A program was developed by a school audiologist and school counselor to provide information to children (ages 3-15) about their deafness. The program consists of informational classes addressing basic audiology, hearing aids, frequency modulation (FM) systems, audiograms, and student concerns; and individualized counseling sessions. (Author/JDD)

The role of the transition liaison professional, who is knowledgeable in medical terminology, hospital procedures, and educational/community services for helping children with chronic illnesses, is explained. Discussion covers effects of recent laws, the need for a formal discharge program and planning model, and the many functions of the…

A school district in Nanaimo, British Columbia (Canada) implemented a transdisciplinary team to provide services for students with multiple handicaps. The team comprises a special education teacher, speech/language pathologist, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, and teacher aides. This paper describes team member roles and responsibilities,…

The article provides recommendations to personnel at residential schools for children who are blind and visually impaired, concerning (1) the impact of the difficult child (erosion of trust, increased demands on personnel); (2) the difficult child as policymaker; and (3) the role of consultants in helping the residential school and the difficult…

This paper reviews parents' emotional reactions following the birth of a cleft lip/palate child. It examines when parents were told of the deformity and discusses the duties of the speech-language pathologist and the psychologist in counseling the parents and the child. (Author/JDD)

This paper provides an historical overview of the foreign language learning difficulties of students with learning disabilities; describes a language-based assessment model for diagnosing foreign language learning problems; and discusses the role of diagnosticians, counselors, and academic service providers in the identification, accommodation,…

Argues that staff developers can have a significant role in structuring programs for cultural diversity in the schools, and explains how the Cambridge (Massachusetts) school district's commitment to multicultural education led to changes in the curriculum and in the roles of the staff developers over several years. (GLR)

This naturalistic study analyzed videotape recordings of nine individualized family service plan meetings in early intervention programs attempting to actively involve parents in the planning process. Results indicated that parents have attained partial decision-making power, but greater attention to parent participation is needed in goal setting,…

The expertise of rehabilitation teachers and diabetes nurse educators can complement each other in components of diabetes management for people who have become visually impaired. The role of each professional involves education; integration of diabetes self-management into a comprehensive rehabilitation program; nutrition; exercise; medication,…

This article examines the role of athletic coaches and notes their unique backgrounds and needs that set them apart from other college faculty. Alternative definitions of the coach's role include offering tenure to coaches, treating the coach like an ordinary contractual employee, and fashioning special nonsalary benefits. (Author/DB)

The relationship between student health and learning is receiving increasing attention. Many communities are placing health care providers within public schools. The article describes Arkansas' experiences using school-based clinics, noting everyone's roles and responsibilities. Arkansas has demonstrated that children's health care needs can be…

A study compared the accuracy of experienced staff with a learning test in predicting the ability of 18 persons with mental retardation to learn 12 training tasks. Results found the Assessment of Basic Learning Abilities test was more accurate for predicting client performance than the assessments of experienced staff. (Author/CR)

A study examined family-centered practice in terms of six early-intervention service providers' philosophies and behaviors. Five underlying components of family-centered services were identified: positiveness, responsiveness, orientation to the whole family, friendliness, and sensitivity. Moreover, these service providers displayed skills both…

This article describes how to maximize clinician participation in outcome management systems: articulate the value of the outcomes management system, involve clinical staff in its design, make it relevant to treatment goals, assure clinicians it will not be used punitively, show how it will improve treatment, and obtain staff feedback. (Contains…

Discusses the comments by headteachers in Oxfordshire (England) on various aspects of their professional work-life in order to determine the difficulties and challenges confronting rural headteachers in a contemporary school system. Focuses on the internal and external issues, staff and staffing issues, and the serious difficulties headteachers…