This paper provides information on the incidence and prevalence of alcohol-related birth defects, the human and economic costs of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and fetal alcohol effects (FAE), and examples of prevention and intervention strategies that can help reduce the occurrence of and ameliorate the consequences of FAS/FAE. It discusses the…

This guide is intended for teachers, parents, and community workers in many countries and provides concrete advice on meeting the needs of children with specific learning disabilities. The guide begins with a definition of learning disabilities and identifies seven areas of disability. It then considers in more detail five areas concerned with…

This guide is designed to answer questions about cooperation/collaboration between Head Start and local school districts. Relevant sections of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the regulations implementing it are cited, along with regulations of the Department of Health and Human Services concerning the Head Start program, and…

Two studies examined why many adults choose not to attend adult basic education (ABE) classes and ways of improving retention in ABE. In the first study, 17 adults from the Pittsburgh area who had recently quit attending ABE classes (termed "reluctant learners") and 20 adults who had persisted in ABE were interviewed. It was recommended…

In recent years, sex abuse scandals have struck schools around the country. This report contends that the way to address sexual abuse is to face it head on and to develop a comprehensive program to attack every facet of the problem. It is the multi-faceted nature of child sexual abuse that dictates this comprehensive approach. It is recommended…

Intended for teachers of young children exposed to violence in their communities, this paper presents an introduction to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including its definition, symptoms, causes, and providing a supportive classroom environment. The definition discussed is based on that of the Fourth Edition of the Diagnostic and…

This paper presents a historical background and definition of Tourette Syndrome (TS), a review of the literature, and a view of the TS person as stigmatized in society. Social processes are examined through the eyes of the TS individual, and the impact of education on the TS person is examined. TS is viewed as the presence of motor or vocal tics,…

This report contains in summary format the recommendations from a 2-day summit on the nation's responsibility in relation to individuals with learning disabilities. The report contends that a national summit on learning disabilities was needed because of such factors as the large number of people affected by learning disabilities, the plethora of…

Intended for teacher educators, educators working daily with at-risk students, and human services specialists, this book operates from the premises that: (1) at-risk children and adolescents deserve the attention of professionals; (2) at-risk conditions and behaviors can be identified and their effects assessed; (3) effective programs and…

This paper reports on the application of a token economy approach to increase on-task behavior and decrease inappropriate "call-outs" of nine seventh and eighth grade Caucasian male students in a self-containted emotional support classroom. The program included a behavioral contract, token economy "bucks" kept in a classroom bank, and a list of 12…

This literature review and evaluation "tool kit" provides a summary of the research literature about the evaluation of large-scale intervention policies like the Blueprint for the Future program of the Scarborough (Ontario, Canada) Board of Education. This report is intended to assist in creating a realistic plan for the Blueprint…

Maternal and professional perspectives on the developmental, behavioral, and ecological status of children with disabilities and their families were compared, specifically examining the degree of congruence between maternal and professional estimates on various measures designed to assess child and family status. A review of 37 studies helped…

In order to suggest policies aimed at preventing underutilization of early intervention services by typically underserved populations, this study reviewed the literature on utilization of health and social services, devised a generic model of service utilization, and examined the national distribution of several of the model's factors. The model…

This analysis reports on the plans for special education personnel development by those states submitting fourth year applications under Part H of Public Law 99-457, the Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments (1986). The eight states--Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Maryland, Montana, North Carolina, and Texas--used a variety of approaches…

This paper reviews issues in the provision of services to individuals who are mentally ill chemical abusers and addicted (MICAA). Introductory material defines this population and notes that these people are frequently ineligible for services aimed at either mental illness or chemical abuse alone. Service provisions within the psychiatric/mental…