This article explores current educational reform initiatives as they relate to curriculum and assessment, programs for at-risk students, collaborative schools, and the regular education initiative. Implications for teacher preparation include the need for defining the knowledge base, designing alternative program models, and developing exemplary…

Special needs teachers and subject teachers simplified text in British secondary level science and humanities courses and used the text with a class of mixed attainment groups. Subsequent assessment indicated that marks of higher achievers were consistently high and marks of low achievers were significantly improved compared to a control group.…

Resource room teachers (n=878) indicated their extent of use of 19 strategies associated with promoting the success of mainstreamed handicapped students and indicated barriers to effective service delivery. Teachers attached a high degree of importance to use of the strategies, but reported only moderate use. (Author/JDD)

This article discusses conclusions from education research and their applications to the Regular Education Initiative. Key principles include the need for adequate time for changes, concrete models of innovations for adaptation by teachers and administrators, tailored support services, clear mandates for reform's directions, and participation by…

Uses case studies on promoting interaction skills for integrating young children with special needs in nursery schools to examine the link between research methodology and promotion of educational quality. Asserts that the research process can influence interaction strategies and promote effective, reflective practice. Notes that teams need…

A survey of 188 general education teachers' attitudes toward including students with disabilities identified hostility/receptivity and anxiety/calmness dimensions. Teacher attributes and beliefs, student characteristics, and school climate were related to both dimensions. Receptivity toward inclusion was associated with higher teacher efficacy,…

Research shows that students with emotional and behavior disorders are extremely difficult to include in mainstreamed environments, with general educators less tolerant of them. The article examines salient issues relative to social integration of such students and identifies critical teacher, student, and program variables that impact the…

Analysis of data gathered on 11 young people with disabilities concerning the transition from school to adult life revealed eight main themes, such as lack of inclusive educational practices, hastily and poorly coordinated transition planning, restrictive views on employment and community living opportunities, low levels of family participation,…

Presents a historical overview of state and federal legislation concerning special education, describes how court litigation has defined the constitutional rights of the disabled to access education, and outlines the provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The procedural safeguards of the IDEA also are outlined,…

Discusses the Regular Education Initiative used to introduce students with mild mental retardation into classes with their peers for academic purposes. Seeks to provide unique alternatives and suggestions for the inclusion of students with mental retardation into groups with their peers. Offers a primary prevention model focusing on group…

Describes a peer coaching program used during the implementation of an inclusive education program within an elementary school. The peer coaching helped develop/enhance teacher skills necessary for implementing inclusion and monitored and responded to the needs of teachers in the project. Recommendations for staff developers, teachers, and peer…

Examines the perceptions of middle school faculty, staff, and students during the restructuring of their school for the fuller inclusion of students with special needs. Describes the philosophy of inclusion, steps in the change process, and the evolution of "schools within a school" made up of teams from each grade level. (JPB)

Describes the use of autobiographical storytelling, personal myths, and visual imagery in preparing elementary and special educators for activist roles in creating effective, inclusive schools. Graduate students were presented with a social-constructivist perspective toward the content and process of schooling. Examples of materials produced by…

As part of a statewide pilot program, Florida schools are implementing instructional delivery systems to mainstream more students with disabilities and develop more special/general educator partnerships. Effective coteaching models have common planning time, flexibility, risk-taking, defined roles and responsibilities, compatibility, communication…

Examined effects of computer-assisted cooperative learning in Grade 3 mathematics instruction within integrated classrooms for students with and without disabilities. Found that cooperative-learning group had statistically higher achievement than did the whole-class learning group. Found no significant differences between groups of regular…