The need for parental involvement in developing effective programs for children with disabilities is highlighted in the conceptual and research literature as well as in the legislation and policies of a number of countries. The present study was undertaken to investigate the curricular skills valued by parents of children with moderate to severe/profound intellectual disabilities attending Special Developmental Schools in Victoria, Australia. The study examined whether a significant relationship existed between selected background factors and the value parents placed on particular curricular skills. In addition, the study attempted to identify the percentage of a typical school week that parents felt should be spent on particular skills within the educational programs offered to their children.

The purpose of this within‐subject comparisons exploratory study was to examine the influence of a graphic representational strategy on the problem solving performance of fourth graders, including special education students with learning problems. We employed a preliminary design experiment, prior to conducting a formal experimental or quasi‐experimental study, to gain insights into factors that may inhibit or enhance implementation of the intervention, especially in the context of real world of classroom (Gersten, Baker, & Lloyd, 2000). Students received teacher‐led strategy instruction in problem solving using a whole group (8 to 9 students) format followed by guided practice in applying the strategy during cooperative groups. Results indicate that students’ word problem solving performance increased from the pretest to posttest on multiplication and division problems. In addition, some students were able to generalise the skill to untaught problems. Implications of the representational strategy for solving word problems by elementary students and special education students with learning problems are discussed.

This study presents a broad picture of the post school outcomes of 28 young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder living in South Australia. Findings from the study suggest that the majority of the participants still have a long way to go to reach the goal of meaningful participation in the economic and social life of their local communities. Most of the young adults had limited social networks and were highly dependent on their families for tangible and emotional support. While many of the participants were regularly Involved in structured recreational and leisure activities, the majority were unemployed and still living with their families. Individuals with higher levels of cognitive functioning generally had better outcomes than those identified as functioning at a lower cognitive level. Findings are discussed in terms of implications for practice and further research.

This review examined the effects of toys and materials as setting events on social interactions of preschool children. A total of 11 studies were examined and the findings suggested an association with particular types of toys and materials and increases in social interaction. There are, however, several methodological weaknesses that need to be addressed in future studies. In particular, future studies need to make more extensive use of experimental rather than observational research designs, provide functional descriptions of extant social skills of participants, apply research designs that allow idiosyncratic responses to intervention to be examined and consider the effects of manipulation of effects of toys and materials in relation to age. With regard to studies involving children with special needs, a number of features of existing research, including small group sizes, unusual ratios of children with disabilities compared to typically developing children and atypical play areas, limit conclusions that can be drawn from the present data. Future research will need to address these issues and examine more typical preschool settings in order to clarify the role of toys and materials in encouraging positive social interactions between young children with disabilities and their regular peers.

ADHD is a neuro‐developmental disorder that is diagnosed in 3 to 6% of the childhood population in a diversity of cultures and a variety of geographical locations. It presents as a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity‐impulsivity, with boys being over‐represented by approximately 3 to 1. High levels of comorbidity between ADHD and a number of other disorders, including Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Conduct Disorder, and learning disabilities, have been identified. This review will examine the historical development of the understanding of ADHD, knowledge of its etiology, and most importantly contribute to raising awareness of the influence of this disorder in the school environment. The literature will be used to provide evidence of the difficulties that children diagnosed with ADHD experience in the behavioral components needed for academic success, and the role that teachers might play in the process of identification, assessment, and management of this disorder. Finally, this review will examine the implications of these findings for the provision of training of teachers in regards to ADHD.