This study addressed four questions which parents of children with selective mutism (SM) frequently ask: (1) Is SM associated with anxiety or oppositional behavior? (2) Is SM associated with parenting and family dysfunction? (3) Will my child fail at school? and (4) Will my child make friends or be teased and bullied? In comparison to a sample of…

Special education is now an established part of public education in the United States--by law and by custom. However, it is still widely misunderstood and continues to be dogged by controversies related to such things as categorization, grouping, assessment, placement, funding, instruction, and a variety of legal issues. The purpose of this…

A 5-year plan to improve the delivery of services to special needs students was evaluated in Fairbanks, Alaska. The plan focused on developing a model for integrated services and reducing the number of pull-out programs by having special services staff work directly with classroom teachers. Information sources included interviews with 62 staff…

This practicum report describes a project to teach preservice speech-language clinicians cost-effective and time-efficient methods for analyzing language sample assessment data used to design functional treatment programs for children with communicative/linguistic deficits. A technology curriculum was designed and implemented which emphasized…

These guidelines outline procedures for the communication disorders specialist/speech-language pathologist employed in the Utah public schools. The guidelines are designed to ensure that all students with communication disorders, ages 3-21, will be provided with appropriate speech-language services in the public schools, that the criteria for…

The report analyzes trends in research and programs in special education. Twelve reviewers from each of the divisions of The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) reviewed abstracts of ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center) documents (project reports, research reports, and conference presentations). The ERIC documents resulted from a…

This report presents the activities, accomplishments, and outcomes of a study of the long-term outcomes of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) interventions with individuals with severe communication disabilities. The study evaluated long-term outcomes for 7 young men (ages 19-23 years) who had used AAC systems for at least 15 years.…

Articles on communication and language disorder are presented. All but one are in French; the other is in German. They include: "Specificity of Developmental Dysphasia: Implications for Intervention" (Marc Montfort, Adoracion Juarez Sanchez); "Difficulties with Language Development and Discursive Capacity" (Genevieve de Weck); "Language Production…

This report details the outcomes of a project designed to develop decision-making strategies and materials related to the prescription of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices for children with disabilities. The project resulted in the development of the first interactive, bilingual CD-ROM designed to be used by related services…

A theoretical framework for how literacy is learned and an overview of some special learning and technological needs of persons with severe speech and physical impairments are presented. Guidelines are offered for appropriate software selection and specialized computer adaptation for speech output and physical access. (DB)

This practicum employed a systematic series of activities to assist special education middle school students (n=16) in making successful transitions from special classes into regular classes. Students were identified as either gifted-handicapped or communication disordered. Weekly class meetings were held in which general social skills issues were…

This survey aimed to identify the extent and types of preservice training that Oregon speech-language pathologists received with language-disordered adolescents, and to describe the types of services these clinicians provide. A total of 229 Oregon speech-language pathologists was surveyed, with a response rate of 55% (n=125). Responses showed that…

This book is intended to help primary grade teachers teach children with disabilities or other special needs to learn to read and write together with their peers. Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of literacy. The first chapter discusses emergent literacy and highlights strategies to help children find meaning and relevance in print…

The last 25 years have witnessed an explosion of research at the intersection of typical language development and child language disorders. A pioneer in bringing these fields of study together is Robin S. Chapman, Emerita, University of Wisconsin. This contributed volume honors her with chapters written by former students and colleagues, who track…

This book offers the latest available information on central auditory processing disorders (CAPDs) drawn from a State University of New York at Buffalo conference on CAPDs in September of 1996. It is divided into three parts: introduction, management approaches, and specific methods and populations. Chapters include: (1) "Overview and Update…