Research does not support the popular practice of homogeneous ability grouping. Students are placed in groups through diverse and questionable methods. Teachers usually instruct lower ability groups at a low cognitive level and expect little of students in these groups; poor attitudes and achievement often result. (PP)

Studied whether special education placement decisions made by teams are superior to those made by individuals. The investigation was conducted in Puerto Rico to determine the benefits of the cooperative group process. Results indicated that teams generated significantly less variability (i.e., errors) than did the same specialists acting…

Describes an experiment conducted by the English department at the University of Missouri, Columbia, in which a brief essay written at home was used to help place incoming freshmen in appropriate writing classes. (JL)

Questionnaires about attitudes toward mainstreaming were completed by 49 elementary education seniors attending University of Nebraska (Lincoln). The survey showed that number of special education classes, handicapped students experienced in student teaching, and handicapped friends and relatives can influence attitudes toward mainstreaming,…

Utilized 1961-1969 data from the Study of Academic Prediction and Growth to examine (1) why some students are placed in college tracks and others not, and (2) why track placement closely predicts future educational outcomes. Found that prior academic experience and accomplishment, especially early foreign language study, are important course…

A model for teaching physical education classes to handicapped children emphasizes individualized instruction in self-contained classrooms. In the two-stage developmental paradigm, one stage focuses on program organization with each class having its own physical education instruction. The second stage allows for the varying physical and…

Compares two types of multiple criteria models used to select children for gifted classes. Breadth models, depth models, and a more traditional Intelligence Test Model were applied to fourth graders (N=159). Results indicated depth models included more students with unusually high IQ scores and more promising underachievers. (Author)

While total ontask behavior distinguished institutionalized children from children in community schools and special classes, it did not differentiate retarded children in community based classrooms from one another. (Author/SB)

To determine how nonhandicapped children view the mildly intellectually handicapped children in special classes, 286 mildly intellectually handicapped (10 to 16 years old) and 363 nonhandicapped (10 to 14 years old) children were administered attitude questionnaires. (SBH)

The interprofessional child study team can provide greater accuracy in decision making and a creative extension of psychoeducational services to the school. Four problem areas presently interfere: minimal parental and educator involvement, unsystematic analysis of diagnostic information, a loosely construed decision-making/planning process, and…

Designed for a systematic approach to the career development of a student, this article discusses eight steps which can be used to increase the confidence and ability of students in conducting a systematic job search. (LRA)

The findings showed that the stimulated group scored higher on both the intelligence and the developmental tests, particularly on personal-social and speech development. In addition, school placement at the age of five years suggested that the experimental Ss were more easily integrated into the normal community. (Author/DLS)

Responses were obtained from all 50 states and three additional service units on a survey of programs for adolescents with behavioral disorders. (CL)

Comparison of two matched groups of seven students with severe disabilities (placed in either general education classrooms or special education classes) found that students in the general education placement interacted more frequently with nondisabled peers, provided and received more social support, and had larger networks of peers without…

Focuses on a phenomena emerging from examination of a corpus of language interview data, representing a type of institutional talk evaluating the English language ability of international students for the purposes of elective English-as-a-Second-Language course placement. This phenomenon is the students' self-deprecations of their own English…