The paper notes the difficulties with most formal tests of language skills when applied to the assessment of communication and precommunication skills in individuals with severe and multiple handicaps. General principles for assessment and a flexible assessment device are summarized. The Functional Communication Assessment is offered as a basic…

The use of mild aversives to control self-injurious and stereotypic behaviors of severely emotionally disturbed children is considered. Research is reviewed on the ethics and effectiveness of aversive stimuli. Mild aversives include a form of nonseclusionary timeout known as facial screening, the administration of certain irritating substances…

The effectiveness and theoretical validity of Neurodevelopmental Treatment (NDT), based on neuromotor development among nonhandicapped infants and young children, was investigated across seven cerebral palsied, severely handicapped children, ages 2 1/2 to 12 years. Results indicated that training had a statistically significant effect for four…

The review of the literature examines issues concerned with the use of psychotropic medication by people with severe disabilities living in community settings. Data on prevalence of drug usage are provided and include that 54.3% of residents of community residences receive some type of prescribed medication, most of which are classified as…

Thirty-four teachers of severely handicapped students were asked to rate frequency of 10 communication/collaboration areas (illness, attendance, medication, health issues, hygiene/grooming, clothing/supplies, transportation, after-school programming, Individualized Education Program goals, and discipline). Teachers were also asked to list the…

The record of the 1985 hearing addresses policy issues concerning families of disabled children. Statements are presented from parents of severely disabled children, educators, researchers, agency personnel, and disabled consumers. Topics addressed include sources of family stress, need for financial and respite services, the effects on other…

The first of three booklets on attendant care of severely disabled persons is addressed to the personal care attendants (PCAs). An introductory section reviews the basic concepts of independent living, noting the role of PCAs in promoting independence. Discussions of congenital and acquired disability are followed by information on equipment and…

The paper describes an interactive evaluation process based on E. Brown's transactional evaluation model, and its application to evaluating programs serving children with severe and multiple disabilities or other low incidence populations. The model emphasizes the first part of the assessment process, determining which questions to ask and what…

Intended for parents and teachers of severely/multiply handicapped children, the booklet reviews ways in which sensory experiences can be used for stimulating development. Thirteen lesson plans are provided, with information on objectives to be stressed, activities and materials. Lessons cover such topics as responding to sensory experiences or to…

The manual is intended to help school administrators regionalize special education services. The procedures described are modeled after those of a regional effort in Maine to address the needs of moderately and severely handicapped students. Four major steps are outlined: (1) establishing communication to clarify issues, gather information, and…

The newsletter describes the development of a vocational training model for severely handicapped and deaf blind adolescents. The need for innovative vocational models in the secondary school is discussed. Three stages of the vocational training model are presented--assessment in five job samples (food service, groundskeeping-agriculture,…

The Camden (NJ) Program for Severely Handicapped Preschool Children, while part of the HCEEP (Handicapped Children Early Education Program) network, is unique in that it reflects the needs and characteristics of the population (mainly Black and Hispanic with a large number below poverty level income) it serves. The staff of the preschool program…

The document reports on a seminar sponsored by the West Central Region for Low-Incident Handicapped Children, on the acquisition, construction, and use of American Sign Language with severely handicapped children. Topics addressed include the cognitive preconditions to language, sign formational rules, the structure of sign, and American Sign…

A cooperative partnership between the special education teacher and the occupational therapist (O.T.) is needed to serve the needs of the severely and profoundly retarded or otherwise severely handicapped. Child Find Programs are finding students in the 12 to 21 year age group who have never received any educational services but who may have…

A proposal for a library project for mentally and physically handicapped persons at Custer State Hospital includes a listening library for the residents of the hospital with a cassette player in each resident's room. Tape storage would be at the nurse's station on each floor, and the charge nurse on that floor would be responsible for the tapes.…