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Each edition of the IDRA Newsletter strives to provide many different perspectives on the issues in education topics discussed and to define its significance in the state and national dialogue. This issue focuses on School Integration and includes: (1) Using Socioeconomic Indicators as a Tool for School Diversity and Integration (David Hinojosa and Erica Frankenberg); (2) School Integration--Preparing Teachers for Working in Diverse Classrooms (Pamela Higgins Harris, Susan Shaffer, and Phoebe Schlanger); and (3) Strategies for Recruiting and Retaining a Diverse, High-Quality Teacher Workforce (Desiree Carver-Thomas and Kristin Grayson). (Individual articles contain resources.)

In 1966, the Coleman Report firmly established the link between a family's socioeconomic status and a child's educational outcomes. Known as the "income achievement gap," the disparity between the achievement of poor and rich children has become entrenched in our nation's educational landscape: with few exceptions, schools with high concentrations of students from low-income families perform far worse than schools with lower concentrations of poverty. Some 45 years after the report's release, debate continues about how to positively impact the achievement of economically impoverished children. Education and housing are two primary means in U.S. public policy to promote social mobility. Fifty miles to the south of Baltimore City, Montgomery County operates two policies that aim to close the income achievement gap. One is a more traditional school-only reform that invests extra resources and funding in its neediest elementary schools, or "red zone" schools. The other illustrates the power of housing and schools to improve the outcomes of disadvantaged students: It is a novel housing policy that provides robust economic integration to reduce the negative effects of poverty on children through combined housing, neighborhood, and school influences. To analyze the effectiveness of the schools-only versus the combined approach of investment in both housing and schools, author Heather Schwartz's study, "Housing Policy is School Policy: Economically Integrative Housing Promotes Academic Success in Montgomery County Maryland" (The Century Foundation, 2010) compared two groups of children who lived in public housing. The study finds that those students who were integrated into low-poverty schools (through the placement of their families' housing assignment into a low-poverty neighborhood) far outperformed those who attended the higher-poverty but higher-resourced "red zone" schools. Importantly, those highly disadvantaged children who had access to the district's lowest-poverty schools began to catch up to their more-affluent, high- performing peers, cutting in half the income achievement gap by the end of elementary school. Children in low-income households derive substantial benefits from living in low-poverty neighborhoods and attending low-poverty schools. In this issue of "The Abell Report" Schwartz describes three historical features that make Montgomery County an ideal location to study whether low-income children do indeed benefit from attending low-poverty schools. She goes on to discuss how Montgomery County's Inclusionary Zoning policy is unique and how it benefits low-income families. Then, she discusses the impact that economically integrative housing has on education in Montgomery County and compares its impact to Montgomery County's "red zone" educational initiative. Schwartz concludes that the Montgomery County example is not a one-size-fits-all solution for every jurisdiction but does offer regional lessons for Baltimore about housing mobility, and underscores the importance to the entire community of economic integration. A second article offers a salute from the Abell Foundation to Mark Marino, Executive Director of Health Leads Baltimore, all of Health Leads Baltimore staff, and the local college students who, through the Health Leads initiative, are helping the Baltimore community by redefining traditional social services to provide practical guidance to the varying and disparate (non-medical) needs of patients.

On May 6-7, 2006 FPRI's Marvin Wachman Fund for International Education hosted 44 teachers from 16 states across the country for a weekend of discussion on teaching about Islam. Speakers were drawn from the disciplines of religious studies, anthropology, political science, history, law, and journalism. The institute, held in Bryn Mawr, Pa., was made possible by a grant from the Annenberg Foundation. Walter McDougall opened the conference with remarks on the U.S. democratization effort in Iraq, noting similarities to Reconstruction in the Confederate South. Sessions included; (1) Islam vs. Islamism (S. Abdallah Schleifer); (2) Islam and Politics in Historical Perspective (David Cook); (3) Asian and Arab Islam (Robert Hefner); (4) Islam in Europe: Integration and Counterterrorism (Jytte Klausen); (5) Iraq's Democratic Prospects (Kanan Makiya); (6) Islam, Law, and Human Rights (David Forte); (7) Islam, Democracy, and the West (Fawaz Gerges.) Barry Rubin spoke of the tension between political debate and violence in the Middle East.

