Examined education level, rehabilitation counseling experience, and severely disabled client success rate, evaluating effectiveness of master's degree rehabilitation counselors (MRCs) (N=121) versus other degree counselors (OD) (N=114) in competitive closure rates (CCR) of severely disabled clients. Analyzed New York State Office of Vocational…

Time delay was used to successfully teach two elementary aged children with severe mental retardation and significant concomitant handicapping conditions how to request food or drink. Suggestions for implementing time delay with students not able to generalize imitative responses or to wait for a prompt are offered. (Author/DB)

This study gathered advice about integration from 53 Virginia general/special education teachers and administrators involved in integrating students with moderate/severe disabilities into general education schools/classes. The study examined teachers' and administrators' judgments about success of integration and examined their perceptions of…

This article presents and explains the Preschool Checklist, a measure that incorporates research-based guidelines for developing preschool programs that include children with severe disabilities. The checklist assesses four areas: (1) scheduling and instructional arrangements; (2) socialization and communication; (3) alternative communication; and…

Three students (ages 12 and 13) with developmental disabilities and severe behavior disorders were taught independent purchasing skills. To bypass the need for money computation skills, discrimination between three stimulus classes of frequent purchases (vending machine snack, convenience store snack, lunch) were trained. Two students mastered the…

Ways that 17 Massachusetts schools and 16 adult agencies promoted natural supports in employment of people with severe disabilities are discussed, along with the barriers they experienced. Results indicate wide use of some practices and confusion about the concept of natural supports and the role of service providers in facilitating involvement.…

Interviews with parents of children with moderate or severe disabilities revealed positive perceptions regarding outcomes of their children's inclusion in general education. Of the 13 children (ages 5 to 20), 9 had previously been in self-contained settings. Parents reported skill acquisition in academics, communication, social skills, and…

Summarizes research on disabled children's effects on families and families' influences on children's adjustment. Offers (1) guidelines for family support programs involving school-home partnerships; (2) cautionary notes on provision of family support programs; and (3) methods for preparing professionals for such programs. (BC)

Two studies are reported in which supervisor observations of teachers' performance rate and accuracy were found to result in positive changes in teacher performance and the behaviors of their severely handicapped students (ages 6-21), when compared with baseline supervisor observations that did not specify rate and accuracy feedback. (Author/JDD)

A survey of 123 special educators found that respondents did not feel adequately trained to work with individuals with profoundly handicapping conditions. For a variety of reasons, some teachers did not implement instructional techniques such as integration strategies, technological applications, and Piagetian procedures and such curricular areas…

Two severely handicapped children (ages 5-6) exhibiting self-injurious behavior were treated with negative reinforcement (brief escape from grooming activities) contingent upon a behavior that was incompatible with self-injury (pressing a microswitch that activated a "stop" message). Treatment led to decreased self-injury, which was maintained at…

A national census of children in residential care in New South Wales and Victoria (Australia) was conducted in 1983 and repeated in 1988. Results are analyzed in terms of number of children, number of units, children's age and school attendance, reasons for residential care, size and organization of residences, administration of residences, and…

Behavioral intentions of 100 families regarding out-of-home placement for their child or early adolescent with severe handicaps were tracked 4 times over 6 years with the Placement Tendency Index, to assess the dynamics of family behavioral change. The index had long-term modest predictive capacity but increased predictive utility over shorter…

Four students with profound multiple disabilities were taught to use a microswitch communication system to request a change in recreational stimuli during social interactions with nondisabled peers. Outcomes are discussed in terms of the effects of controlling stimulus presentation on student behavior and the stability of preference hierarchies…

This article discusses the importance of social validity and quality of life concerns in identifying meaningful outcomes for the education of students with severe and multiple disabilities. The article stresses the need for outcomes to result in participation in daily routines and in the student's having more meaningful control over personal…