This paper proposes a process and format for making decisions concerning placement of students with emotional and behavior disorders. A sequential approach in the decision making process is urged, focusing on the student's progress to date, appropriate programs, and protection against a specialized setting becoming the permanent placement. The…

This digest offers guidelines to parents of gifted children which emphasize respecting the child's individuality while providing necessary support. A new definition of giftedness is cited which stresses the asynchronous development of such children's cognitive skills and the resultant qualitatively different inner experience. Early signs of…

A number of respected school systems are now seeking alternatives to tracking and ability grouping, alternatives that will ensure a better education for all students whatever their abilities. This handbook introduces practitioners to educators around the United States who are developing alternatives to harmful grouping practices. After a brief…

The acadmic placement of 87 children (ages 6 to 16 years) who had sustained brain injuries was determined within 1 year after initial psychological assessment. Forty-five children had returned full time to regular academic programs, 21 children received special education support for less than half of their classes, and 21 children were enrolled in…

Including students with disabilities in regular classrooms is a controversial issue. Federal law PL 94-142 offered all children with disabilities equal educational opportunities and began the concept of the least restrictive environment (LRE). The 17th annual report to Congress on the implementation of LRE law suggests that school districts are…

The report describes a 3-year project to identify and develop appropriate assessment tools for placing adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students into the appropriate proficiency levels according to California's state ESL standards for adult education programs. This involved reviewing 18 commercially available instruments to determine their…

The Course Placement Service of the American College Testing Program (ACT) uses logistic regression to model the relationships between outcomes in standard college courses and placement test scores. The logistic regression results are used together with empirical test score data to obtain estimates of validity statistics (e.g., proportion of…

The author suggests ways in which the field of special education, specifically for mildly handicapped students, must reexamine its role and functions in light of budget cuts and threats of deregulation. He asserts that mainstreaming efforts must be reevaluated to assure that special education remains a part of general education in the community.…

An itinerant/consultant program in Colorado provides services to children with mild to severe emotional and behavior problems. Three Itinerant Behavior Development (IBD) teachers service 24 elementary and 5 middle schools. The program, which expanded from behavior management to include curriculum modifications, overcame early staff resistance and…

The booklet describes four model autism sites that were funded in Iowa from 1980 to 1983. Each project's structure, goals and accomplishments, and future tasks are noted. The first project included an interdisciplinary autism resource team and a center-based, self-contained demonstration classroom. The second was a rural delivery model providing…

The text provides an overview of the content and implications of Bill 82, Ontario's special education act. Chapter 1 reviews the bill's contents which emphasize five principles: universal access, education at public expense, the appeals process, appropriate programing, and ongoing identification and continuous assessment and review. Chapter 2…

The paper is intended to provide Oregon schools with guidance on interpretations regarding evaluation of children with specific learning disabilities (LD), as required by the regulations for the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, P.L. 94-142. A list of definitions is followed by guidelines for protection in evaluation procedures with all…

The Hawaii State Department of Education's compliance plan for serving the special needs of minority students of limited English proficiency includes current policies, procedures, and program implementation specifications. The procedures address: surveys of newly enrolled students, English and native language proficiency assessment, program…

A study was conducted at St. Louis Community College to validate the Nelson-Denny Reading Test (NDRT), Form C, as an instrument for student placement, to empirically establish a cutoff score for a mandatory reading improvement program, and to provide more complete and meaningful feedback to students about their reading test results. The study…

Described and diagramed is a model developed in Wisconsin to meet legal requirements for providing the least restrictive alternatives in placement and service delivery for exceptional children. (CL)