IMPROVING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEXICAN-AMERICAN HANDICAPPED CHILDREN.

DATA AVAILABLE FROM 3 STATES WITH LARGE MEXICAN AMERICAN POPULATIONS INDICATE THAT REFERRAL TO AND ENROLLMENT IN SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASSES OCCURS AT A PERCENTAGE TWICE THAT OF THE PROPORTION OF MEXICAN AMERICANS TO THE GENERAL POPULATION. REASONS FOR SUCH ENROLLMENT ARE ATTRIBUTED TO--(1) MEDICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, (2) ECONOMIC DISADVANTAGEMENT, AND (3) CULTURAL DISADVANTAGEMENT. COMPOUNDING THE PROBLEM IS THE FACT THAT MANY MEXICAN AMERICAN CHILDREN ENTER SCHOOL UNDERSTANDING NEITHER THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE NOR THE CULTURE OF THE SCHOOLS. CURRENT INTELLIGENCE TESTS CANNOT ADEQUATELY JUDGE THE ABILITIES OF SUCH CHILDREN, AND CONSEQUENTLY THEY ARE PLACED IN THE HANDICAPPED CLASSES. BILINGUAL AND CROSS CULTURAL TRAINING HAVE BEEN INITIATED IN SOME STATES AND APPEAR TO HAVE MET WITH SUCCESS. THE BUREAU OF EDUCATION FOR THE HANDICAPPED HAS PROVIDED FEDERAL AID FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERAL PROGRAMS WHICH ARE BRIEFLY DESCRIBED IN THIS PUBLICATION, IN ADDITION TO 10 SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE EFFORTS IN TEACHER EDUCATION, CURRICULUM, AND INSTRUCTIONAL IMPROVEMENT. (JS)