Type I (insulin-dependent) diabetic individuals and health professionals often assume that the symptoms of extremely low or high blood glucose (BG) levels can be recognized and, consequently, appropriate treatment decisions can be based on symptom perception. Because no research has documented the validity of these assumptions, this study tested the ability to perceive BG concentration. Nineteen type I adults, experienced in self-monitoring of BG (SMBG), estimated their BG 40-54 times just before measurement of actual BG. This procedure was repeated under two conditions: (1) in the hospital (hospital condition) while connected to an insulin/glucose infusion system that artificially manipulated BG, leaving subjects only symptomatic, or internal, cues and (2) in the natural environment (home condition), where both internal and external cues, e.g., food and insulin consumption, were available. Estimates significantly correlated with actual BG for 7 of 16 subjects in the hospital condition and for 18 of 19 subjects in the home condition. Believed ability to estimate BG did not predict documented ability in either condition. An evaluation of the treatment significance of estimation errors showed that the majority of errors were relatively benign. The most common error affecting clinical outcome was estimated euglycemia when actual BG was hypoglycemic or hyperglycemic.

In view of the paucity of national data on the associations between predictor variables and teacher retention, school transfer, and attrition in special education, we sought to provide such data from a national probability sample of 4,798 public school teachers from the 1989 Teacher Followup Survey (Faupel, Bobbitt, & Friedrichs, 1992). The analysis focused on teacher retention and turnover (i.e., school transfer and attrition) of special education teachers (SETs) in comparison with general education teachers (GETs). Results showed that teacher turnover decreased as the following variables increased: teacher age (until retirement age), the number of dependent children, the level of certification, the number of years since the last degree was earned, teaching experience and salary level. The importance of these and other relationships for designing strategies to maximize teacher retention is discussed.

In view of the paucity of national data on teacher retention, transfer, and attrition in special education, and the importance of these phenomena to teacher demand and shortage, we sought to provide such data from a national probability sample of 4,798 public school teachers from the 1988–1989 Teacher Followup Survey (Faupel, Bobbitt, & Friedrichs, 1992). The analysis focused on two main teaching fields (special and general education) and various aspects of teacher turnover. Results showed higher annual turnover for special education teachers (SFTs) than for general education teachers (GETs), in terms of both attrition from public school teaching (SETs = 8%; GETs = 6%) and transfer among public schools (SETs = 13%; GETs = 7%). However, the SET-GET difference in attrition percentages was modest in absolute terms, and lower than those reported from several states. SETs and GETs who left teaching did not differ significantly in postteaching activities or plans to return to teaching. The relationships between teacher turnover and teacher demand, shortage, recruitment, retention, and preparation are discussed.

Individuals with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and their healthcare practitioners believe that extreme blood glucose (BG) fluctuations are characterized by changes in subjective mood states and emotional behavior, as well as physical symptoms. This study examined relationships between BG levels and self-reported mood in a group of 34 IDDM adults. The method followed a within-subject, repeated-measures design employed in previous studies of physical symptoms associated with diabetic glucose. Four times each day, participants completed a mood/symptom checklist just prior to a self-measurement of BG until 40 checklists had been completed. Half the items on the checklist described physical symptoms and half described mood states. In addition, half the mood items described negative states and half described positive states. Within-subject correlations and regressions showed that moods were related to BG for the majority of participants and that, like physical symptoms, mood-BG relationships were highly idiosyncratic. Low BG levels tended to be associated with negative mood states, primarily self-reported "nervousness." Positive mood items were almost always associated with high BG. High BG levels also frequently correlated with negative mood states, although the negative mood items that tended to relate to high glucose (anger, sadness) differed from those that tended to relate to low BG. The implications of these findings for self-treatment and glucose perception in the IDDM individual are discussed.

Tbere has long been concern in special education about the shortage of teachers who are fully certified in their main teaching assignment. Based on a national probability sample of 46,599 public school teachers, this research provides data on the certification status of both special and general education teacbers. Findings are presented for four types of teachers who enter the teaching force each year, and for two types of teachers who continue in public schools from the prior year. Results showed a chronic annual shortage of about 29, 000 fully certified teachers in special education (9.8%), a level that was almost twice the number in general education (5.59%). The shortage of fully certified teachers in special education was attributable mostly to entering teachers (32% not fully certified) and to continuing teachers who had not become established in their teaching positions (14% not fully certified). These percentages were higher than observed in general education, a finding partly due to the higher rate of turnover of teachers in special education. Implications for teacher education, professional development, and retention are discussed.