This prospectus describes the U.S. Department of Education's legislative proposal for the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as reflected in two bills: H.R. 1986 and S. 1075. The report outlines the purposes of IDEA and its positive impact. The report then presents six principles of the Department's vision…

This report describes a project which surveyed providers and purchasers of nursing services within the National Health Service in England on what is available and what is needed in staff training for those working with individuals having mental retardation and challenging behaviors and/or mental illness. Section 1 describes the methodology of the…

Schools mirror society. Both are struggling with issues that threaten not only the learning process, but human development as well. The underpinnings of all school activities are in large part drawn from the field of psychology. Today, as education reform gains momentum, the scientific knowledge and practice expertise of psychologists are…

In cooperative learning, children are assigned to small groups to work on curriculum-based tasks while teachers move among the groups to offer assistance and to monitor progress. Despite the benefits and appeal of this learning method, it has been demonstrated that not all cooperative learning groups are equally successful in the classroom. In…

This study examined the feasibility of a parent-toddler reading program offered as a community-based intervention in one urban and one rural community with widespread poverty and low educational attainment. Fifty-eight families including 61 children, most of whom were 2 or 3 years of age, participated. During the intervention, parents learned an…

This theme issue addresses the provision of behavioral support for students with behavior disorders. The first article, "Providing Effective Behavior Support to All Students: Procedures and Processes" (George Sugai), summarizes the literature on the effectiveness of various interventions and offers several models for examining the…

This federally-funded study examined the effect of two early intervention settings on the social behaviors and development of 46 toddler-aged children with disabilities in Connecticut. The toddlers received early intervention services in natural group environments in the community or segregated center-based programs servicing only children with…

These three guides provide information on the third module of an early intervention program for at-risk kindergartners who show the early signs of antisocial behavior patterns. The third module of the "First Steps" program is a six-week home intervention component that instructs parents in skills for improving their child's school…

This policy brief discusses the impact on students with disabilities of educational reforms that emphasize higher academic standards for all students and zero tolerance policies to make schools safe learning environments for all students. The public's demand for higher standards and safe environments is also explored. The development of academic…

This paper reviews the history and current status of services to children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in Finland. It notes the availability of free or almost free health services in Finland and the resulting very low infant mortality rate. The history of attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD), termed "minimal brain…

With violence in schools skyrocketing, the problems surrounding bullying and teasing can no longer be denied, ignored, or tolerated. Vastly underrated and widespread, bullying and teasing are often mishandled by both school staff and parents. This book provides detailed procedures for the primary prevention and management of bullying and teasing…

This final report describes achievements and activities of the Trans/Team Outreach Project, a Virginia project to replicate a model of inservice training designed to help early childhood intervention teams move toward more family-centered, transdisciplinary service delivery for young children with disabilities and their families. Trans/Team…

This paper addresses the dilemma faced by the requirement that educators provide appropriate and effective education for higher functioning students with autism, while lacking the necessary knowledge to provide such interventions. The first section discusses the diagnosis of autism (especially noting the presence of a "triad" of deficits…

This document consists of papers that received recognition in a competition sponsored by the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment and the National Rural Institute on Alcohol and Drug Abuse. The competition sought to focus attention on problems in providing treatment and prevention services for drug and alcohol problems in rural areas. The papers…

This review of literature organizes and categorizes recent research on at-risk students, concentrating on resilient at-risk students. Programs that have been effective in promoting the success of at-risk students are reviewed, and a file of resources on at-risk students has been compiled. The 61 resources located in this study are organized in the…