Although research has documented overlapping and coexisting characteristics of learning disabilities and emotional/behavioral disorders, little attention has been paid to the subset of students who manifest symptoms of both disorders (LD/EBD). This gap in our professional knowledge/research base may be due to (a) exclusive language in federal definitions that promotes differentiation of disabilities rather than recognition of symptom overlap; (b) the lack of a conceptual model of concomitant learning and emotional/behavioral disorders; and (c) the absence of a research focus on this population. In this article, we construct a conceptual model involving six critical domains of relevance to students with LD/EBD. After describing the utility of this interactive and functional model, we highlight critical issues in screening, assessment, and programming for children with concomitant LD/EBD.

The severe and increasing shortage of personnel, particularly those from traditionally underrepresented groups, to teach students with mild and moderate disabilities has prompted teacher educators to explore alternative means of preparing certified and qualified special education teachers. Johns Hopkins University, in collaboration with two urban local education agencies and the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), developed a field-based, 2-year experimental program leading to certification and a Master's degree in special education. This program possessed several unique features: special recruitment procedures, intensive on-the-job university-based supervision, and local school mentoring. Efficacy data were collected from university supervisors, mentors, and building principals to assess the impact of the program. Direct observation instruments, interviews, and self-report questionnaires were used to collect dependent data. Comparisons were made with beginning special educators who had completed traditional programs. We found that (a) Alternative Certification (AC) teachers were performing at, or exceeding, satisfactory levels in their first year of teaching; (b) AC teachers demonstrated specific instructional and management competencies at better than satisfactory levels; and (c) there were no significant differences between ratings of AC teachers and those from the control group.

This study examined educational program and teacher variables to identify factors that predict the reintegration of students with serious emotional disturbance (SED) into less restrictive placements. Data on program demographics, reintegration orientation, teacher reintegration training, and teacher attitudes toward reintegration were collected from 162 special education teachers and 31 administrators in restrictive placements for K-12 students with SED. This information was compared to the reintegration rates of students in those schools through the use of a hierarchical set regression analysis. Results indicated that reintegration orientation, demographic characteristics of restrictive SED programs, and particular experiences/training of special educators predict the reintegration of students with SED into less restrictive programs.

The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors associated with unsuccessful discharge status of students with serious emotional/behavioral disorders (E/BD) from a secondary-level, therapeutic, day-treatment program. In addition, this article describes and demonstrates the effective use of epidemiologic analysis as a program-evaluation method by comparing risks associated with identified characteristics of the E/BD population to program completion status. Results indicated significant differences in successful program completion related to individual variables, specifically (a) student substance abuse, (b) involvement with juvenile services, and (c) family-living status. Further, we found that additive effects of several variable pairs greatly increased the risk of unsuccessful program outcomes. Implications for E/BD program development and ongoing program evaluation with epidemiologic analysis are discussed.