Research indicates that peer interaction can have a substantial impact on the lives of adolescents with disabilities. However, social interaction among adolescents with intellectual disabilities and their general education peers typically occurs infrequently in secondary schools. This paper provides a critical analysis of twenty-six empirical…

Background: Teachers play a critical role in promoting interactions between students and engaging them in the learning process. This study builds on a study by Hertz-Lazarowitz and Shachar (1990) who found that during cooperative learning teachers' verbal behaviours were more helpful to and encouraging of their students' efforts while during…

This article focuses on the findings of two multicultural feminist critical researchers who research with, for, and about Puerto Rican and Dominican youth and children. Across the research, participants developed peer structures, challenged school pedagogies, and maintained relationships with teachers. The authors present the article in two…

This study examined differences between kindergarten and first-grade children identified as at risk (AR) or not at risk (NAR) for the development of severe emotional disturbance on selected factors of classroom dynamics. Screening, using the Systematic Screening for Behavior Disorders measure, of all 628 kindergarten and first-grade children at…

This guide presents a curriculum comprising 36 lesson plans designed to develop a more inclusive school community at the middle school level. The manual was designed by a task force that involved special and general educators representing students of all ages and types of abilities. The goals of the curriculum are, first, to develop positive…

The qualitative study described in this document presents Virginia teachers' perceptions on 10 factors that influence their work environment: resources/instructional materials; physical facilities/class size; professional development; teacher-teacher interactions; teacher-administrator interactions; teacher-student interactions;…

Intended for teachers working to improve social skills for young children K-3 who are moving from the self-centered period of early childhood into the other-centered world of the classroom, this book presents a curriculum of social skills, a teaching methodology, and specific lessons drawn from the experience of classroom teachers. The book is…

This study modifies and expands on earlier research in an effort to incorporate an examination of consultant's sex as an instrumental dimension in determining children's and adolescents' consultant preferences. It was hypothesized that: (1) children would prefer same-sex consultants, and this preference would continue for female adolescents; (2)…

The mattering scales are designed to assess the perceptions of adult learners about their educational environment. They answer these questions: Do I feel I matter to the institution? and Do I feel noticed, appreciated, welcomed? To determine the extent to which adult learners feel they matter, five scales are designed to assess their perceptions…

This monograph addresses the issue of full inclusion of children and youth with severe intellectual disabilities and whether this form of social and academic integration is consistent with the direction of present school reform policies. The first section examines the implications of current efforts in educational reform. A case study illustrates…

Findings from five main projects in the National Center on Effective Secondary Schools, which operated from December 1, 1985 to February 28, 1991, are presented. Projects investigated different aspects of engagement and achievement problems through literature reviews, analyses of existing data sets, and new studies of students and staff in 32…

This paper argues that collaborative learning is possible within graduate education and examines the process whereby a classroom can develop into a unified learning community of shared experiences. Using excerpts of student writings and dialogue, three aspects surrounding the creation of a learning community are explored: (1) the risk of trust,…

This Contractor Report was prepared as background information for OTA's assessment: "Worker Training: Competing in the New International Economy." A review of workplace basic skills research and practice identified factors contributing to success. The review of the research defined workplace basic skills and found that: (1) there was a scant…

The working papers contained in this volume include the following: "Research on Language Learning; How Can It Respond to Classroom Concerns?" (Teresa Pica); "Building Rapport Through Indirect Complaints: Implications for Language Learning" (Diana Boxer); "(Bi)literacy and Empowerment: Education for Indigenous Groups in…

In late 2003, the regional campus of the University of South Australia initiated a peer-mentoring program aimed at assisting the smooth transition of new students to university life. In particular, the Nursing and Rural Health unit envisaged a program that would be effective and rewarding for both student mentees and mentors. This paper presents…