This brief paper defines participatory action research, reviews the literature on its use, and offers examples of how researchers and practitioners are applying principles of participatory action research data to select effective practices and support change and innovation in schools. Generation of data-based strategies in natural environments is illustrated by a current study in which occupational and physical therapists are paired with researchers to conduct individualized research. Promotion of inclusive schooling practices is supported by several examples of participatory action research efforts to provide information for school improvement initiatives. Other examples include several projects that are conducting collaborative family research. Benefits to families of this approach are noted, including expanding the relevance and utilization of research to families. A final section looks at use of participatory action research to study social inclusion of people with disabilities at worksites. Emphasis is on involvement of all stakeholders from the beginning and equalizing power among participants. (DB)

This issue presents two articles on the use of data to improve results for students with disabilities. The first paper examines how researchers supported by the Office of Special Education Programs are discovering innovative uses of scientifically derived information in instructional and administrative decision making as well as strategies for enhancing the usability of such data. Major sections address how data can inform schoolwide positive behavior support programs; using large scale assessment data for school improvement; and curriculum-based measurement (CBM). The second paper is on using data from participatory action research to support change and innovation. Sections consider generating data-based strategies; promoting inclusive schooling practices; conducting family research; and studying social inclusion at work sites. Insets in both papers briefly describe relevant resources on teaching students with disabilities to use data for decision making, how technology use streamlines data collection and analysis, digital texts with embedded and individualized reading strategy and decoding supports, computer administered and scored CBM resources, and use of focus groups to yield useful data. (DB)

In the prevailing and traditional definition, literacy is regarded as central to helping people obtain and retain employment, which is the key to moving them from dependency toward greater self-sufficiency. Another, more valid perspective is the view that literacy is not just the acquisition of reading and writing skills but is also a social practice and social currency and, as such, a key to social mobility. The operative force that causes certain groups of people to be marginalized in society, to be regarded as inferior, and to experience unequal and limited access to resources is institutional racism. If a primary purpose of literacy education is to eliminate poverty, then literacy programs and practices must be redesigned to fit various conceptions of poverty and its causes. Some educators and researcher espouse the notion of critical literacy, which is the practice of helping learners make sense of what they are learning by grounding it in the context of their daily lives and reflecting on their individual experiences, with an eye toward social action. Ten practices that literacy providers can use to ensure that their programs are culturally relevant and to encourage learners to move toward critical reflection have been identified. (Contains 29 references.) (MN)

Seven 2001 issues of the newsletter of TASH, formerly The Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, comprise this document. Each issue typically contains news items, a column by the organization's executive director, reports from special interest groups, legislative testimony, conference information, and several major articles relating to equity, quality and social justice for people with disabilities. The February through November/December 2001 issues address: (1) self-determination, which includes the articles On Choice (Steven J. Taylor), Reflections on Risk (Dick Sobsey), Self Determination (Liz Obermayer), and Securing the Future for People with Disabilities (Al Etmanski); (2) families planning together, which includes A Recovering Behaviorist (Jim McFalls), The Path to Community Participation (Dale Borman Fink), Families Planning Together (Michael W. Smull and others), The Evolution of an Unlikely Partnership between Researchers and Culturally Diverse Families: Lessons Learned (Betsy Santelli and others), and Draft Principles for Individual and Family Self-Determination Partnerships; (3) increasing homeownership opportunities for people with disabilities, which includes articles on Unlocking a Universe of Opportunities in Housing (Becca Vaughn), Expanding Our Thinking on Housing Choice (Charlene Dwyer and Jerry Vogt), Sharing Their Story: The Massarelli Family Shows Legislators the Value of Homeownership (Catriona Johnson and others), and Accessible Home Mean Barrier-Free Friendships (Laura Hershey); (4) the agenda and workshops offered at the 2001 TASK conference; (5) transition as a component of the education process, which includes the articles Inclusion Goes to College: A Call to Action (Cate Weir and others), High School Inclusion + Seamless Transition = Desired Outcomes (Caren Sax and others), and Transition Is a Component of the Education Process (Richard L. Rosenberg and Bonnie Bolton); (6) building friendships and community connections, which includes Fully Funding the IDEA? How about Fully Complying with the IDEA? (Reed Martin), For Whom the Bell Tolls: Relationships, Love and Marriage for People with Developmental Disabilities (Dave Hingsburger), Attitude, Educational Practices Serve as Barriers to Friendship (Zech Rossetti and Carol Tashie); and (7) issues in early child care and education, which includes Young Childrens Citizenship in the Literate Community: Significant Disability and the Power of Early Childhood Inclusion (Chris Kleiwer and others), Early Childhood Intervention Personnel Preparation: Backward Mapping for Future Planning (Pamela J. Winton), and A Guide to Achieving Successful Inclusive Child Care--The Harry Potter Way (Peggy Florio). (CR)

