Four children (ages 5-8) with tracheostomies were taught to self-administer a suctioning procedure via doll-centered simulations. Performance of all children improved as a function of training; skill maintenance was demonstrated during followup; and participants revealed high levels of satisfaction with outcomes. (Author/JDD)

Storytelling scenarios are suggested for teaching basic first-aid skills to children (ages 4-9) who have mild to severe disabilities. The method involves four steps: assembling materials; identifying skills and conducting task analyses; teaching the skills; and assessing discrimination among different types of injuries, generalization to new…

Psychological variables influencing adjustment to acquired visual loss are examined conceptually and empirically, to clarify their role in skill acquisition and to develop a testable model of adjustment. The Nottingham Adjustment Scale, which measures anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and other characteristics, is presented, along with analysis of…

Suggestions for teaching trial practice in law school curriculum are offered, including creating one's own trial problems; making students engage in careful, creative fact investigation; avoiding prepared presentations by witnesses; using surprise; thinking through the simulation's likely course in the classroom; and using first year students for…

This paper reviews recent research and reports on an ongoing longitudinal study concerning effects of cochlear implants, tactile aids, and hearing aids on the development of speech production skills in 18 children and youth with profound hearing impairments. The most improved speech was seen in the subjects with cochlear implants. (DB)

Discusses the use of microcomputer applications software in education, reviews the literature involving studies on the development of problem-solving skills and on the instructional use of spreadsheets, and describes a project for secondary school students using spreadsheets that provides cognitive support. (Contains 35 references.) (LRW)

This article presents a framework for modifying traditional auditory therapy techniques to address the needs of hearing-impaired children with cochlear implants. Emphasis is on activities that encourage carry-over of skills from structured to unstructured settings resembling listening in a natural environment. (DB)

Five hearing parents who spoke and signed SEE-2 (Signing Exact English) to their hearing-impaired children (ages 3-4) were observed, given feedback on their communication abilities, and observed again following a retention period. All parents showed improvement, and three parents changed impressively in form, content, and use of this form of…

Gifted and talented fifth and sixth grade students participating in Montana's Future Problem Solving Program are developing their information retrieval skills as they use electronic equipment to retrieve research literature and use a hypercard authoring system to record and manipulate their findings. (JDD)

Describes intervention, developed at midwestern community college, that was designed to provide social skills training for students with learning disabilities. Concludes that such a social skills training support group offers learning-disabled students a safe environment to practice new behaviors and compensatory strategies that may foster their…

This study compared the adaptive behaviors of 20 autistic, 20 Down's syndrome, and 20 normal children matched on age equivalent adaptive behavior, gender, race, birth order, family size, and socioeconomic status. The autistic children displayed significant and pervasive deficits in the acquisition of adaptive social skills and greater variability…

Research findings on effective learning are limited, since mental activity is covert and learning can only be inferred from subsequent responses. Integrating such concepts as ability, motivation, self-efficacy, and perseverance is difficult. The respective roles of modeling, expectations, instruction, and feedback are not well understood.…

Study tested several hypotheses relating concept learning to the use of teaching skills in training settings. Data from 14 training studies that measured both factors were analyzed. Results showed significant relationships between the concept and skill variables and suggested that skill acquisition in a training setting is mediated by concept…

Presents a drill-and-review process in which students take daily quizzes and then correct each other's work on a daily basis. Provides a daily quiz sheet and an example implementing the process for the concept of fractions. (MDH)

Provides examples of three pedagogical approaches for using play structures in elementary school physical education. The examples focus on objectives relating to health-related fitness and skill development. (GLR)