Case studies of two children (ages 7 and 9) with autism investigated whether they would tolerate virtual reality (VR) equipment and respond to the computer-generated world in a meaningful way. The children accepted the VR helmet, identified objects and their qualities, and located and moved toward objects. (CR)

Explores the rapid growth of academic examinations in physical education (PE) and sports studies. Considers if such growth represents a new orthodoxy rather than merely a consensus of thought and practice among PE teachers. Concludes that the increase results from the academicization and professionalism of PE and qualifies as an orthodoxy. (PAL)

Reviews recent research on group counselor training models that emphasize either acquisition of specific intervention skills or understanding of group processes. (Author)

Explores the relationship between English canal boat children and compulsory education requirements during 1900-1940. Focuses primarily on the 1900-1914 era and the difficulty of educating canal boat children. Discusses the Living In Committee Report and the Canal Boats Bill. Concludes this era contributed to progress in educating travelling…

This article reviews the origins, principles, and present practice of conductive education (CE), an educational system to rehabilitate people with motor disabilities caused by early damage to the central nervous system. Numerous variants of CE and an increasing demand for CE are noted. International cooperation, quality management, and monitoring…

This article describes the use of problem-based learning (PBL) with gifted students, in which the focus of the curriculum is "ill-structured" problems. Particular advantages of PBL with these students include effectiveness in teaching the art of problem finding and solving, active learning, higher order thinking skills, and using interdisciplinary…

This paper examines contributions of a functional curriculum approach to achievement of functional communication by students with moderate/severe disabilities. It proposes that best practice needs to focus more specifically on the quality of social interactions with students throughout the day, by emphasizing the role of communication partners in…

Uses Homer and the Iliad as examples of the best in teaching. It explains how the Homerian approach in storytelling exemplifies the art of instruction because it is able to simultaneously instruct, delight, and move the student during the learning process. (GR)

Outlines themes of the scientific element of the PGCE secondary course at Goldsmith College, London (England), which is designed to raise preservice teachers' awareness of issues surrounding race and equal opportunities. It provides a brief outline of the sessions along with notes on the materials used with the students. (GLR)

Oakland School, near Charlottesville, Virginia, is a boarding and day school for children (ages 8-17) with learning disabilities and other academic problems. This paper describes the school's history, philosophy, academic calendar, student characteristics, teaching staff, curriculum, residential program, and additional services. (JDD)

This article introduces a series of papers on cognitive process-based instruction for students with learning disabilities. Cognitive process-based instruction is defined and differentiated from the process training advocated by S. Kirk in the 1970s. The method's basis of sound theory and academic tasks is stressed. (DB)

This article examines the status of mainstreaming of students with hearing impairments, the growth of the Student Development movement, and the reality versus the vision of mainstreaming. Attention to the four "P's" of mainstreaming--people, place, purpose, and process--is urged in order to build a supportive mainstream program. (JDD)

The mainstreaming concept has dramatically changed the lives of enumerable special needs children in positive ways but in some cases has become a travesty as it is extended beyond its logical limits. Developmental appropriateness is the pivotal priority in the education of children, especially those with severe/profound mental disabilities. (JDD)

This article argues the importance of using an individualized approach in teaching multicultural pupil populations and illustrates this with specific applications made to meet the needs of the culturally pluralistic student population of South Africa. (DB)

This paper argues for the role of an applied cognitive science perspective in education. It discusses the relevance and inadequacy of the brains metaphor and the computing metaphor, the parallel distributed processing nature of learning, and the importance of situational variables. Contributions of applied cognitive science to mathematics,…