Four hearing-impaired children (ages 9-11) with learning problems answered questions focused on picture description. The children understood question words but answered the questions incorrectly 75 percent of the time. The children had difficulty determining the topic of discourse, were confused by the sequence in classroom discourse, and relied…

This study of 100 children with mild and moderate disabilities and 24 normal children found no main effect differences between integrated and segregated groups in a special education preschool program. Aptitude-by-treatment analyses revealed that higher performing students gained more from integrated classes, whereas lower performing students…

This article sheds light on the critical variables of a successful special education dissertation by presenting two advisees' and two advisors' reflections on the experience. Common attributes that may contribute to a successful dissertation are identified, including acquisition of scholarship, coursework and training experiences, perseverance,…

Discusses emerging portable CD-ROM technology and suggests guidelines for selecting and configuring a cost-effective system. Factors covered include portability, battery life, performance, durability, and display. Connecting the CD-ROM drive to the computer, producing and updating the CD-ROM database, use of the database, and accommodating…

Forty-seven elementary and middle school students, most with learning disabilities, used a computer-assisted instruction program which rapidly presented seven pieces of information or one which cumulatively presented smaller information "chunks." Both groups worked to mastery level successfully, but the cumulative group spent one-third…

This case study describes a project to design a performance support system that incorporated an electronic performance tool, computer-based training, and paper-based deliverables that resulted in lower development costs and improved job performance. Highlights include audience analyses, cost analysis, creative resource allocation, and feedback…

A study retrospectively examined case notes and records of 12 families in which the mother had a documented intellectual disability, who were brought to court on child protection grounds. Findings indicate that the cumulative weight of stressful emotional, physical, and social factors, in combination with limited intellect, precipitated a crisis…

This study investigated influences on achievement motivation with nine rural, black, female high-school honor graduates. Participants reported and exhibited adaptive-achievement-motivation patterns that were mastery-oriented. Being black was a significant factor that was manifested though the goal of disproving incompetence and peer support that…

Three experiments demonstrated that increasing the length of a mobile serial list impaired 6-month olds' memory for serial order. Findings indicated that the primacy effect was absent on a 24-hour delayed recognition test and was exhibited on a reactivation test, adding to growing evidence that young infants possess two functionally distinct…

Explores three themes identified in the articles of this special issue: (1) assessing school-based rewards; (2) envisioning other promising possibilities; and (3) evaluating policy as well as people. Illustrates the power and limits of policy initiatives, especially in the area of monetary incentives or sanctions as vehicles for enhancing school…

A study examined the effectiveness of an instruction-support team (IST) process to provide prereferral assessment and intervention for 492 at-risk students in Pennsylvania. Results indicated that students supported by IST had greater levels of academic performance only when their schools implemented the IST process to a high degree. (Author/CR)

A study used the Questions about Behavior Function Scale to examine the functions of five severe problem behaviors (self-injurious behavior, aggression, stereotypies, pica, and rumination) in 417 institutionalized persons with mental retardation. The most common function for all behaviors except aggression was nonsocial. Aggression was maintained…

A study investigated the effect of paternal presence or absence on the social-emotional, language, and academic outcomes of 22 children with hearing impairments (ages 43 to 83 months). Children whose fathers were present had significantly better academic and language outcomes than those without a father present. (Author/CR)

Examines mistakes in following instructions in an electronics factory. Explores the significance of the mistakes and a range of explanations for why they occur. Offers an expansive definition of what it means to be a literate, skills-rich worker, and urges vigilance against the tendency in both schools and workplaces to label and mislabel. (SC)

Reviews literature on the various dimensions of culture to assess the implications for student learning and the development of culturally responsive assessments. Uses data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 to examine the cultural context in which students live as a basis for understanding context effects on academic…