The purpose of this study was to describe, using the tools of ethnography and qualitative research, selected events in the history of a public special education school and its school culture. The year of the study, 1994-1995, the school served 125 students with cerebral palsy and other disabilities affecting some or all of their physical, sensory, and cognitive abilities. Study participants included faculty and staff, former students, parents, school administrators, and others identified with the school and in the Nashville community during the 1994-1995 school year. In-depth interviews with study participants, on-site observations, semi-structured interviews with informants, document, and archival research were used to create five collective tales based on stories of those who k...

The purpose of this study was to uncover the counseling-related thoughts and feelings of special education students who began their participation in counseling involuntarily. Under exploration were the client variables and other influences that accounted for resistant or cooperative approaches toward participation in counseling. Eight students enrolled in special education classes at one middle school and two high schools in a rural area of Western New York State were randomly selected from a list of 24 potential research participants. The list of 24 potential research participants was assembled by a local expert commissioned to do so using a purposeful sampling method. A qualitatively designed, semi-structured interview format was chosen as the means of data collection. All int...

The Alternative Educator’s Handbook, by Dr. Paul J. Pattavina, is a comprehensive, practical collection of strategies and researched practices to be implemented with students who present social, emotional and behavioral challenges in school. It is a handbook intended to serve as a practical resource for teachers and staff who work with students whose progress in school is interrupted by social and emotional issues – kids who tend to, either intentionally or unintentionally, ‘pluck your last nerve’. It reviews student characteristics and intervention procedures, as well as specific forms and procedures created or adapted over time and experience. The ideas in this book will serve as a guide for educators and mental health professionals who are responsible for these kinds of difficul...

Just as schools educate young people to become responsible citizens who can navigate the world of post-secondary education, careers, and social life, dedicated parents also want their child to mature and be independent and happy. Youth who transition to adulthood encounter many obstacles, including finances, skills for independent living, job security, and social connections. Transitioning from School to Adulthood: Practical Activities for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Other Disabilities is a collection of descriptions, instructions, and practice activities for young people who face more barriers than most emerging adults. These activities are helpful for teachers, service providers, and parents assisting individuals with ASD, along with other disorders, such as Cognitive D...

Interpersonal Acceptance and Rejection: Social, Emotional, and Educational Contexts draws on research to offer a global perspective on issues of fundamental importance to family functioning, childhood development, and adult intimate relationships, as well as to policy and practice for children, adolescents, couples, and families at risk. It draws on the perspectives of major social science disciplines such as clinical and educational psychology, anthropology, psychology, special education, and sociology, thus ensuring topics are discussed within broad theoretical frameworks. The authors cover a wide spectrum of questions and topics in relation to perceived acceptance and rejection by significant others. Chapters are set in the context of worldwide trends in the area of interpersonal accept...

Internalizing problems are common among adolescents. Poor outcomes such as academic failure, substance misuse, and adult mental health problems have all been linked to internalizing problems. Although the potential effects are serious, internalizing disorders tend to be under-diagnosed and under-treated. To compound the problem, research in the area of internalizing disorders continues to lag behind that of other disorders. In the last ten years, however, research has indicated that relationships with parents, gender, and self-esteem are factors associated with internalizing disorders. To clarify the relationships between these factors, archival data was collected from an electronic database in a school district in northeastern Minnesota. This database includes the results of the ...