This article demonstrates how teachers can use integrated curricular experiences incorporating art, literature, and drama to help middle school students with learning disabilities acquire content area concepts and reading skills. The instructional model is explained and illustrated with a study unit on the desert. (DB)

Adaptation of Bolman and Deal's conceptual framework of organizational theory and related research provides educational administrators with structural, political, human-resource, and symbolic frames for understanding current educational practices and for planning the integration of severely disabled students into the general education program of…

Through a self-report procedure, 41 mainstreamed hearing-impaired students' perceptions of their social integration were studied. The subjects (ages 7-19) perceived themselves differently than normal-hearing peers on items relating to verbal expression of emotions, verbal aggression, physical aggression, and interaction. Age and gender effects…

A middle school program designed to meet functional curriculum goals of students with mild and moderate disabilities in general education classrooms is described, with emphasis on specific preparation for teachers; extensive and thorough collaborative planning; and strong, ongoing implementation support. (DB)

Teachers in Tennessee are using the Classroom Ecological Inventory (CEI) to prepare students with mild disabilities for moves into mainstream settings. The CEI was field tested as part of the Peabody Reintegration Project and involves observation of the regular classroom, regular teacher interview, comparison of the special and regular classrooms,…

The Attitudes toward Mainstreaming Scale was administered to 233 undergraduate education majors, 110 of whom participated in a follow-up study. Students were generally willing to teach the disabled. Attitudes toward mainstreaming became more positive during professional preparation but declined after student teaching. Implications for teacher…

Reports a study that assessed the amount of environmental information acquired by nondisabled children while participating in a one-day integrated outdoor education experience with severely developmentally delayed children. Pre-, post-, and retesting indicated all nondisabled students in integrated classes showed statistically significant gains in…

An elementary school principal and mother of a son with learning disabilities (LD) offers a personal perspective on educational trends such as resource rooms, content mastery, and inclusion. The paper argues that regular classroom teachers are not trained to teach LD students and that adequate support for mainstreamed LD students would be…

A survey of 518 service providers found high levels of knowledge and adherence to values of inclusion regarding the need to provide opportunities for engaging consumers with disabilities in community daily activities and rights for services. Employees had less knowledge of activities intended to provide opportunities to make choices. (Author/CR)

Discusses ways to integrate students with disabilities into gross motor activities within inclusive physical education classes, noting reasons why students with disabilities have similar needs to students without disabilities. The paper recommends the use of peer tutors, describes different adaptations, and lists potential needs of students with a…

A review of the literature on the socioemotional development and status of hard-of-hearing students in regular classes identifies sources of negative attitudes to which students may be exposed. These include the presence of a hearing aid, requests for clarification, speech impediments, erroneous information in available literature, confusing…

Reflective physical education (PE) teachers should use developmentally appropriate pedagogy (DAP) to include students with diverse skill levels in their PE classes. DAP is a prerequisite to successful inclusion. This paper explains the importance of breaking down skills, age appropriateness, individual appropriateness, and interactive teaching in…

Examined collaboration perceptions and patterns of collaboration between special and general-education preservice teachers. Participants were instructed to collaborate via e-mail, in-person contacts, and written products. Data from individual interviews, focus groups, and collaborative activities indicated that participants recognized personal…

Notes that inclusive care benefits both typically and atypically developing school-age children. Describes caregivers' challenges as lack of training, resources, and identification of successful inclusive program components. Identifies as variables for successful programs: teacher-child ratios, level of provider training and experience, typically…

A study examined attitudes of 20 rural Mississippi elementary and secondary general education teachers toward accommodations/modifications for learning disabled students in their classrooms. Respondents favored accommodations that did not alter the content to be learned, were less intrusive to daily teaching procedures, took the least amount of…