Two studies examined developmental outcomes associated with services in inclusive and self-contained preschool classrooms. Children functioning at relatively higher levels of social and emotional functioning performed better in inclusive settings than in specialized settings and children in full-day classrooms achieved higher rates of progress…

This article provides a description and an analysis of how the U.S. federal courts have interpreted the least restrictive environment (LRE) clause in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It charts the early evolution of judicial interpretation before reviewing cases involving the placement of children with deafness. (Contains…

A commentary precedes this previously published article that uses case studies of two highly gifted preschool students to illustrate potential pitfalls in program planning. Three key components (assessment, flexible scheduling, and counseling) are stressed as critical to the success of any gifted program. (Contains references.) (CR)

A study of 115 Hispanic and 119 Anglo fifth-grade students and 12 teachers investigated teachers' nomination rates of Hispanic and Anglo students to gifted-and-talented programs. Results indicated that ethnicity was a factor in teachers' nomination rate and that differences in rates were more pronounced between Hispanic and Anglo females.…

Stakeholder surveys conducted as part of the development of an accountability and assessment system for five charter schools in Miami-Dade County and Broward County, Florida, revealed high positive response regarding high expectations, school climate, basic skills instruction, and monitoring student progress. The lowest overall rating revealed…

This report investigates the lack of services provided to gifted students with attention and/or behavior problems. Issues addressed include: characterizations of gifted children and the resulting prejudice against gifted children who do not meet a certain profile; the similarities among characteristics of high ability/creative children and…

This literature review examines and integrates research addressing visual handicap and giftedness and provides suggestions for the identification and education of gifted students with visual handicaps. The review addresses definitions of visual handicap and giftedness, characteristics of the gifted visually handicapped child, the problem of…

This document presents a literature review on effective educational programs for students with severe behavior disorders. The literature review's scope includes definitions of relevant terminology, statistics on prevalence, descriptions of several conceptual models and how they affect perceptions of the etiology of behavior disorders and thus the…

Case studies are presented of three gifted students, indicating the social and academic problems which are standing in the way of their potential development. The students include a Vietnamese-American ninth-grade girl who has difficulty with English and does not feel accepted by other students, an underachieving seventh grade boy who speaks out…

The University of Houston's Center for Gifted and Talented Education (Texas) conducts summer workshops for teachers and gifted/talented children in a program called HELP (Helping Exceptional Learners Progress). The children learn more about their abilities, interact with other gifted children, and solve some of the problems they face because of…

This report describes federal, California state, and private student financial aid programs; ways to improve chances of receiving aid; and programs for special populations. Information is provided on the following sources of aid: (1) federal (Pell Grants, National Direct Student Loans (NDSL), Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG),…

Factors affecting the state role in financing educational programs for special student populations are examined along with potential state policy considerations related to the provision of special services. An outline of the major problems facing state policy makers, such as federal budget cuts, teacher shortages, and the needs of gifted and…

The problems of accurately identifying and serving giftedness are vastly compounded with children of new immigrant families. Linguistic and cultural complications, economic and attitudinal factors, sociocultural peer-group expectations, cross-cultural stress, intergenerational conflict, and school system conflict frequently deflect efforts to…

This issue of "Forum," a journal designed to provide a marketplace of ideas for California community college faculty, contains six articles on current educational concerns. First, "Seeking a Working Vision: Community Colleges and the Mission Statement," by Richard A. Garcia, argues that community colleges must put joint…

Gifted rural middle school students in Douglas County, Nevada, participated in a leadership program which complemented an existing critical and creative thinking skill-based program. Assessment, teacher-directed lessons, student-directed activities, integration of leadership techniques into creative and critical thinking strategies, and on-going…