Describes the homestay program, in which international students live with North American families to learn the language and culture. Examines reasons for the homestay program, how students are matched with families, challenges the homestay program faces, how the program helps students cope, and positive features of the homestay program. (SM)

Examined parents' influence in middle-school mathematics track placements on the organization of students and assignment of teachers. Found that parents' efforts to re-place students created large upper-level heterogeneous tracks. Upper-middle class, involved parents influenced the overall distribution of students on grade-wide teams. Parents'…

Examined the class formation procedures used in 22 elementary schools from two districts and the influence these procedures had on the composition of 200 classes, 56 of which were combination classes of students from two grade levels. Principals tended to assign higher ability and more independent students to combination classes to ease teacher…

Examines the legal basis for inclusion and presents four federal circuit court decisions that have addressed school districts' responsibilities to include students with disabilities in regular education classrooms. Recommendations are offered for educators and school administrators to follow to determine the least restrictive environment for…

A synthesis of eight studies, involving 442 students, that examined the perceptions of students with learning disabilities concerning their educational settings resulted in five overall findings, including (1) most students preferred to receive specialized instruction outside of the general education classroom for part of the school day and (2)…

In a survey of 46 Memphis-area high-school teachers, 72 percent of respondents reported having disabled students in their classes, but most felt inadequately prepared to teach them. About 85 percent thought that including severely disabled kids in neighborhood schools would necessitate substantial teacher retraining. (Contains 12 references.) (MLH)

A questionnaire containing a teacher-efficacy scale, a hypothetical case report, and questions about teacher background was completed by 116 certified teachers of students with visual impairments. The study found that a teacher's current job placement (whether in a local or special school) was the most distinctive teacher variable affecting the…

This article briefly defines phonological core deficits in cases of dyslexia; considers student classification based on federal and state learning disability placement guidelines; and suggests 10 interventions such as teaching metacognitive strategies, providing direct instruction in language analysis and the alphabetic code, and teaching reading…

Shows how the writing of Asian American students often exhibits features that cause the students to be placed in ESL programs, but argues that these nonstandard forms should be seen as part of a dialect of English. Argues that teachers should be careful about assigning such students to ESL classes, which may be inappropriate and ineffective. (SR)

Questionnaires completed by 47 experts in the inclusion of students with disabilities indicate they defined the term "inclusion" to include placement in natural typical settings, all students together for instruction and learning, supports and modifications within general education, belongingness and acceptance, and collaborative integrated…

Examines the mechanics of a large-scale writing portfolio assessment at the University of Michigan, including its impact on matriculation and placement; students' reactions to the requirement; and instructors' evaluation of the efficacy of placements under the new system. Examines the scoring process used by readers to assess portfolios, and…

Describes the mission of Florida State University's Career Center. Explains activities of its units: Curricular-Career Information Service, Career Experience Opportunities (cooperative education/internship), Career Placement Services, and the Center for the Study of Technology in Counseling and Career Development. (SK)

This article examines a 1995 treatment validity model as a framework for identifying learning disabilities. This model: (1) examines both student performance and responsiveness to instruction; (2) delays special education referral until the effects of individual student adaptations in the regular classroom have been explored; and (3) verifies that…

This article provides quotations from parents and students and offers their perceptions of programs in which the students were enrolled and the professionals dealing with their children. This is followed by five case studies in the form of personal narratives by two students with disabilities (Down Syndrome and emotionally disturbed/learning…

A survey of 65 elementary, junior, and high school principals investigated attitudes toward and knowledge of inclusion. No clear definition of inclusion emerged, but principals generally viewed inclusion as most appropriate for students with mild disabilities. Also, results indicated that teachers were not adequately prepared to implement…