The state of New Hampshire has developed a unique outreach program to meet the special challenges faced by rural states in training and retaining qualified special educators. Through inter-agency collaboration, afield-based, competency-based program of independent study has been created. Individualized assessment and training under the supervision of experienced mentors have qualified many teachers for special education certificates. This method of providing training and the opportunity for hands-on experience to professionals in a rural state has helped to solve the problems of isolation, commuting distances, and retention of experienced personnel in less accessible areas. It is a program worth emulating and adapting to other states with similar concerns.
The literature on involvement programs for parents of learning disabled children was reviewed to discover the types of programs attempted, their results, and their implications. The most common program types were tutoring and counseling. Results for both types were generally positive. The most effective counseling programs combined counseling with academic tutoring and/or praise for academic performance. Effective tutoring programs combined positive reinforcement with reading and/or perceptual skills. The studies reviewed support the value of parent involvement. Implications include the need for stronger experimental research, comparison studies between tutoring and counseling programs, more efficient evaluation, and follow-up studies.
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