This document comprises the nine issues of the 1999-2000 TASH Newsletter. Each issue includes news items, conference information, and articles. Major articles include the following: "1998 TASH Annual Conference: Inclusion Roundtable"; "1998 TASH Conference Keynote Address (Zuhy Sayeed); "Do Not Resuscitate - Whose Choice Is It?" (Nancy Noble); "The Utter Vulnerability of Persons with Mental Disabilities in Police Interrogation Rooms" (Robert Perske); "Closing Brandon Training School: A Vermont Story" (Bonnie Shoultz and others); "Pulling the Plug on the ADA?" (Jonathan D. Ezekiel); "A 'New' Dr. Death at Princeton" (Mary Jane Owen); "The Importance of Arts Education for All Students" (Florence Aversa); "The Promise and Pitfalls of the Workforce Investment Act" (Michael Callahan);"National Efforts To Promote Conversion: Day Programs to Supported Employment"; "Empowering Communication Aid Users" (Rosemary Crossley); "Inclusion Is Happening ...WHERE?" (Rich Villa); "International Human Rights Abuses against People with Mental Disabilities" (Eric Rosenthal); "What Is Culturally Appropriate? Finding a Middle Way" (Alexandra Enders); "Reflections about Positive Behavioral Supports" (Jacki Anderson); "Effective School Practice in Educating Students with Challenging Behavior" (Tim Knoster and Don Kincaid); "The Professionalization of Teaching and Learning for Children with Severe Disabilities: The Creation of TASH" (Ed Sontag); and "An Introduction to Disability Studies" (Perri Harris and Lori Lewin). (Some articles contain references.) (DB)

This annotated bibliography lists 19 publications to help educators more effectively include students with disabilities in general education classrooms. The publications, including books, journal articles, videotapes, and reports, are dated from 1993 through 1999, and most are available through the ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center) system or from the Council for Exceptional Children. (CR)

This reports presents results from a review of 38 published studies that measured behavioral outcomes associated with the movement of people with mental retardation from public institutions to community residential settings. Results demonstrate strongly and consistently that people who move from institutions to community settings have experiences that help them to improve their adaptive behavior skills. In the area of challenging behavior, all of the findings of decline associated with deinstitutionalization occurred in studies published during the 1980s. The studies of challenging behavior in the 1990s consistently found improvement in both overall challenging behavior and in the specific subdomains of challenging behavior measured. Evaluations of community behavior support and crisis response systems show that they can be both effective in addressing challenging behavior and preventing institutionalization, and at the same time be cost-effective. The review also found that people who moved from institutions improved their material well-being and community integration over that of a contrast group of people who remained in institutions. Finally, a comparison of the relative cost of serving people in community versus institutional settings found that the average expenditure for state institutions is substantially greater than the average expenditure from community service recipients. (Contains 62 references.) (CR)

This brief paper reports on an evaluation of 10 community rehabilitation providers, six that successfully closed a facility-based program between 1989 and 1994, and four who are currently involved in a change process. Data collection consisted of participant observation, in-depth interviews, and document analysis. Findings indicated: (1) organizations were successful in closing a facility using either a gradual approach driven by individual consumers' job preferences or a rapid approach based on a specific closure date; (2) catalysts for change were primarily internal to the organization and in most cases multiple catalysts influenced the start of the change process; (3) leadership for the change process came from several different directions; (4) organizations which were successful in a change process had a strong culture that emphasized qualities like openness to risk taking, continuous evaluation and improvement of services, and clear and unwavering vision; and (5) organizations that are currently engaged in an organizational change process need to be careful to focus on a clear goal and not be distracted by the change process. Twelve recommendations are offered for organizations (e.g., invest in engaging and communicating with stakeholder groups) and five recommendations for external stakeholders (e.g., seek a place at the table during change planning). (DB)

