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This paper describes the use of children's literature to develop interdisciplinary units, including components to help students (many with learning, behavioral, or emotional disabilities) develop appropriate social skills. The program focused on three books by Newbery award winner, Katherine Paterson: "Jacob Have I Loved,""The Great Gilly Hopkins," and "Bridge to Terebithia". The program's premise is that a well-written story can teach appropriate social skills and also serve as a basis for academic work. Teaching techniques include use of graphic organizers, linear models, and use of five-step lesson plans based on the direct instruction model. The three books allow for exploration of a range of characters, crises, social milieus, and various academic subjects. The paper explains the program's implementation in sections that address social stories, excellent literature, and teacher training. Eight attachments offer examples of relating books to contextual and academic subjects, graphic organizers, social skills addressed in the books, the five-step lesson plan, the planning pyramid, and examples of children's writing. (Contains 20 references.) (DB)

This paper describes application of a prosocial skills program called Skillstreaming with 12 elementary students diagnosed either with emotional and/or behavioral disorders or with high incidences of school disciplinary actions. The Skillstreaming program has three components: anger management, moral reasoning, and social skills development. The 50 specific Skillstreaming social skills were matched with 22 Vermont State Standards, thus integrating the Skillstreaming program with the general curriculum and Individualized Education Program behavior plans. A rubric for specifying the student's level of skill mastery was also developed. From October through May, students received Skillstreaming instruction in twice weekly sessions, which followed the Skillstreaming process of explaining a skill, modeling the skill, having the children practice the skill, and then encouraging the children to use the skill in general settings. The Skillstreaming curriculum was also introduced to special education teachers at five other schools. Evaluation indicated that participating students experienced a very substantial reduction in school disciplinary actions. (Contains 14 references.) (DB)

This paper addresses ethical issues in the inclusion of children with disabilities in general education programs and reports on interviews with 11 female elementary school teachers in four states. Interviews examined teachers' reflections on the moral aspects of four inclusionary scenarios and their bases, including those based on law and rights, those that are linear in nature, or those based upon relationships among students. A review of the literature considers both the ethical and comparative models of analysis, inclusion in the history of special education, and the purpose of education. The debate over inclusion is seen within the context of either a linear or relational ethical argument. Overall, teachers supported the concept of inclusion and tended to make ethical considerations in terms of relational structures. The teachers felt the purpose of education was the development of life skills or academic skills. There was consensus that inclusionary placements would be less than successful if a particularly disruptive or violent child or a child with extraordinary health needs were placed in the regular class. (Contains 55 references.) (DB)