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This report contains descriptions and progress of five projects in the District of Columbia partially or wholly funded by ESEA Title III: (1) The Columbia Road Preschool Pilot Project, a second-year experimental effort designed to serve as a model school providing an experimental setting for early childhood educational programs; (2) The Montessori Preschool Project, designed to adapt the Montessori method and to develop a model for a public school setting; (3) Continuing Education and Services for School Age Mothers, for which an interim report has not been included in this evaluation report; (4) Development of a Complete School Program for Rubella Children Beginning During the Pre-School Period, a project of the Special Education Department of the D.C. Public Schools, designed primarily to provide educational opportunities for young hearing impaired children who might also have other handicaps concomitant with maternal Rubella; and, (5) The Parent-Partners Traineeship Proposal for a Parent Education Program, designed to foster parent-pupil partnership in order to reinforce and extend the educational experiences of children. [Several pages of this document are not clearly legible, but it has been reproduced from the best available copy.] (RJ)

The report describes the Summer Sessions for Preschool, Rubella, Deaf-Blind Children conducted in 1970 and 1971 by the Northwest Regional Center for Deaf-Blind Children in Vancouver, Washington. The summer programs were primarily designed to evaluate preschool deaf-blind children in a learning and living situation. The report is intended not only to describe the short-term evaluative programs, but also to show how a coordinated program may be organized, administered, and evaluated. Described are program objectives and the learning station concept upon which the program was based. The calendar of events for the 1971 program is included. Detailed are the methods of description and evaluation utilized as well as the process of forming recommendations for children. Outlined are the objectives and procedures of the five learning stations (Specialized areas of training and evaluation), which focused on communication skills, experience training, self help skills, physical development, and social skills. Briefly described are the residential station and medical diagnostic and evaluative services. Recommendations deal with program extensions and improved descriptive and assessment techniques. (KW)

Six papers discuss some of the current issues in the field of mental retardation and human development. Epidemiology of mental retardation from a sociological and clinical point of view is analyzed by Jane R. Mercer, based on studies of mental retardation in the community in Pomona, California. The role of genetics and intra-uterine diagnosis of genetic disorders in relation to mental retardation is discussed by Henry Nadler. William K. Frankenburg reviews the importance of early identification of developmental problems, essential characteristics of screening tests, and some available developmental screening tests, particularly the Denver Developmental Screening Test. Ira J. Gordon considers the effects of early educational intervention programs on early development, focusing upon the family as a target and upon programs that are research programs rather than service efforts without research or evaluation. New directions in reformulation efforts of teacher education are outlined by Nicholas J. Anastasiow. Louis Z. Cooper discusses rubella in terms of developmental problems and family health services. (KW)

The bibliography contains 52 references selected from Exceptional Child Education Abstracts concerning various types of multiply handicapped children. One in a series of over 50 similar selected listings relating to the education of handicapped or gifted children, the bibliography cites research reports, conference papers, journal articles, texts, and program guides, and provides bibliographic data, availability information, indexing and retrieval descriptors, and abstracts. Author and subject indexes are included. (RD)

Described in 13 case studies of deaf blind (as a result of rubella) children are medical, economical, emotional, and professional factors that add to stresses of parents. Medical factors are examined in relation to frequent hospitalization of the rubella children before 18 months of age. One of the case studies shows how young adult parents were so traumatized by their infant's hospitalizations (69 days) that they were unable to use medical or educational assistance for 7 years. Economic factors are said to involve expenses for many specialists: cited is the case of a 4-year old child whose parents worked to meet surgery expenses and were denied public assistance because their combined income was above the poverty line. Emotional factors are described to include initial shock of parents on learning their child is defective and subsequent behavior, such as withdrawal and resentment, which complicates the child's need for a close relationship. A further stress is attributed to the lack of affectionate behavior, typical of deaf blind children. Illustrative of additional stresses on parents is the screaming, flooping, or seizure-like behavior of a 2-year-old who later, at 4 years of age, showed some affection for her grandfather but none for her mother. Professional factors are described in a case study showing the dilemma of parents who attempt to follow conflicting professional advice. Professionals are advised to be sensitive to perceptual differences and to work out a plan of action toward mutual goals to help families with handicapped children. (MC)

The 2-year study evaluated the language performance of 69 hearing impaired, preschool children born following the rubella epidemic of the early 1960's in order to develop an instrument for objectively assessing language achievement and a predictive index of language achievement. Two language rating scales were developed which were tied to the specific curriculum used in the program and measured only oral language reception and expression. The scales were found to be valid instruments for the particular group of hearing impaired Ss assessed. Major factors found to be significant predictors of language performance were home environment (particularly the mother-child relationship), creativity, degree of hearing impairment, prematurity, and coordination of the oral speech mechanism. (Appended are checklists and rating scales, study tables, the language rating scales, and sources of tests used in the study). (DB)

