A study involving 27,908 children (age 10) found that children with very low birth weight born to mothers with low maternal education are at high risk of receiving special education services; however, the largest percentage of children receiving special education had the single risk factor of low maternal education. (Author/CR)

This study compared Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for 108 elementary grade students with mild disabilities in either resource or inclusive settings. IEPs for resource students had more service minutes, more long-range goals, used more information sources, indicated better correspondence between IEP components and student ability level,…

Strategies that contribute to the development of critical analysis and evaluation skills for teachers in training were studied at a Scottish university at which teacher school-experience placements involved about 1000 teachers and 250 schools each year. Differences in support needed at various phases of placement and the timing of skill…

Referral, placement, and retention decisions were analyzed using item response theory (IRT) to study whether classification decisions could be placed on the latent continuum of ability normally associated with test items and to study the existence of classification differential item functioning. Results with 352 kindergarten children demonstrate…

The College Board released the profile of 1998 college freshmen who took the Scholastic Assessment Tests and Advanced Placement exams and reported that the number of well-prepared students of all ethnicities is increasing, as is the number of poorly prepared students. The most striking differences found were between suburban schools and schools in…

Comparison of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (Third Edition) and the Cognitive Assessment System (CAS) with 78 special education students found that the WISC-III identified more children, especially more black children, as having mental retardation. Results imply that the problem of disproportionate identification of black children…

Describes the new Advanced Placement (AP) world history course, which has a global and thematic focus and emphasizes global interactions and comparative issues. Discusses the chronology used and its emphasis on global forces and developments within civilizations. Believes that world history courses should assist students in understanding how the…

Discusses why world history instruction is flourishing in higher education. Describes the new Advanced Placement (AP) world history course and states that the course is comparable to college-level world history courses. Considers to which college world history course the AP course is most comparable. (CMK)

Describes the six habits of mind fundamental to the study of history. Argues that a world history course must introduce students to the processes by which historians study the past. Provides suggestions for teaching the habits of mind through the proposed Advanced Placement (AP) world history course. (CMK)

Analysis of 72 questionnaires completed by California itinerant special educators serving students with visual impairments found that most respondents reported they had too many students on their caseloads, served students who could be better served in other placements, and had insufficient time in the school day. Caseload maximums of 8 to 12…

Results of a survey of 54 schools for students with moderate learning difficulties (MLD) in England are organized into such categories as pupil numbers, proportion of boys to girls, pupils with statements of special educational needs (SENs), changes in SENs served, previous placement of pupils, pupils excluded, ethnicity of pupils, and…

Application of systematic research synthesis procedures to 28 studies of general education teachers' attitudes toward inclusion indicated that, overall, about two-thirds of the teachers support inclusion. Their support, however, varied depending on the disability. Only one-third or less believed that they have the time, skills, training, or…

Students from 38 colleges with high scores on an advanced placement examination essay and low scores on the multiple-choice portion were compared with students with the opposite pattern. The pattern was not related to college grades, but was related to other test performance. (SLD)

Addresses the possible impact of block scheduling on student performance on the advanced placement (AP) examination. Discusses team-teaching AP history and English courses for both junior and senior levels using alternative schedules (alternating weeks for AP English and history throughout the school year). Provides two AP syllabi for history and…

Discusses issues in mainstreaming visually impaired students to a middle school. Considers the decision to mainstream a special needs student, the use of paraprofessionals, modifications to classroom and curriculum, technology equipment, socialization, and student attitudes toward the new student. (JPB)