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The article investigates the initial expectations of regular classroom elementary teachers for mainstreamed handicapped children. Subjects were randomly assigned to treatment conditions and told that the experimenter was interested in evaluating their initial expectations for a child being considered for placement in their class. Data showed that a child's attractiveness and school–related traits significantly influenced initial expectations of regular classroom teachers.

The article provides a brief report on the convergent and discriminant validity of project PRIMES's Guess Who?, an instrument that obtains peer ratings of children on a series of descriptive statements, in Texas. Two forms of the instrument were administered to teachers and mildly handicapped students. Three factors for both sets of data were determined through factor analysis of the student and teacher ratings. Factor scores for the student and teacher forms were intercorrelated in a mutitrait-multimethod matrix.

The applicability of the theory of reasoned action in predicting special educators' structuring of student integration opportunities from measures of behavioral intention, attitude, and subjective norm was tested. Teachers' intention to structure integration opportunities was predicted from measures of attitude and subjective norm; actual reported structuring of opportunities was weakly predicted by intention and the antecedent of attitude. Teacher beliefs about influential others also differentiated high and low performance. One variable external to the theory was also found to predict behavior performance. Recommendations for teacher change efforts and modification of the theory were made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relative effectiveness of part versus whole teaching strategies for students with moderate and severe handicaps was investigated Students were taught two functional tasks using the two methods, with outcome assessed by measures of acquisition, initiation, problem solving, and inappropriate behavior Although trends in the data suggest the superiority of the pan method for acquisition by students with the more severe handicaps, these effects were not significant. The whole method had a significant carryover effect on task preparation and termination. A significant effect of method wets found for excess behavior: students taught by the pan method exhibited less excess behavior than did students taught by the whole method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a summary of information related to mentally retarded children in relation to their need for school systems services in the U.S. The information on the provision of school services includes age of admission, types and method of educational placement, financial aspects of education, and the provision of transportation and attendant service during transportation. The provisions are for the children to have the benefit of essential services in all urban areas.

The article presents a study on examining teachers' educational needs in classes of trainable children. The study suggests that the teachers should have the knowledge on psychology of exceptional children such as mentally retarded, neurologically impaired and emotionally disturbed, to understand the complex problems of the class. The opportunity for observation and participation in various settings that the child and adult could work and play is important in teacher education program.

The article focuses on the efforts of the National Association for Retarded Children (NARC) in recruiting teachers of children with mental disabilities. Specifically, the NARC Education Committee has offered teacher recruitment brochure which is aimed at high school and beginning college students. Another NARC education offering is the publication titled "Notes for a Speech on Teacher Recruitment," which are very practical when one wants to request a professional person to speak at parent-teacher meetings, for instance.