This digest uses a question-and-answer format to address some issues in the possible choice of a residential school for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. The importance of the residential school experience in the context of Deaf culture is addressed, as are other issues such as characteristics of students attending residential schools and how the residential school helps a deaf individual become a member of the Deaf culture. Benefits of residential school placement are identified, including providing the student with a sense of belonging, ability to group students homogeneously, and exposure to deaf adults. Limitations of residential placement are also noted, such as separation from family and the mainstream culture, and a less rigorous curriculum. (DB)

This digest uses a question-and-answer format to summarize basic issues about the inclusion of children who are deaf or hard of hearing in classrooms with normal hearing students. It briefly reviews the history of the inclusion movement and identifies two general positions in the debate: (1) that all students have the right to go to school with their non-disabled peers, and (2) that all students with disabilities should go to regular schools, the "full inclusion" position. Parents are reminded that inclusion is an option, that their child has a right to inclusion (despite possible resistance by school authorities), but that inclusion might not be appropriate for all children with hearing losses. Identified among the benefits of inclusion are: being able to live at home, opportunities for communication with the hearing world, opportunities for learning the standards of the hearing world, and availability of a wider range of academic or vocational programs. The identified limitations of inclusion are: the potential for isolation from teachers and peers, fewer opportunities for direct instruction, limited opportunities for direct interaction with peers and professional support staff, and limited availability and quality of support staff. Parents are provided with suggestions about questions to consider before choosing the inclusion option. (DB)

Ten issues of the 1997 newsletter of TASH comprise this document. An issue typically contains news items, a column by the organization's executive director, reports from special interest groups, legislative testimony, conference information, and several major articles, such as the following: "Multicultural Perspectives: Excerpts from Opening Plenary Session Remarks of Beth Henry"; "Celebration of Twenty Years of Circle of Friends" (Marsha Forest and others); "A Reflection of Parent Empowerment" (M. Carmen S. Ramirez); "School Inclusion and Social Relationships in Italy" (Carol Berrigan and Dennis Taylor); "India's Story: How IDEA Protected Her Rights" (Barbara and M. Wayne Dyer); "Frequently Asked Questions about Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act"; "Isn't It about Achieving Balance? Participation in Content-Area Classes and Community-Based Instruction in Secondary Schools" (John McDonnell); "Inclusion in the Public Schools: Strategies for Parents" (Mark Partin); "What We Want: By Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered, the New Self-Advocacy Organization" (Rick Betts and others); "The Underachievement of Supported Employment: A Call for Reinvestment" (David Mank); "Positive Behavioral Support with Families" (Joseph M. Lucyshyn and others); "Take Risks, Ride the River" (Barbara Buswell); "No Time for Silence" (Douglas Biklen); "Blending Best Practices for Young Children: Inclusive Early Childhood Programs" (Marquita Grenot-Scheyer and others); "One Community's Efforts To Promote Child Care Inclusion" (Dianne Apter and Pam Walker); "Dave Hingsburger's Hot Fudge Sunday'" (Dave Hingsburger); "Practical and Useful Tools for Change" (Marsha Forest and Jack Pearpoint); "Standing in Support, Not Control: Training toward Self-Reliance, Inc." (Pam Walker); "Conversion from Facility-Based to Community-Based Employment Supports: Preliminary Results of a National Study" (Pat Rogan and others); "Why Are We Reinstitutionalizing People during the Day?" (Leslie L. Wilson); "People First Members Work To Tear Down Institution Walls"; "Supported Employment: Ten Years After" (Michael West and others); "Children with Disabilities in Youth Sports" (Cynthia Burkhour); "Inclusion as a Force for School Renewal" (John O'Brien and Connie Lyle O'Brien); "Solution Circle: Getting Unstuck: A Creative Problem Solving Tool" (Jack Pearpoint and Marsha Forest); "Gay Man with Disabilities Troubled by Life's Barriers" (Anne Harris); "Inclusion and the 1997 IDEA Amendments" (Frank Laski); "Self-Determination and the Search for Community" (Dennis Harkins); "Self-Determination: Transferring Agency Control by Re-Thinking Its Role" (James Dehem and Lisa Chapman); "Self-Determination--A Family Perspective" (Cameron Tease); "Self-Advocates Discuss What Self-Determination Has Meant to Them". (DB)

