A three-year study examining the effects of 15 resident camp programs on over 2,000 disabled campers ages 7-21 indicates that campers made notable achievements in both affective and recreational skills, that positive gains in personal development carried over to the home and community settings, and that increased independence was the predominant…

Identifies gifted African American children's sociocultural and psychological needs that should be considered when promoting their inclusion in general education settings. Strategies are discussed for creating inclusive environments for these learners, including promoting leadership and prosocial skills, switching linguistic and cultural codes,…

Comparison of two matched groups of seven students with severe disabilities (placed in either general education classrooms or special education classes) found that students in the general education placement interacted more frequently with nondisabled peers, provided and received more social support, and had larger networks of peers without…

Compared to home life, schools resemble crossroads, village squares, marketplaces, and cities. Increasing deliberative interactions among diverse students helps instill habits of behavior necessary for public life: the courtesies, manners, tolerance, respect, sense of justice, and knack for forging public policy with others. This article explains…

A school audit is described, based on the PeaceBuilders program, which helps to create a more peaceful school environment. A research-driven violence prevention program, PeaceBuilders has identified characteristics that help in creating this environment, such as common language, positive stories and behavior posters, daily rewards, group rewards,…

The Yes I Can Social Inclusion Program fosters the development and maintenance of social relationships of students with and without developmental disabilities by helping them to overcome negative behaviors and increase interpersonal skills. A sample lesson plan is included. Two case studies illustrate the program's effects on socially isolated…

A model is presented for assessing students with learning disabilities suspected of having social difficulties. Categories for assessment are described, including affective status, self-efficacy, social status, social skills, and the absence of destructive behaviors. Examples of assessment measures are provided for each category and the model's…

A study examined adaptive behavior profiles in children (ages 21-108 months) with moderate to severe developmental delay and autism (n=23) and without autism (n=27). The Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales was administered, and contrary to initial predictions, the sample presented fairly homogeneous adaptive behavior profiles. (Contains references.)…

Discusses the importance of supporting young children's socialization process from the perspective of a teacher educator/researcher, a parent, and a caregiver. Describes four stages of socialization (using physical aggression, asking for help, using words, and problem solving) and offers recommendations for corresponding spacial needs, play…

Reviews and evaluates approaches to the assessment of social skills of children, including sociometric approaches, behavior rating scales, interviews, behavioral observation, and analog role plays. The advantages and disadvantages of each assessment method are discussed, along with questions that need to be answered in any assessment. (CR)

Argues that Piaget did not consider social factors to be important in his developmental theory and considers some of the practical educational implications of Piaget's social theory. Piaget's notion of the role of social factors is reviewed, and the educational implications of the cooperative context favoring operational development with reference…

Discusses the results of research designed to determine if student science projects in Ohio meet the goals for science education as recommended by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), and the Ohio Department of Education. Contains 16 references. (DDR)

A study compared language development and social competence among 96 preschool children with disabilities in inclusive and segregated classes. Pretest ability was the strongest predictor of progress. Subjects in inclusive classes had higher posttest scores in language development and social skills, but more behavior problems, than peers in…

Satisfaction with disclosure of the diagnosis of autism was investigated using a questionnaire completed by 126 parents. Results indicate 55% of parents were satisfied with the disclosure. Satisfaction was more likely if parents gave positive ratings to the manner of the professional and quality of the information. (Contains references.)…

Intentional communicative acts were assessed in 13 children (ages 2-8) with Cornelia-de-Lange syndrome with a severe mental disability and compared to children with Down and 5p syndromes. The mean number of intentional communicative acts was significantly lower. Analysis of play behaviors revealed the differences were specific for the…