Describes findings from several Florida research initiatives on diversity and school restructuring: (1) special education placement rates, suspensions/expulsions, dropouts, and academic achievement by ethnic group; (2) African American male students' concerns; (3) outcomes of children with disabilities when schools engage in school reform; and (4)…

Analyzes the history, values, and legal issues involved in the inclusion controversy. Opponents of full inclusion of all students with disabilities in the classroom contend that it is a simplistic answer to complex problems. The Community Engagement Dialogic Model is an approach for dealing with judicial intervention in many special-education…

Describes a reliability and validity study of the placement test used at the University of Surrey, England, to identify students requiring English language support while studying at the university level. The study examines administrative and logistic constraints and assesses the test's usefulness within this context. (21 references) (Author/CK)

This 2-year qualitative research study examined the decisions teachers (n=32) made about their teaching practices in an inclusive elementary school. Findings indicate the individual school community mutually negotiated a common definition of inclusion that was fundamentally grounded in students' active participation in classroom settings.…

This article examines the legal basis for providing psychotherapy services to students with emotional or behavioral disorders and presents an analysis of the litigation concerning psychotherapy. It discusses psychotherapy as a related service, who can provide psychotherapy, how a child's need for psychotherapy is established, and placement for…

This article reviews findings from research and practice in school reform, with a special focus on literacy outcomes in schools with students at risk. It describes videotape excerpts that illustrate the "Getting Results Model." This model involves four key change factors: goals, indicators, assistance from others, and leadership. (Contains…

This article reviews provisions of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act as they apply to students with autism. It also discusses anti-discrimination provisions in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and their relevance to students with autism. Eligibility for special education services, discipline, evaluation, student placement, and…

Highlights the strengths of the Advanced Placement American Government and Politics program and observes the program produces students who do well in college. Mentions a major weakness is the educational background of the instructors, and recommends using summer teaching institutes to ensure a minimal level of competency. (NL)

Discusses problems with student tracking. Although supporters consider tracking the best way for teachers to handle classroom diversity, many minorities say that it condemns their children to an inferior education. Studies show that heterogeneous classes benefit all students if the teachers adopt flexible instructional methods to handle the…

In response to Byrnes (EC 221 791), the article stresses that the regular education initiative challenges educators to reorient their thinking and to reevaluate their identification, instructional, and placement policies and practices involving all categories of at-risk children and to more actively involve parents in educational choices. (DB)

Contends that the high probability of error in placement decisions based on high school records and standardized test scores delays the academic development of many students placed unnecessarily in mandatory skill development programs. Advocates skills assessment based on current classroom performance. (DMM)

Describes the results of a national survey that was conducted to determine the current state of Spanish-language testing for placement and outcome assessments. The survey was undertaken in the United States in the departments of Spanish in B.A.-granting institutions. (Author/VWL)

Describes how an intensive journalistic writing course motivated students by combining journalistic writing with a school-history research project. (MM)

Uses a review of literature to explain the inaccuracy and inappropriateness of routine kindergarten screening for potential first-grade learning problems for purposes of placement in kindergarten or first grade. (Author/BB)

Urges music educators' involvement in placement decisions for exceptional students in order to avoid poor placements and to enable all learners to experience musical success. Explains that educators need to understand applications of current law to teaching situations. Describes instructional strategies and aids and services that will ensure music…