This response to five case studies of inclusive practices for elementary students with learning disabilities (LD) finds that the consistent result was to diminish and subordinate the role of the special education teacher, reduce the potential effectiveness of special education as a specialized instructional effort, and remove the academic press…

This response to five case studies of inclusive practices for elementary students with learning disabilities identifies problems inherent in inclusive education (e.g., coteaching and logistics) and suggests that fundamental school reform offers an alternative that meets recognized best-practice standards and requires the trained skills of learning…

Pennsylvania's instructional support initiatives for secondary students with special needs include collaboration, curriculum-based assessment, learning strategies, and instructional adaptations. A learning strategies model for low achievers is described, followed by one school's experience using instructional supports in regular English classes…

Six instructional design principles are recommended to enable students with learning disabilities to comprehend and compose expository materials. The instructional principles are illustrated using the compare/contrast text structure. Charts provide examples and clarification of the strategies. (SW)

Perspectives on going through the education system are offered by an adult who was diagnosed with learning disability. Experiences are shared concerning elementary school, high school, college, employment, and graduate school. Ten tips are also offered for teachers of students with learning disabilities. (SW)

This exploratory research describes results of a thematic literature-based unit in an upper elementary, self-contained class for students with learning disabilities. Social and collaborative activities included reading, writing, and speaking on the topic of friendship. Literacy outcomes are illustrated in three case histories. (DB)

Reports on the second year of a supplementary reading program. Notes the program was successful with nonreading or delayed-reading students from regular and special education classrooms in grades one through eight. Argues that labels such as at-risk, learning disabled, and dyslexic are excuses for not initially teaching children how to read. (SR)

Special programs for learning-disabled students have limited effectiveness because learning outcome is not determined by remedial education setting. Effective programs must consider cognitive ability, strategic repertoire, previously acquired skills and concepts, and awareness of the goal each task must achieve. Psychological assessment provides…

This follow-up study of 54 graduates of a California high school career and vocational services program for students with developmental disabilities or learning disabilities found that only 39 percent were in competitive employment and that jobs were predominantly in the food, building, fabrication, and packaging service occupations. Most…

Describes a Dutch study of the daily evaluation procedures and instructional decisions of 50 regular and special education teachers over six weeks. Teachers evaluated virtually all the tasks assigned to students, most informally, but did not deviate from their instructional plans on the basis of evaluation results. (DMM)

High school teachers (n=89) rated the importance of 14 student skills and the reasonability of 35 intervention strategies related to mainstreaming. Student skills deemed most important were study skills useful in every class. Factor analysis of intervention strategy results revealed seven factors, and teachers' preferred intervention strategies…

The authors of EC 604 295 examine their developing interest in teachers' perceptions of their peers' effectiveness in teaching difficult students, consider questions raised after seeing results of their study, and outline implications of this line of research in the future. (JDD)

This model assessment procedure for gifted/learning-disabled students utilizes the concepts of the tetrahedral learning model and self-regulation versus other-regulation. Stage one focuses on the compilation of a summary profile of learner strengths and weaknesses; stage two deals with the learner in context, using a structured interview format.…

Two surveys of personnel preparation programs in education of the hearing impaired were conducted, to determine teacher educators' opinions on the preparation of teachers to serve learning-disabled and socially/emotionally disturbed hearing-impaired students. The 98 responses indicated a need to modify existing curricula in personnel preparation…

The Thematic Unit approach to content-area learning integrates reading, writing, and speaking exercises for learning-disabled students while fostering active and strategic study of the content. Features include use of natural materials, teaching of learning strategies, and emphasis on student decision making and involvement. Guidelines are…