Teaching Exceptional Children in All America's Schools

Book excerpt: The introductory text focuses on special education in the mainstream with two major themes: (1) the central and joint responsibility of teacher, parent, and principal; and (2) the primary need to limit the occurrence and magnitude of educational problems in handicapped children. The book's approach includes emphasizing processes that blend special and regular education, highlighting the teamwork concept, relating assessment directly to program planning, using findings from research studies or operating programs to support significant points, contrasting prevaling versus preferred practices, noting educational and financial cost/benefit information, and maintaining an international perspective through comprehensive information on both Canada and the United States plus illustrative references from other countries. Individual chapters have the following titles: "Psychoeducational and Historical Foundations;""Socio-Legal and Organizational Foundations;""Assessment:""Parent-Teacher Instructional Planning;""Slowed Cognitive Development;""Advanced Cognitive Development;""Learning Disabilities;""Emotional Disturbance;""Physical and Health Impairments;""Speech and Language Impairments;""Hearing Impairments;""Visual Impairments;" and "Severe/Profound Impairments." (DB)