assessment in making treatment decisions with students having emotional/behavioral disorders. Discussion covers indirect and direct measures of the relationship between the target behavior and variables maintaining the behavior. Strategies for selecting and verifying hypothesis-driven treatment decisions are…

This article describes use of "comic strip conversations," a type of social story adapted for younger students or those with limited verbal communication skills. It utilizes simple symbols, stick figures, and color to identify key elements of a social interaction. Three steps to implementing the technique are explained and illustrated with…

This article for teachers provides basic information on psychiatric disorders and treatments. It covers oppositional defiant and conduct disorders, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, depression or other mood disorders, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders, and autistic spectrum disorders. Insets provide additional…