Eugene Edgar

Secondary Programs in Special Education: Are Many of Them Justifiable?:

This article discusses the apparent link between secondary special education programs for mildly handicapped students and the eventual post-high-school adjustment of these students. The current national emphasis on transition to the community, and especially to work, has resulted in the close scrutiny of the outcomes of special education. Large numbers of mildly handicapped students are dropping out of school programs and both graduates and dropouts earn very low salaries. The author suggests a radical change in secondary programs for mildly handicapped students, away from academics and toward functional, vocational programs.

The Postsecondary School Attendance and Completion Rates of High School Graduates With Learning Disabilities

This study examined the postsecondary education status of 1985 and 1990 high school graduates from three large school districts in the northwestern United States. Each cohort included all of the graduates with learning disabilities (LD) and a stratified random sample without disabilities from the same graduating class. Interviews conducted with the graduate or with another informant during the 5 consecutive years 1991 through 1995 generated data regarding their postsecondary education status. Because of the 5-year difference in graduation years (1985 vs. 1990), these data allowed us to examine the postsecondary school attendance and completion rates of these youth during the first 10 years following high school. Findings indicated that graduates with LD were significantly less likely to have attended any form of postsecondary school and were less likely to have graduated from postsecondary programs throughout the first 10 years following high school. An analysis of the employment rates and earnings of the...

A Third of Our Youth? A Look at the Problem of High School Dropout Among Students with Mild Handicaps

This study examined the demographic characteristics, information at referral to special education, and school history while in special education of special education dropouts and graduates. The groups differed on demographic measures of handicapping condition and ethnic group membership. In addition, their school histories differed markedly in terms of attendance disruptions. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Education for Adolescents with Disabilities: Curriculum and Placement Issues

The seminal works by Dunn (1968) and Deno (1970) have had a significant effect on the field of special education. Although the emphasis of these two papers was by no means limited to issues concerning placement, nevertheless, much of their influence has been in regard to the issue of where students with disabilities should be educated. The literature in the field for the quarter century since publication of these two articles has been replete with papers advocating for various placement options. This emphasis on placement has often resulted in somewhat diminished attention to important questions concerning the content of educational programs. In particular, curricular concerns warrant paramount attention for adolescents who have disabilities. This concern is reinforced by the literature on adult outcomes, which paints a rather pessimistic picture of adult adjustment for students exiting from special education programs. Therefore, we contend that issues of educational service delivery should be secondary to an emphasis on outcomes and the nature of the curriculum. In particular, the curriculum for all students in the secondary schools should provide multiple pathways that emphasize the development of skills and opportunities to become productive citizens with a reasonable opportunity to enjoy a positive quality of life. The paper also discusses current and emerging curricular models for students with mild disabilities, which are related to our concern for successful adult adjustment.

An Analysis by Gender of Long-Term Postschool Outcomes for Youth with and without Disabilities

This study analyzed gender differences in postschool outcomes for youth with learning disabilities, mild mental retardation, and no disabilities. Data were collected on two cohorts of graduates (549 youth who were graduated in 1985; 398 youth, in 1990) from three school districts. Data were collected at 1, 2, 6, and 7 years postgraduation. Comparisons were made between genders within disability groups on employment, postsecondary education attendance and graduation, engagement, independent living, marital status, and parenting. In contrast to the findings of other studies, few significant differences were noted between genders, except for the parenting category. A similar analysis between youth by disability category resulted in considerably more significant differences.

Postschool Status of Youths with Behavioral Disorders.

This 5-year longitudinal study investigated post-high-school employment, postsecondary school degree attainment, and engagement outcomes for youths with behavioral disorders (BD). Subjects included graduates with BD and a random stratified sample of their typically functioning peers from three school districts in western Washington State. The study tracked two cohorts, 1985 and 1990 graduates, with annual data collection from 1990 to 1995. The data reflected what was happening in the lives of these youths, who had been out of school from 1 to 5 years and from 6 to 10 years. Outcomes are compared for the youths with BD and for their peers without disabilities. Employment rates for the graduates with BD were significantly lower at only 2 of 10 data collection points. Engagement rates were significantly lower at 6 of the 10 points. Rates of postsecondary degree attainment at the end of the study were significantly lower for the graduates with BD in both cohorts.

Believability When N = 1

Despite an increasing interest in single-subject studies, stigmatic implications cloud the believability of ideographic (N=1) research. By comparing the assumptions of both nomothetic (large N) and ideographic research designs, a rationale for the acceptance of the results of single-subject research is proposed. The logic of experimentation, generation of the data, controls for internal and external validity, and the aspects of statistical manipulation are factors that affect all research. Believable answers to meaningful experimental questions may be generated when N=1, and it is the logic which underlies the experimental question which most clearly differentiates single-subject from group research.

Democratic Dispositions and Cultural Competency: Ingredients for School Renewal

The current school reform movement of high-stakes testing is misguided. Rather than add to the deconstruction of standards-based reform, the authors propose two ideas for what should permeate the work in U.S. public schools. They advocate that democratic dispositions and cultural competency be included in the major goals of schooling and also propose that the purpose of schooling should be determined through public deliberation within diverse communities. The authors believe that schools should be responsible for educating good people.

Who Are the Children Special Education Should Serve and How Many Children Are There

Determining the number of school-age children who need special education has been a persistent problem for many years. The crux of the problem is to clearly identify the population of children who are to be served by special education. A specific concern is OSEs use of the 12.035% prevalence figure for handicapping conditions and the implication that states not serving this percentage of school-age children are not in compliance with the law. A review of over 10,000 special education students indicates that about 1.6% of the total school-age population have quantifiable handicapping conditions. The remainder of the children served in special education have performance deficits. Perhaps special education is serving too many children with only performance deficits and by so doing is perpetuating the reluctance of regular education to alter instructional procedures for all children who are experiencing performance problems.

A Longitudinal Study of Graduates of Special Education Preschools: Educational Placement After Preschool

The purpose of this study was to continue the collection of data on graduates of public special education programs in Washington State to determine the stability of initial placement. Placement data were collected on 582 children from three cohorts of children who left preschools in 10 Washington State school districts. Data indicate that 36% of these children were initially placed in regular education settings and 64% were placed in special education or resource settings. The stability of these placements 1 year and 2 years after graduation were high, with stability rates ranging from 75% to 100%. Of the children who made placement changes, 28% moved to less restrictive settings. Further questions to be asked as the data collection continues over the next few years are whether the current trends will continue and if placement in a less restrictive setting leads to better achievement.