This feature issue presents articles on the social inclusion of people with developmental disabilities into the community and also some related news items. This issue provides profiles of organizations, workplaces, and schools that are successfully integrating people with developmental disabilities into community activities. The articles are: "'I Look Out for Them, They Look Out for Me'- Finding Home in a Gang" (Lisa Nitcy Hope), showing a negative outcome when community integration fails; "What Is Social Inclusion All About?" (Brian Abery) addressing the need to move beyond mere physical inclusion to true social inclusion; "Overcoming Barriers to Social Inclusion" (Kris Schoeller) identifies barriers to inclusion and suggests strategies; "Person-Centered Social Inclusion Planning" (Dawna Phillips and Ann Eggebeen) describes a specific strategy to foster social relationships and activities for people with autism and other developmental disabilities; "So, What Is the Problem with Belonging?" (Lesa Nitcy Hope and Mary Yoder); "Unlimited Connections: Inclusion in the World of Dating and Romance" (Linda Dvelis); "Deliverance Evangelistic Church: Transforming Lives and Communities" (Harold Dean Trulear); "Cultural Inclusion: Connecting with the American Indian Community" (Matt Ziegler); "A Community of Volunteers" (Cheska Komissar and Debra Hart) discusses integrating people with disabilities into community volunteer programs; "College Life: The New Frontier" (Mary Beth Doyle) discusses how Trinity College (Vermont) includes students with developmental disabilities; "Social Inclusion in a High School: The Peer Connections Program" (Joy Keachie); "One Employer's Commitment to Inclusion" (Ann M. Bauer); "Inclusion in a Family Business" (John Labalestra); and "Social Inclusion through Self-Advocacy" (John G. Smith and Irving Martin). Vignettes of individuals with disabilities are provided to illustrate most of the programs described. (DB)

This discussion of inclusive education programs for students with disabilities is organized around a series of comments by critics of the trend and responses to these comments by inclusion advocates. Responses are provided to the following criticisms of inclusion: (1) inclusion is a "one size fits all" approach; (2) inclusion does not have positive outcomes for nondisabled students; (3) special education children need specialized services that can only be provided out of the regular classroom; (4) the minority students disproportionately placed in special education are there voluntarily so such placement is not a civil rights matter; (5) teachers are unprepared to teach in an inclusive education classroom; (6) teachers should not be required to have children with disabilities in their classroom; (7) extra financial support is likely to erode after an inclusive program has been initiated; (8) special education students cannot be helped by a "broken" regular system; (9) the law's requirements concerning "least restrictive environment" do not apply to academic learning; (10) only ideologically driven professionals and a few parents advocate inclusion; (11) school districts are implementing inclusion to save money; and (12) the "full inclusion" movement is likely to have a profound and destructive effect on public education. (Contains 19 references.) (DB)

This policy research brief summarizes findings of a multistate assessment of postschool outcomes and community adjustment for young adults with severe disabilities, the National Transition Study of Individuals with Severe Disabilities Leaving School. The study was intended to provide policy-relevant information on the postschool outcomes and community adjustment of this population and document the difficulties these individuals encounter in accessing community services. The study sample consisted of 398 young adults with severe disabilities across five states (Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Texas). The subjects had been out of high school from 1 to 4 years. Data collection instruments included a 100-item post-school outcome survey and the Inventory for Client and Agency Planning. Results are reported for the following nine outcome domains: (1) school experiences/completion, (2) employment and daytime activities, (3) living arrangements, (4) family and friends, (5) community involvement, (6) financial independence, (7) personal choice, (8) family needs and support, and (9) waiting for services. Overall, findings illustrated a pattern of limited access to postsecondary education programs, employment instability, dependence on others for residence and other forms of support, limited participation in community social events, and significant levels of social isolation among these young adults. (Contains 27 references and lists 13 related publications.) (DB)