Presented are 30 papers given at a 5-day international conference on serving deaf-blind children. Additionally provided are the conference agenda, a review of the conference, reports of the nominations and resolutions committees, and a list of conference participants. Among the papers are the following titles: "Programs for Non-Verbal Children", "A Program for Pre-Verbal Children", "Teaching a Mother Tongue to Deaf Blind Children", "Learning Difficulties and Deaf Blind Children", "The Teaching of a Manual-Sign as a Diagnostic Tool with Deaf Blind Children", "Training or Education Learning Patterns of Younger Deaf Blind Children", "Toward Assessing the Language Level of Older Deaf Blind", "Social Problems of Deaf Blind Children", "Temperament of Behavioral Style of Children with Congenital Rubella", "The Deaf Blind Infant--A Rationale For and an Approach To Early Intervention", "Earliest Communication with a Deaf Blind Child", "Parents of Deaf Blind Children--Some Immediate and Continuing Needs", "Prevention and Treatment of the Rubella Syndrome", "Training of Personnel for the Education of Deaf Blind Children", "Training of Child Care Personnel for Deaf Blind Children", "Systematic Studies of Stimulus Sensitivity in Deaf Blind Preschool Children", "Report from the National Center for Deaf Blind Youths and Adults", "Deaf Blind Children in the Emergent Countries", "Sexual Problems of Deaf Blind Children", and "The Expression of Sexual Needs of the Deaf Blind Adolescent as Perceived by Classroom Teachers". (DB)

Essays on the visually handicapped are concerned with congenital rubella, an evaluation of multiply handicapped children, the use and abuse of the IQ, visual perception dysfunction, spatial perceptions in the partially sighted, programs in daily living skills, sex education needs, and physical activity as an enhancement of functioning. Other articles discussed deal with physical activity to stimulate learning, a report on listening research, library needs, instructional materials reference center, agency cooperation, and research on sex education. Also included are the following association reports: report from the president, braille authority, amendments to the constitution, necrology, the nominating committee, and the financial report and 1968 budget. (JM)

The proceedings include seven selected papers. In one, Brewster S. Miller reports on the 1968 activities of the Medical and Scientific Department of the United Cerebral Palsy Associations. In another, James J. Gallagher anticipates the next 20 years in special education for the handicapped. Also considered are the following topics: new directions for the next 20 years of research, by Sidney Farber; a blueprint for prevention, by William Berenberg; control of infections contributing to brain dysfunction, by Louis Z. Cooper; more effective use of today's knowledge in better prenatal care, by Frederick C. Battaglia; and intrauterine diagnosis of fetal abnormality, by Henry L. Nadler. (JD)

The directory contains information on centers, facilities, and schools which provide some services or programs suitable to the needs of the deaf or hearing impaired who have additonal handicaps (adults as well as children). A brief description of the facility, the clients served, and the services offered accompanies the listing of each facility's name, address, and director. In addition, the following information is included: research projects in the field of rubella, and relating to the multiply handicapped; abstracts of literature on rubella and on the multiply handicapped hearing impaired; and bibliographies of literature on rubella and on the deaf multiply handicapped. (KW)

Symptoms and characteristics of rubella (German measles) are listed, including a brief history of the disease. Emphasized are the effects of maternal rubella, particularly if contracted during the first three months of pregnancy. Likelihood of abnormalities of the child are detailed, and resulting educational as well as medical problems are discussed. Social repercussions of these handicapped children are noted. Existing legislation related to the problem is reviewed, and figures presented as supportive information relate to the incidence of rubella-caused handicapped children. (KW)

Five experimental programs in the District of Columbia, which were implemented in 1968-69 and have served 116 handicapped children, are evaluated. The programs provided individualized instruction for aphasic, rubella, severely mentally retarded, seriously emotionally handicapped, and multiply handicapped children. A summary and a consultant's detailed evaluation of each program are included. The extent to which programs met their objectives, strengths and weaknesses, successes and failures are examined, and recommendations offered. Descriptive statistical data is included. Programs concentrated upon the development of linguistic and conceptual ability for aphasics, behavior modification principles in the emotionally handicapped program, the training of adaptive behaviors for the mentally retarded, and comprehensive education for the multiply handicapped deaf and the rubella children. (KW)

Evaluated was the academic achievement of 14 mainstreamed hearing impaired rubella students (8-12 years old). (Author/CL)

Reports findings of an investigation of the development of 54 children at 8 years of age with congenital rubella. Examines the relation between specific patterns of physical disability and cognitive and adaptive behavior. (ED)