Degree Name

Education Specialist (EdS)

Semester of Degree Completion

1977

Thesis Director

Donald W. Smitley

Abstract

The Optimum Learning in Regular Classrooms Project is an adoptive-adaptive ESEA Title IV-C project with two purposes: (1) to provide more effective educational service to children with special needs through training the mainstream teacher to diagnose these special needs as well as implement solutions for such children on an ongoing basis, and (2) to provide more efficient support services to the mainstream teacher in his/her efforts to meet the special needs of exceptional children, whether handicapped or gifted.

Four main aspects of the project are examined:

Classroom organization. All classrooms were organized at least in part into learning centers. This provides a classroom structure which frees teachers to diagnose special needs as well as work individually and in small groups with students having these special needs.

Diagnoses and prescriptions for children with special needs. Formal and informal testing and observation on the part of teachers and support personnel were used to diagnose special needs. Following this, individual prescriptions consisting of strength and weakness profiles, objectives, methods and outcomes were designed to provide for these special needs for each exceptional child on prescription.

Support personnel. A number of specialists were used to help teachers in planning and implementing their programs for special students. These included learning disabilities teachers, the project coordinator, speech clinicians, the school psychologist, personnel from the local mental health facility, and a consultant for gifted students.

Parent participation. Parent participation had two aspects: (1) that of including parents in conferences upon which prescriptions were based, and (2) that of using parent volunteer help for a variety of activities such as tutoring, checking papers, and preparing materials for student use.

The project seems to have well met its objectives. It has encouraged a number of teachers in the district to make some major changes in their teaching methods so that they can better help exceptional children. It has provided these teachers with the training and support expertise to better diagnose these children's special needs as well as design effective learning experiences especially prepared to help them.

The recommendation made is that all major aspects of the project can successfully be implemented in other buildings by teachers and administrators willing to spend the time and effort to provide more effective learning programs for children with special needs.

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