This newsletter feature issue focuses on services for persons with developmental disabilities that support the whole person by acknowledging, respecting, and incorporating aspects of identity such as race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender, age, and class. Articles include: (1) "Serving the Whole Person: The Journey to Embracing Diversity" (Bonnie Shoultz and Marijo McBride); (2) "Supporting Diversity: What Will It Take?" (Betty T. Horton); (3) "The Need To Reconfigure Our Hard Drives" (James L. Mason and others), which describes the need to change attitudes and become culturally competent; (4) "Forging Coalitions" (John W. McClain and James E. Van Arsdall), which provides strategies for integrating the issues of minorities with disabilities into the national agenda of traditional civil rights organizations; (5) "Finding Support in a New Land" (Dao Xiong), which describes a parent outreach program for refugee families; (6) "Family Support in Inner-City Atlanta" (Lesa Nitcy Hope and Mary Yoder); (7) "Honoring Diversity through Spirit and Faith" (Bill Gavental); (8) "Is It Okay for Me To Love?" (Dave Hingsburger), which describes a program that provides sex education resources for individuals with developmental disabilities; (9) "Empowering Families To Manage Service" (Marijo McBride); (10) "Seeing the Wheel within the Wheel" (Early Schwartz), which describes an educational program for Jewish individuals with developmental disabilities; (11) "Making Inclusion a Reality" (Ella Gross), which describes a program that promotes community inclusion for African American individuals with developmental disabilities; (12) "Serving Children and Families Who Are Homeless" (Tawara D. Taylor and others); and (13) "Improving Outreach to American Indians" (Priscilla Sanderson). Stories of individuals with developmental disabilities who have taken part in the described programs are included. A list of eight resource publications is also provided. (CR)

Major ongoing supported employment studies conducted at the Rehabilitation Research Training Center at Virginia Commonwealth University are profiled in this newsletter. The training center involves individuals with disabilities in the design, implementation, and interpretation of the research. The first research study examined the opinions of 110 individuals with disabilities who were working in supported employment. Results showed that 90 percent of these consumers liked their jobs and 96 percent were satisfied with supported employment and believed they would not be working without its assistance. The second research project was a vocational integration study of 390 consumers of supported employment services. Findings indicated a significant difference between the level of integration experienced by the consumers and the type of job they held. Consumers employed in clerical jobs were more integrated than in other job types. The third study was a national survey of 365 agencies which found that 98.9 percent of respondents reported that their agencies were continually converting facility-based resources to community-based employment. These participants were also asked questions on the use of Plans for Achieving Self-Support (PASS). Results showed that supported employment participants were major users of PASS plans. (CR)

This feature issue focuses on inclusive recreation for persons with developmental disabilities and their families. The articles provide information about the benefits of inclusive recreation for individuals and families, the challenges in attempting to create or access community recreation services that offer inclusive programs, and strategies that can be used by parents in seeking out and advocating for quality inclusive programs. The following major articles are included: "Inclusive Recreation and Families: Benefits, Challenges, and Parent-Professional Partnerships" (Linda A. Heyne and Stuart J. Schleien); "Benefits and Challenges of Recreation: Parent Perspectives" (Jennifer Mactavish); "Parents as Advocates for Inclusive Recreation" (Maurice K. Fahnestock and Linda A. Heyne);"Inclusive Recreation: A Parents' Guide to Quality" (Stuart J. Schleien and John E. Rynders); "The Role of Agencies in Supporting Belonging" (Angela Novak Amado); "Recreation Needs and Benefits Across the Life Span" (Carla E. S. Tabourne and Jerry G. Dickason); "Elders and Preschoolers Supporting Each Other: The Jewish Community Center Intergenerational Program" (Linda Heyne and others); "Improving Adapted Physical Education in Schools: A University-Public School Partnership" (Martin E. Block and Luke Kelly); "Recreation-Human Services Partnerships: The Rural Recreation Integration Project" (Lynn Anderson and others); "Community Recreation for Young Adults: Project TRAIL" (John Dattilo and others); "Supporting the Whole Person: Southside Services" (Don Magnuson); and "Building the Community Membership of Older Adults with Developmental Disabilities" (Barbara Ann Thomas). (DB)

This overview provides basic information on the causes of deaf-blindness and the particular challenges faced by individuals with deaf-blindness. Causes of deaf-blindness include various syndromes, multiple congenital anomalies, prematurity, congenital prenatal dysfunction, and various postnatal causes. Differences between people deaf-blind from birth and those adventitiously deaf-blind are noted. Challenges facing a person who is deaf-blind are identified, especially the learning of language and mobility skills. Challenges facing the family, teachers, and caregivers are also discussed and suggestions are given in the areas of communication, orientation and mobility, individualized education, transition, and inclusion within the family. The paper stresses that deaf-blind individuals have a unique and valuable experience of the world and can have a high quality life if they accept their condition, are provided educational experiences which help them maximize their abilities, and live in accepting families and communities. Also provided is a descriptive guide to 7 organizations that offer help to families, caregivers, and teachers and an annotated list of 10 print resources. (DB)

