Faced with alarming dropout rates, educators must find ways to encourage students at risk of dropping out to remain in school. This book describes a variety of prevention programs based on partnerships between universities and local elementary and secondary schools. Among the innovative approaches were combining education and social services in…

This paper describes a non-aversive behavior management approach called gentle teaching and details supportive techniques of the approach. Principles of gentle teaching are explained, including unconditional valuing of individuals (shown by verbal valuing, gestural valuing, and physical valuing); value reciprocation; and behavioral involvement…

This practicum report describes development of a system of family support services for 56 parents of preschool handicapped children (ages birth to 3) in an early intervention setting. A preliminary survey was administered to determine family needs. A family support group was then developed which met monthly for fellowship, networking, work…

In recent years, government has recognized that programs like Head Start are cost-effective investments that improve the school readiness of disadvantaged children. Over the last decade, states have been leaders in supporting services to infants and toddlers and their families. Examples of such initiatives include Hawaii's Healthy Start program,…

This guide accompanies a five-part video series on learning disabilities (total length of 40 minutes), designed to help in the identification of children who may have learning disabilities and in the development of appropriate actions on their behalf. The guide introduces three children, whose true stories are told in the videos to illustrate the…

The purpose of this manual is to provide teachers and other instructional personnel with an understanding of disruptive behavior and effective techniques to use in dealing with children who are disruptive in the classroom. An introductory chapter describes and defines disruptive behavior, explains possible by-products of disruptive behavior, and…

Designed to help political leaders plan and organize a systematic set of government initiatives and policies to improve the quality of life for American families, this document provides a blueprint for mounting a comprehensive effort in support of America's children and their families. The document begins by outlining the need for a national plan,…

A practicum was designed to employ multiple intervention techniques in an effort to improve the negative self-concept of sixth-grade black male students who were involved in rampant acts of verbal and physical aggression that disrupted the flow of class activities. Peer facilitator training was provided for the boys. Other components of the…

This manual outlines crisis policy development, specifically targeting students at risk for life threatening behaviors. Its stated intent is to present a consistent message to all school districts so that they can create adequate and prudent standards for the care of their young people. The materials in this manual are intended to help school…

The report describes and evaluates a 10-week program to help an adjudicated 18-year-old male with behavioral disorders living in a structured residential treatment facility to develop independent living skills. The experimental program consisted of three levels, each offering more independence, while providing support, guidance, and direction to…

This compilation of four annual newsletter issues on services for children with emotional disturbances presents reports of activities, meetings, services, and programs around the country as well as various feature articles. Activities funded under the Child and Adolescent Service System Program are highlighted. In the Winter 1988-89 issue, an…

This report describes results of an evaluation of respite care programs and crisis nursery programs for children with disabilities, based on survey forms received from 81 programs and site visits to selected programs across the United States. The survey of crisis nursery programs and the survey of respite care programs gathered data on amount of…

A study examined the effectiveness of a resistance-based prevention program to increase subjects' ability to comprehend and apply resistance skills. Subjects were 30 participants in kindergarten through third grade. Fifteen subjects received resistance-based prevention training from the We Help Ourselves (WHO) program. The remaining 15 subjects…

This handbook is designed to help public school administrators to develop policies and procedures that allow for the appropriate educational placement of preschool children with disabilities in mainstreaming settings. Part I contains background information and materials on legal requirements related to mainstreaming, the efficacy of early…

A case study assessed the effectiveness of Reading Recovery as a reading intervention program for students in the first grade. The subject was a 6-year-old boy in the first grade who was experiencing difficulty in learning to read. The student was selected to receive tutoring based on his scores on informal reading assessments as well as on his…