Explains how to apply the lessons and theories of the past 15 years to the actual practice of integrating young children with disabilities into the mainstream community. Chronicles and evaluates the various research projects, programs, and models that have been and are being used. For professionals, graduates, and administrators in education and sp.

This conference report focuses upon transition issues for those individuals with profound multiple-sensory impairments. It contains presentations, reactions, and syntheses of discussions by working groups. The keynote address, by H. D. Bud Fredericks, is titled "Those with Profound Handicaps: Who Are They? How Can They Be Served?." Section I begins with a paper by Lyle Romer titled "Community-based Residential Options for Persons with Severe/Multiple Disabilities: Impact of Services on People's Lifestyles," followed by responses by George Singer and Stephen Barrett. Section II opens with a paper by Paul Wehman and Janet Hill, titled "Supported Competitive Employment for Persons Labeled Severely and Profoundly Mentally Retarded: Impact of Wages and Integration," with responses by Kevin Lessard and Nancy Norman. A section on the health and psychosocial aspects of transition contains a paper by Sharon Hostler called "Youth with Profound Multiple Handicaps of Deaf-Blindness: Health Issues in Their Transition," accompanied by responses by Mary O'Donnell and Hank Bersani, Jr. The final section includes "Recreation and Leisure: Practices in Educational Programs Which Hold Promise for Adult Service Models" by Lori Goetz, along with a response by Pamela Mathy-Laikko and Terrence Dolan and a second response by Barbara Ryan. (JDD)

Although the general public in the United States assumes children to be generally healthy and thriving, a substantial and growing number of children have at least one chronic health condition. Many of these conditions are associated with disabilities and interfere regularly with children's usual activities, such as play or leisure activities, attending school, and engaging in family or community activities. In their most severe forms, such disorders are serious lifelong threats to children's social, emotional well-being and quality of life, and anticipated adult outcomes such as for employment or independent living. However, pinpointing the prevalence of disability among children in the U.S. is difficult, as conceptual frameworks and definitions of disability vary among federal programs that provide services to this population and national surveys, the two primary sources for prevalence data. Opportunities for Improving Programs and Services for Children with Disabilities provides a comprehensive analysis of health outcomes for school-aged children with disabilities. This report reviews and assesses programs, services, and supports available to these children and their families. It also describes overarching program, service, and treatment goals; examines outreach efforts and utilization rates; identifies what outcomes are measured and how they are reported; and describes what is known about the effectiveness of these programs and services.

The purpose of the Handbook of Special Education is to help profile and bring greater clarity to the already sprawling and continuously expanding field of special education. To ensure consistency across the volume, chapter authors review and integrate existing research, identify strengths and weaknesses, note gaps in the literature, and discuss implications for practice and future research. The second edition has been fully updated throughout to take into account recent changes to federal laws as well as the most current academic research, and an entirely new section has been added on research methods in special education.

Play provides young children with the opportunity to express their ideas, symbolize, and test their knowledge of the world. It provides the basis for inquiry in literacy, science, social studies, mathematics, art, music, and movement. Through play, young children become active learners engaged in explorations about themselves, their community, and their personal-social world. An Integrated Play-Based Curriculum for Young Children offers the theoretical framework for understanding the origins of an early childhood play-based curriculum and how young children learn and understand concepts in a social and physical environment. Distinguished author Olivia N. Saracho then explores how play fits into various curriculum areas in order to help teachers develop their early childhood curriculum using developmentally and culturally appropriate practice. Through this integrated approach, young children are able to actively engage in meaningful and functional experiences in their natural context. Special Features Include: Vignettes of children’s conversations and actions in the classroom Suggestions for activities and classroom materials Practical examples and guidelines End-of-chapter summaries to enhance and extend the reader’s understanding of young children By presenting appropriate theoretical practices for designing and implementing a play-based curriculum, An Integrated Play-Based Curriculum for Young Children offers pre-service teachers the foundational knowledge about the field, about the work that practitioners do with young children, and how to best assume a teacher’s role effectively.