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As increasing numbers of students with disabilities are placed in regular classrooms, the shortage of rural special educators means that many rural classroom teachers are the primary providers of individualized programming to meet special needs. Since 1994, West Virginia University has been expanding its existing teacher education programs to serve a new and growing population: regular educators seeking additional endorsement in special education. In the Mainstream Practicum Project, these professional personnel (who already have appropriate credentials in elementary or secondary education) will complete all requirements for state teaching certification in one or more areas of special education (and a Master's degree, if desired) via coursework delivered at off-campus centers, plus on-the-job supervision of practicum experiences in their own classroom. Practicum supervision is provided through collaborative peer supervision involving a regular-education cooperating teacher, a special-education cooperating teacher, and a university supervisor. This paper provides a detailed outline of the design of the Mainstream Practicum Project, including project goals and objectives; teacher competencies; program development and delivery (modification of eligibility criteria for practicum participants and supervisors, redesign of practicum procedures and materials, delivery of coursework and practicum experiences); project evaluation plan for formative and summative evaluations; and project integration into the existing special education program. Contains 25 references. (SV)

Data from the West Virginia Department of Education reveals that from September 1991 to January 1992, school districts reported 18,915 out-of-school suspensions involving 12,997 students. In 1995, the West Virginia State Legislature enacted the Safe Schools Act, which specifically mandates suspension for no less than 12 consecutive months for possession of a deadly weapon, assaulting a school employee, or attempting to sell illegal drugs. Although there is little evidence that suspension and expulsion are effective in changing student behavior, their use has increased in schools across the nation. A telephone survey investigated the attitudes and perceptions of 141 regular and special education teachers, principals, and special education coordinators in West Virginia regarding the use of suspension as a disciplinary measure. Survey questions addressed typical behaviors leading to suspension, communication, understanding and following regulations, variations among school districts, alternative resources, educators' sense of fairness, effectiveness of discipline codes, and the possible relationship between student suspension and school dropout. Findings reveal that the reasons for use of out-of-school suspension often were not related to student violence, and that practitioners did not believe that suspension is either effective or equitably administered. School personnel often felt that their attempts to address individual student needs were stymied by policy mandates. Of particular concern were the frequency with which students with disabilities were suspended and an apparent hesitancy to utilize and modify the Individual Education Planning process to monitor misbehavior. Alternative learning centers were by far the most frequently mentioned need of school systems. (Contains 16 references.) (LP)