This study addressed policy problems encountered during the process of identifying and remediating pupils with learning disabilities (LD) in New York State. An ethnographic approach was used in the detailed analysis of policy as it affected 13 elementary LD students (from urban, suburban, and rural schools), their parents, and service providers.…

This study was conducted to examine the relationship between state agencies and higher education in planning for the personnel components of Part H of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The study used a qualitative research design, involving five states, to examine the process of developing and maintaining working relationships…

This 2-year study examined how assistive technologies are used in educational programs for children who have significant multiple disabilities. Naturalistic inquiry incorporated qualitative collection procedures including observations, videotapes of children, and questionnaires and interviews with teachers and parents. Three groups of children…

The "revolving door syndrome" refers to the ease with which students are able to enroll in community colleges and the equal ease with which they can drop out. In addition to traditional retention strategies, such as assessment, placement, orientation and advising, innovative approaches have been implemented at five community colleges…

This document responds to issues raised in a Schools Council discussion paper analyzing the first years of schooling in Australia. The document is divided into nine chapters covering the following topics: (1) the national and historical context in which early childhood programs currently operate; (2) conditions that foster teachers' ability to…

This policy brief addresses the current and future impact of substance abuse by pregnant women on their infants and children. It provides data on incidence estimates in 1985, 1989, 1995, and 2000. Findings of studies in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina provide documentation for varying incidence estimates.…

This compilation on assistive technology devices and services aims to improve understanding of funding streams and creative ways to eliminate funding barriers in Medicaid, special education, and vocational rehabilitation. The first part comprises a workbook titled "A Road Map to Funding Sources." It assists in creating a systematic…

This paper describes a proposed alternative public high school, the Metropolitan Corporate Academy, a joint project of private and public institutions including the New York City Public Schools and designed to serve at-risk students. An overview notes the high New York City dropout rate and the fragmented nature of most of the programs offered in…

This bulletin issue addresses the theme of drug-exposed infants and the services required by these infants and their families. "Cocaine-Exposed Infants: Myths and Misunderstandings" (Barbara J. Myers and others) comments on the negative accounts of drug-exposed babies presented by mass media and reviews the mix of positive and negative…

Hearings were conducted in Newark (New Jersey), Los Angeles (California), Detroit (Michigan), and Atlanta (Georgia) to elicit testimony concerning public investment in education and social services for children and their families. At each of the four hearings, an opening statement by Senator Tom Harkin was followed by statements from individuals…

This parent's guide (presented in both English and Spanish) is intended to help families access services for young children with special needs. It is presented in the form of questions and answers arranged in three parts. Part I presents 12 questions and answers about early intervention services for infants and toddlers (ages birth through 2…

This final report describes objectives, activities, and outcomes of a project to provide training to infant specialists employed within a total of 16 infant intervention programs in New York State. The project focused on the acquisition of skills necessary to provide services under Public Law 99-457. Training content and procedures were derived…

The Early Literacy Program in the Columbus, Ohio public schools provided early intervention to underachieving first- and second-grade pupils who appeared unlikely to read and write successfully without additional reading instruction. The program featured small group instruction for 40-45 minutes daily. During 1990-91, 65 teachers served 1477…

This report presents findings from a study of the ways in which interagency efforts by State and local government agencies influence accessibility of services for children with handicapping conditions and their families. The research was designed as a case study of a mid-Atlantic State that has a wide range of demographic characteristics. Thirty…

In Part H of Public Law 99-457, the Federal Government agrees to provide modest financial resources to aid the states in planning and developing comprehensive, multidisciplinary, coordinated services for young children with handicaps and their families, and presents mandates for reforms in the service delivery system. This paper identifies the…