Examines the question of whether to make computers a part of the early childhood curriculum. Discusses the contribution of computers to children's development, focusing on the role of computers and related technology in benefiting children with disabilities and facilitating inclusion. Discusses ways of adapting technology to make it…

Twenty-four abused children, judged unable to participate in a public school setting due to developmental delays and abnormal behaviors, attended a therapeutic preschool for physically and sexually abused children from 1985-88. Most children made developmental gains at a faster-than-expected rate, and over 79 percent were staffed into the public…

The Mediated Learning Program (MLP) is a comprehensive preschool curriculum for children with and without disabilities, based on theories of mediated learning, with a mediator facilitating children's thought processes and problem-solving strategies. MLP includes 19 curriculum units broken into specific daily principles or objectives used to teach…

Curriculum-based measurement (CBM) is described as an assessment system that can facilitate individualized instruction and accommodate student diversity. Topics addressed include: features of CBM, its use in special education, research that extends CBM to mainstream settings, and the combination of CBM and peer-mediated instruction. (SW)

Tools and approaches to promote the development of social skills among students who are deaf are presented. Social skills assessment inventories are described, and six commercially available curricula are identified. Examples of goals and objectives are provided, as well as suggestions to facilitate social integration of deaf and hearing students.…

This article presents a teacher collaboration model called curriculum-based collaboration (CBC), which utilizes the differing expertise and perspectives of general and special education teachers. CBC includes several steps: (1) identify key content; (2) hold a planning meeting; (3) deliver instruction; (4) conduct an interim assessment; (5)…

Describes a pocket reference that can help regular physical educators stay abreast of students with disabilities' individual education program goals and objectives. The reference is designed to quickly identify appropriate ways to incorporate those goals and objectives as well as alternative movements, instructional techniques, and equipment needs…

The responses of two experts in the field of visually impaired education to a recent council position paper address aspects of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, alternative placements, local school district versus residential school placement, supportive integration, and a rationale for the maintenance of both special and regular…

Factors that contribute to teen misbehavior include those in self, home, school, and community. The Calgary School System has successfully integrated troubled teens into the regular public school classroom by developing mutual respect; pinpointing problems; making mutual agreements about which problems to solve; sharing responsibility for change;…

This paper reviews the cultural and historical context of mainstreaming students with disabilities in the United States and contrasts this with a proposed model for Canadian integration. Mainstreaming and integration are seen as reflecting different social dynamics and cultural traditions, and the administrative and research implications of the…

Regular classroom teachers (n=114) who had taken a special education course were queried as to the value of the information presented to them, after they had begun to teach mainstreamed students. Results indicated that teachers considered the topics covered to be very important, and reported themselves to be fairly competent to deal with…

To assist teachers in promoting successful transitions of preschool children with handicaps to integrated preschools or kindergartens, this article summarizes research findings on teachers' classroom organization, behavioral characteristics of most and least independent children in mainstream settings, and differences in the instructional…

This study of 20 preschool children with disabilities and 8 normally developing children found that more peer interaction occurred during play activities that were more structured, whereas teacher interaction rates were not related to activity structure ratings. Among children with disabilities, rate of peer interaction correlated positively with…

Arguments in favor of and against the Regular Education Initiative (REI) are presented. Lack of appropriate qualifications of regular classroom teachers and a lack of empirical evidence on REI effectiveness are cited as some of the problems with the approach. (JDD)

Twenty-nine special education and 26 regular education principals in Australian schools were surveyed regarding effectiveness of their jointly run integration programs for students with intellectual handicaps. Results found positive attitudes among both groups about types and amounts of integration in their programs and levels of cooperation…