Deborah L. Speece - Böcker

Written during a period of reexamination and change in the field of special education, this book was developed in order to provide a better understanding of the contexts in which children receive their formal education. The movement toward the "least restrictive environment" for the education of children with disabilities is weathering a wave of reinterpretations including mainstreaming, the regular education initiative, and inclusion. While each interpretation has its proponents and critics, limited theory and few data are available to guide these important policy decisions. Focusing specifically on classrooms -- the settings where educators can have the most immediate impact and where research is most needed -- this volume's goals are: * to establish what is known about classroom ecologies from both general and special education perspectives, * to integrate the perspectives of researchers and practitioners, and * to chart directions for further research specifically related to children with learning disabilities. The construct of classroom ecology is defined as three interrelated domains: instruction, teacher and peer interaction, and organization and management. This scheme provides the structure for the book. Taken as a whole, the content of the volume underscores the limits of current knowledge and at the same time provides directions for needed changes in both research and practice.

Written during a period of reexamination and change in the field of special education, this book was developed in order to provide a better understanding of the contexts in which children receive their formal education. The movement toward the "least restrictive environment" for the education of children with disabilities is weathering a wave of reinterpretations including mainstreaming, the regular education initiative, and inclusion. While each interpretation has its proponents and critics, limited theory and few data are available to guide these important policy decisions. Focusing specifically on classrooms -- the settings where educators can have the most immediate impact and where research is most needed -- this volume's goals are: * to establish what is known about classroom ecologies from both general and special education perspectives, * to integrate the perspectives of researchers and practitioners, and * to chart directions for further research specifically related to children with learning disabilities. The construct of classroom ecology is defined as three interrelated domains: instruction, teacher and peer interaction, and organization and management. This scheme provides the structure for the book. Taken as a whole, the content of the volume underscores the limits of current knowledge and at the same time provides directions for needed changes in both research and practice.

This volume has two purposes. The first is to summarize, substantiate, and extend current knowledge on the development of children with high incidence disabilities--most notably, learning disabilities, behavioral disorders, and mild mental retardation. The second is to honor the career of Professor Barbara K. Keogh and her contributions to the developmental study of children with high incidence disabilities. Internationally recognized for her accomplishments, Keogh is esteemed for her originality and clarity of thought. For nearly forty years, she has set an extraordinary model of analytic rigor combined with a kind and generous manner that inspires, supports, and sets an exacting standard of scholarship. The contributing authors to this volume represent only a fraction of the students and scholars touched by her distinguished career. In conceiving this volume, the editors sought to represent the topics, problems, and issues to which Keogh has devoted herself. They invited chapters that summarize what is known about the high incidence handicapping conditions that her research has mainly addressed and sought to reflect the probing, questioning style that she brings to her own work. Researchers, policymakers, and graduate students in special education and associated disciplines who seek to stay current will find this volume crucial reading.