This newsletter theme issue focuses on the need to accelerate the closing of institutions for people with mental retardation. Articles are by both current and former residents of institutions and by professionals, and include: "The Realities of Institutions" (Tia Nelis); "I Cry Out So That I Won't Go Insane" (Mary F. Hayden); "Trends in Institution Closure" (K. Charlie Lakin and Robert Prouty); "Deinstitutionalization Litigation: Experiences and Outcomes" (Judith A. Gran); "Thoughts and Impressions on Institutional Closure" (Steve Taylor); "Inside and Out: Former Residents Reflect on Their Lives" (Russell Daniels and Mark Samis); "Operation Close the Doors: Working for Freedom" (Tia Nelis and Nancy Ward); "On the Outside Looking In" (Ruthie-Marie Beckwith); "There Is a Hell: One Parent's Story" (Kathy Hayduke); "Parental Attitudes toward Deinstitutionalization" (Lynda Anderson and Sheryl A. Larson); "Voluntary Closure: The Homeward Bound' Experience" (Donna Hoverman); "Community Medical Care: Barriers, Recommendations" (Mary F. Hayden and K. Charlie Lakin); "Closing Brandon Training School" (Bonnie Shoultz and Charles Moseley); "Developing Individualized Supports While Closing Institutions" (John O'Brien and Steve Taylor); "Building Community Capacity" (Michael W. Small and Susan Burke-Harrison); and "The Final Stages: Community Services for People Considered the Most Difficult To Serve" (Tom Fitzpatrick and K. Charlie Lakin). (DB)

This feature issue of a newsletter on community integration of individuals with developmental disabilities considers the role of assistive technologies. It describes efforts to utilize consumer direction, public policy, creativity, energy, and professional know-how in the pursuit of technology-based opportunities to enhance community inclusion, social and economic contribution, and self-determination. Feature articles include: "Assistive Technology: Building a National Commitment to Liberation" (Bob Williams); "Access to Assistive Technology: A Public Policy Status Report" (Michael W. Morris and Christopher Button); "Facilitating Access: The Tech Act Amendments" (Tom Harkin); "TECH TOTS Libraries: Family-Run Technology Lending Programs" (Kathleen Gradel and Caroline McMeekin);"Great Beginnings: Assistive Technology for North Carolina's Infants, Toddlers, and Families" (Lawrence H. Trachtman and Patsy L. Pierce); "Special Education and Assistive Technology: Systems Change Missouri Style" (Diane Golden); "Bringing Assistive Technology to Transition-Age Youth in Rural Minnesota" (J. Martin Carlson and Lisa Vervena); "Creating New Possibilities: Courage Center's Vocational Services Computer Program" (Jennifer Mundl); "AgrAbility: Cultivating Independence through Rural Partnerships" (Randall L. Rutta); "Recreation: Turning Dreams into Reality in Utah" (Marilyn Hammond); "Assistive Technology and the Move to Community Living" (Laurel S. Mendelson); and "Aging and Assistive Technology: Improving Services to Older Adults" (Jane Gay and Joseph P. Lane). A list of seven assistive technology organizations and nine print resources is provided. (JDD)

This bulletin summarizes research on the benefits of inclusive education programs; provides data on the current status of special education; and considers studies of individual inclusion programs, state and district studies, and the effects of inclusion on students without disabilities. The research and evaluation data on inclusion indicate a strong trend toward improved student outcomes (academic, behavior, and social) for both special education and general education students. It is suggested that the drive for upgrading standards and the inclusion of all students in these reforms has created tension for educators. A point of congruence between the school effectiveness efforts and those promoting inclusion is that a new approach must become part of a restructured educational system. Districts conducting successful restructuring programs that include all students have identified the following key factors: visionary leadership; collaboration; refocused use of assessment; supports for staff and students; funding that is sufficient and "follows the student," and effective parent and family involvement. (Contains 57 references.) (SW)