Noting that the number of students served in special education programs has increased at alarming rates since 1975, this paper posits that this increase is due to recent social and political variables and their impact on the educational system. Special emphasis is placed on how state and local educational leaders respond to national education…

This ERIC digest provides highlights of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997 (P.L. 105-17). Changes to general provisions of the law are explained, as well as changes in other areas, such as outcomes and standards, evaluations and curriculum, procedural safeguards, discipline, early intervention, and teacher training…

This volume presents 12 papers that address the increasing shift toward functional and noncategorical approaches to special education. The papers are: (1) "Origins of Categorical Special Education Services in Schools and a Rationale for Changing Them" (Jim Ysseldyke and Doug Marston); (2) "Reform Trends and System Design Alternatives" (Dan Reschly…

This guidebook is designed to assist schools in providing appropriate education experiences for all gifted and talented children, regardless of the child's talent area, age, ethnic origin, or economic level. Chapters address: (1) the development of an educational plan, what is reasonable to ask schools to do, and what kind of teacher is best for a…

Drawing on data collected in a national evaluation, this paper explores the contribution of Frontline Management Initiative (FMI) to the practice of management learning in selected enterprises in Australia. (A competence-based management development strategy, FMI places learning in an organization and links management performance to the…

A case study of the practices of a white teacher working in an urban elementary school with a large majority of African American students shows the problems caused by detached and unreflective teaching practice. The study emerges from a joint ethnographic research and classroom-based educational project at the school. The teacher worked with…

This paper discusses provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 (IDEA) and suggests strategies for maximizing existing resources in rural settings to meet the requirements of the law. The purposes of this paper are to: (1) discuss personnel preparation data relevant to ensuring that all individuals possess the necessary…

This guide contains the recently revised 1998 Texas procedures concerning dyslexia and related disorders and provides school districts and parents with additional information on the state's dyslexia law and its relationship to the federal laws, Section 540 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The…

A pilot pull-out program for the gifted in British Columbia, Canada (grades five, six, and seven) is described, and evaluation results are presented. Thinking and communication skills are developed through games, field trips, individual projects, multiple problem-solving tasks, and challenging work in fields such as fine arts, history, and…

Presents a summary and interpretation of responses from the participants of the Catholic-Jewish Colloquium. The participants reflect on a number of issues including the changing nature of the relationship between Judaism and Christianity, the rationale and impact of this changed relationship, the particular elements involved in the…

Reports on a study relating 169 community college students' grades, academic standing, and graduation status with their identification with academics, using a questionnaire designed to assess the extent to which self-esteem was linked with academic outcomes. Reveals that students' identification with academics was related to academic standing and…

Provides an overview of the philosophical approaches to the relationship between work and education and how these two concepts function best in a democracy. Recommends a return to the philosophy of John Dewey, who advocated a symbiosis of education and work resulting in a life of meaningful activity. (MJP)

Discusses the strategies that the former Soviet states are evolving to balance the interests of dominant ethnic groups with those of linguistic minorities while constructing a national identity, highlighting language policy in action and focusing on acculturation processes and geographic mobility among groups. A case study of Estonia is also…

Analysis of 150 students (grades 2 through 4) referred to School Study Teams found 43 were classified with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and 12 with emotional/behavioral disorders, but most of these students were placed in learning disability programs. Differences in student achievement, intelligence, and social skills for the three…

Maintains that historical fiction provides children with the opportunity to vicariously live the events of the past, learn about their heritage, and develop a sense of the sweep of history. Recommends several books covering different historical periods and includes related instructional activities. (MJP)