Effects are reported of a Durham, North Carolina Education Improvement Program (EIP), a five-year compensatory education program, on social, intellectual, linguistic, and academic development of disadvantaged children. Regarding socialization, changes in social behavior are found to be more a function of specific setting variables, especially…

The article documents relationships between adaptive behavior and social skills. Social competence deficits in mildly handicapped children are classified into four types: skill deficits, performance deficits, self-control skill deficits, and self-control performance deficits. Assessment procedures for classification and intervention purposes are…

Acquired severe communication disorders may result from physical impairment, language impairment, cognitive impairment, or combination of impairments. This paper reviews the demographics and characteristics of communication-disordered adults based on etiology, introduces models of assessment and intervention, highlights intervention strategies and…

Seventeen speech/language pathologists were surveyed concerning reasons for and success of sign language intervention with 118 severely/profoundly mentally retarded students. Though sign language was part of the educational program for approximately one quarter of the students, results suggested that sign language was not an effective…

Five deaf students, aged 11-12, participated in an instructional program using metacognitive strategies to teach summarization skills based on a knowledge of story structure. During intervention, the subjects' performance rose noticeably, and the level of performance was maintained in three subjects. (Author/JDD)

Twenty-one emotionally disturbed elementary grade children completed a television viewing skills curriculum. Results of the intervention found that the subjects made significantly more accurate reality-fantasy discriminations concerning television program content than a control group; however, the curriculum was not effective in increasing…

The effects of three types of tutoring treatments on the attitudes of learning-disabled and control students (n=124) in grades K-6 were compared. The tutoring programs, involving sign language and reading, produced beneficial effects on attitudes about peers, school, and learning, whereas control students did not experience comparable gains.…

Sociometric peer ratings, teacher ratings, and direct observation were employed in the classification of two groups of third-graders as either neglected (socially isolated) (N=12) or rejected (N=12) in their social relationships. Both groups profited significantly from social skills training compared to no changes observed in a control group. (JW)

The University Affiliated Program at the University of Southern Mississippi developed and implemented a model preservice transdisciplinary training program to prepare graduate leadership personnel in early intervention. The program components include a competency-based curriculum; options for field experiences; diverse training options; and links…

A mastery learning program called MTARSH (Multisensory Teaching Approach for Reading, Spelling, and Handwriting) was used with 282 remedial students and 144 nonremedial students in grades 1-6. Subsequent California Achievement Test scores in reading and spelling improved over baseline scores for students in both remedial and nonremedial classes.…

A model is described that utilizes collaboration between sending and receiving programs to support parents through the transition from infant intervention to public preschool special education programs. Included are a timeline for parent services, a parents' worksheet to develop their child's individualized education program, and a list of parent…

Children are a part of an ecosystem composed of several institutions. What happens in any part of the ecosystem affects many or all other parts. Strategies to improve the education of disadvantaged children are most likely to work if they are based in this ecological perspective. Approaches to developing ecologically sound solutions are proposed.…

Evaluates a two-year intervention program for low income families in which a toy demonstrator modeled verbal interactions with children ages two to four. Contrary to earlier results, finds no detectable program effects in children's IQ, achievement, or school adjustment three years post-program. Considers problems of ensuring that samples are…

"Harvard Education Letter" is published bimonthly at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. This issue of "Harvard Education Letter" contains the following articles: (1) Testing Goes to Preschool: Will State and Federal Testing Programs Advance the Goal of School Readiness for All Children? (Robert Rothman); (2)…

Since the inception of the School-to-Work Project in 1998, networks members have increasingly viewed credible evidence as critical to both their approaches to program improvement and their strategies for winning and sustaining support and resources. This issue brief: (1) Describes the activities Network members have pursued together during…