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Adults with intellectual disability may not learn safety skills needed to maintain the safety of those within their communities. Basic life-saving skills are valued by community members and increase independent and integrated living and employment opportunities. This study used an instructional package consisting of modeling, task analysis, and simultaneous prompting to teach college students with intellectual disability a basic life-saving skill, specifically how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED). Phase 1 of the study used the instructional package to teach the students to perform CPR. Once mastered, Phase 2 of the study taught students to use an AED, incorporating it into the CPR chain. Results showed that the students' accuracy with the tasks increased after the introduction of the instructional package, generalized to a novel environment, and maintained once the instructional package was removed. Implications and future research are discussed.

This article illustrates (a) 2 recent innovations in the changing criterion research design, (b) how these innovations apply to research and practice in special education, and (c) how clinical needs influence design features of the changing criterion design. The first innovation, the range-bound changing criterion, is a very simple variation of the classic changing criterion design. The classic version uses a single criterion for each stepwise intervention phase, whereas the range-bound version uses a range criterion--that is, an upper and lower limit for each intervention phase. The second innovation, the distributed criterion, combines elements of the changing criterion, multiple-baseline, and ABAB designs. It is well suited to contexts where students must multitask--that is, allocate, prioritize, and adjust time and effort to complete multiple tasks in response to changing environmental demands. These two innovations expand options available to researchers who use single-case research designs to investigate questions of interest in special education.

The influence of assessment reports on special educators' instructional planning decisions was evaluated, with 86 educators of students with severe mental retardation. Compared to educators reading a developmental assessment report, educators reading a functional assessment report for the same student recommended less restrictive placements for students. (Author/SW)

Analyzed are court decisions supporting both integrated and nonintegrated placements as least restrictive environments for students with severe handicaps. Issues considered by the courts include appropriateness, exportability of services, opportunity for growth, district preferences, and alternatives for educators. Factors supporting segregated placements include available alternatives, student behavior, and handicap severity. (JDD)

Adults with intellectual disability may not learn safety skills needed to maintain the safety of those within their communities. Basic life-saving skills are valued by community members and increase independent and integrated living and employment opportunities. This study used an instructional package consisting of modeling, task analysis, and simultaneous prompting to teach college students with intellectual disability a basic life-saving skill, specifically how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED). Phase 1 of the study used the instructional package to teach the students to perform CPR. Once mastered, Phase 2 of the study taught students to use an AED, incorporating it into the CPR chain. Results showed that the students' accuracy with the tasks increased after the introduction of the instructional package, generalized to a novel environment, and maintained once the instructional package was removed. Implications and future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the effects of the type of assessment report on special educators' planning decisions. Objectives of the Individualized Education Program; Recommendation of related services in the developmental group.

Analyzes court cases related to the integration of severely handicapped and nonhandicapped students. Extent to which courts are refining or constructing the least restrictive environment concept; Factors associated with court decisions that support and do not support integration of handicapped and nonhandicapped students; Lessons learned from the cases.