Examined classroom social integration of elementary students with mild disabilities. Used questionnaires to assess peer group membership, peer-assessed behavioral characteristics, and associates' peer-assessed behavioral characteristics. Found that most belonged to peer groups. However, they were overrepresented as social isolates; differed from…

A study found parents perceived 20 students (ages 6-16) with Asperger syndrome as having significant deficits and weaknesses in a variety of socially related areas, while teachers perceived the students to have both fewer and less significant deficits. Self-evaluations indicate students did not believe they had significant deficits. (Contains…

This article reviews research on the social functioning of students with learning disabilities (LD) and draws implications for the inclusion of students with LD in regular education classrooms. Social skills, self-concept, friendships, and social networks are addressed. It argues that the social dimensions of placement decisions for these students…

Three young adults with moderate to severe mental retardation were taught conversation skills using task analysis and cognitive strategies training procedures. Results show that the participants generalized the conversation skills learned under the cognitive strategies condition and that the cognitive strategies training allowed more normalized…

Examines whether principals utilized flexible influence strategies under changing circumstances, based on perceptions of 450 Israeli elementary teachers. Principals acted mainly through an informal, less directive orientation of influence both in ordinary times and in times of change. Principals' leaned toward participatory influence approaches.…

Fifth- and sixth-grade girls identified by their teachers as having few friends participated in group treatment sessions consisting of a praise phase, interpersonal problem solving, and an activity phase. At posttest time, the treatment group spent less time alone, more time initiating conversations, and more time interacting with others. Offers…

A study investigated the relationship between depressive symptoms and social attributions in 33 adolescents with Asperger syndrome. Results revealed a significant positive relationship between depressive symptoms and ability attributions for social failure. The more intelligent the individual, the less social success was attributed to chance and…

Describes a method for including picture storybooks and response journals in a structured social skills training program for special needs students to increase the effectiveness of lessons. Includes a list of social skills topics and related picture books. (JPB)

Examines the impact of teacher consultation on the effectiveness of a pre-school social skills program, called Skillstreaming, that was introduced to two Head Start teachers and their students. Confirms that social skills can be taught to pre-school children within a natural environment, but only when teacher support is provided. Includes…

Examined fourth through sixth graders' conceptions of academic and social ability. Found that conception of ability as stable to external forces heightened importance of competence, performance knowledge, challenge preference, competence perceptions, and self-enhancing attributions. Conceptions of ability as stable to internal forces were fostered…

The authors of a book on parenting maintain their book is about the state of being while raising children, which they feel is a spiritual experience. Allowing children their sovereignty; learning from pain and chaos; not projecting expectations onto children; and the importance of paying attention to the present moment, a concept borrowed from…

Ideas gleaned from the journal of a president of Moravian College (Pennsylvania) immediately after beginning the job identifies many of the tasks and challenges greeting new presidents in the early days of their tenure, focusing on establishment of productive relationships with community leaders, faculty, board members, and staff and learning…

Differences in men's and women's communication styles affect their interactions with each other. Organizations must be flexible enough to recognize situations in which traditional male values of competition may be most functional and those in which more collaborative, female strategies are more appropriate. Personnel training can help ensure that…

Describes a group program designed for high school students with cognitive, emotional, and behavioral disturbances, using Novaco's cognitive-behavioral conceptualization of anger. Multiple techniques allowed multiply handicapped students to learn the physiology, triggers, and consequences of anger as well as to develop coping strategies for…

Comparison of social initiations by 18 children with autism and 13 verbally matched children with mental retardation found autistic children's social initiations were more ritualized and the retarded children's were more playful. Autistic initiation to peers was unrelated to severity of autism, but was related to cognitive skills, whereas retarded…