Court rulings forming the basis for the principle of least restrictive environment for exceptional students are reviewed. The principle is seen to require a continuum of educational alternatives. Implications of state and federal legislation (P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act) are discussed for severely handicapped…

Inflatable swim rings are inexpensive, familiar, compact, and facilitate appropriate positioning for the educational programing of severely motorically involved infants and preschoolers. Case studies of two infants illustrate use of the inflatables. (DB)

The article describes areas in which training should be provided to regular administrators regarding the provision of services to severely handicapped students. Areas noted include curriculum development, inservice training, consultation, coordination of multidisciplinary school services, and design of least restrictive environments. (CL)

Among issues addressed regarding longitudinal curricular content for severely handicapped students are the needs for the principle of partial participation, to create a variety of adaptations to allow greater participation, and to use environmental orientations and ecological inventory strategies in developing curriculum. (Author/CL)

The model stresses a focus on functional skills and suggests that assessment and remediation data facilitate placement into the training environment which maximizes productivity and minimizes dependency, and that counselors and case managers function as enablers who facilitate the client's movement into a less restrictive and more productive…

The authors review research on attempts to promote speech acquisition in severely handicapped students. Studies on verbal imitation, syntactic forms, and semantics are summarized. Implications for instruction are noted, including careful selection of responses likely to occur in the child's normal environment and which have intrinsic reinforcing…

The project demonstrated that a minicomputer control system could serve a large number of families simultaneously. Reliable telephonic data transmission between computer and home-based teaching machines was achieved, families accepted the placement of equipment in their homes, and children interacted with automated devices on a daily basis.…

The American Association for the Education of the Severely/Profoundly Handicapped was established in 1975 to serve as an advocate group for severely and profoundly handicapped individuals. (CL)

Describes community-based "wraparound services delivery" programs for at-risk special-needs students with behavioral problems to help retain them in the general-education environment of local schools. Community services are wrapped around the needs of the student based on an assessment of the strengths of the student and his or her…

The happiness indices in a Fun Time activity were systematically increased for three of four people with profound multiple disabilities by providing their preferred stimuli. The fourth showed decreased unhappiness. However, three people with profound disabilities and minimal movement failed to show any indices of happiness or unhappiness.…

Analysis of communicative events between individuals with and without severe disabilities provides evidence that individuals who are often considered "least able to" do indeed communicate. Proposes that embedded in each communicative act, there is a drive toward self-determination, but that in order for self- determination to be actualized,…

The article examines effective assessment and placement practices in the use of augmentative communication with severely disabled persons through use of a case study and review of the pertinent literature. Models of assessment considered are the Decision-Making Matrix and the Pre-Verbal Communication Schedule. (DB)

The review of the literature on the use of room management (RM) procedures with severely disabled students concluded that RM may be an effective strategy for delivering individual instruction while maintaining high levels of group engagement in other students. RM can reduce problem behaviors and be maintained through positive monitoring and…

Procedures were developed to teach two young children with severe handicaps to get an adult's attention and make a request. Both mastered a routine of getting up, walking over to the adult, and exhibiting appropriate attention-getting behavior after training. Behavior was maintained at a three-week follow-up. (Author/PB)

To identify age-appropriate recreation and leisure activities for students with severe handicaps, 142 nondisabled seventh graders were surveyed. The survey identified favorite independent activities, activities with friends, activities with family, school activities, home activities, community activities, magazines, music groups, card and board…