The article describes the Career Ladder Program for mildly handicapped high school seniors, providing supervised work experience programs based on principles from Re-Ed (Reeducation of Emotionally Disturbed Youth). Principles include team building, affective education, and interventions directed at reducing discord in the ecosystem rather than…

Involvement on campus varies from involvement in student organization leadership positions to paid paraprofessional positions that also reflect strong leadership expectations. A minimum amount of student development knowledge is essential for advisers for a successful functioning and ethical interaction with students. (MLW)

Seven brief clinical vignettes are presented, illustrating principles of intervention with parents of aggressive children. The vignettes describe family relationships; parents' feelings toward counselors, especially anger; counseling techniques; actions taken by counselors; and outcomes of treatment. (JDD)

A survey of 49 state directors of special education found that prereferral interventions for students suspected of having a handicap were required or recommended by most states. Also determined were types of interventions frequently used, professionals responsible for designing and implementing the interventions, and the interventions'…

The article reviews broad characteristics of levels systems, classroom structures consisting of four to six levels of behavioral, academic, and social expectations and the criteria for moving from one level to another. Three sample systems are presented along with step-by-step procedures for developing a levels system for behavior disordered…

Family preservation services to decrease the use of foster care and to preserve maltreating families at high risk of child placement are examined, in the context of studies of the helping alliance and its relationship to treatment outcome. (DB)

This article examines factors contributing to low academic achievement among young adolescents and provides data documenting low achievement in 12- to 14-year olds. Strategies for improving this population's achievement are offered, taking into consideration factors contributing to low achievement, such as difficulty constructing wholes during…

Middle school educators can help prevent violence with a three-step approach: ensuring an orderly and attractive physical environment, a safe social environment, and clear expectations for student behavior. Students can be taught how to constructively manage their own anger. School safety begins before conflict begins and should continue through…

Presents overview of emerging field of early childhood special education in China. Discusses classification and prevalence of special needs children, service delivery options, and early intervention programs. Examines curricula for special needs preschoolers, preparation of special educators, and parent involvement. Calls for increase in early…

This paper outlines the objectives for a facilitator of a parent infant program working with Spanish-speaking families of hearing-impaired infants or toddlers. It is recommended that the early intervention program begin counseling in the parents' fluent language and introduce English gradually to both parents and infant, and provide support from…

This article describes the program of the Sign Talk Children's Centre (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada), a bilingual/bicultural day-care program for deaf and hearing children (ages two to five) of deaf and hearing parents. It also describes the program's systematic assessment of children's language delays in both English and American Sign Language. (DB)

A system of statewide early intervention for children with developmental delays and/or disabilities was established in Bavaria (Germany) in the 1970s. This article discusses current issues, advantages and disadvantages of proximal (homebound) and centralized (center-based) services, the call for a changing model of early intervention, and…

Review of claims for the effectiveness of the gentle teaching philosophy with people having severe problem behaviors and mental retardation finds that the methods were unsuccessful with seven of nine individuals. Although more research is needed, the review suggests that gentle teaching cannot be considered an ethically defensible treatment…

This study examined the relationship between psychiatric and language disorders in 96 youth (mean age 13) in a private psychiatric hospital. Over 33% of subjects exhibited significant deficits in both phonology and syntax, qualifying for a language learning disability diagnosis, but only 44% of this group were receiving special education services…

This review first examines gender disparities in the general population and then in relationship to students in special education, including overall gender rates by disability groups, gender disparities in education and employment outcomes for special education students, and proposed intervention programs and practices that appear promising. (DB)