Special Day Class Teachers’ Perceptions of the Role of the School Nurse

School nurses are on the front lines of health care in public schools. The integration of students’ health care needs as components of educational programs has become increasingly important as medically fragile children rely on school nurses to deliver or coordinate their health care services. The purpose of this descriptive study was to determine which school nurse services special day class teachers perceive as very important, important, somewhat important, or not important. Perceptions were surveyed via the School Nurse Services Data Collection Tool. The data were analyzed using percentages, mean values, and frequencies. The data were then aligned to match the role concepts set forth in the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) standards for school nurse preparation. The findings of this survey suggested that most of the services provided by school nurses were rated as important or somewhat important.

Parent and Caregiver Impressions of Different Educational Models

Parental support for educational innovation has been described as essential in school change. This study examines parent and caregiver perceptions of educational opportunities for students with severe disabilities. Parents and caregivers from two high schools were interviewed. One high school uses an inclusive service delivery model, while the other uses a special day class model with limited mainstreaming. The data suggest that interviewees support inclusive schools and believe that their children are acquiring new skills. Questions remain regarding the balance of community-based Instruction and the amount of teacher training provided.

Microcomputer Use within Micro-Educational Environments

An observational study of micro-educational environments (MEE's) and microcomputer use within these environments was conducted across a broad-based, representative sample of special day class, resource room, and mainstream classrooms in Southern California. Mildly handicapped students in special education settings were found to have less variety to their instructional experiences than did either handicapped or nonhandicapped students in the mainstream. That is, students in special education classes evidenced a more dominant pattern of individual, in-classroom, remedial work than did either handicapped or nonhandicapped students in the mainstream. Across all settings, students were highly engaged with the computer, although teachers spent little direct contact time with students during these periods. Microcomputer instruction emerges as a highly motivating vehicle for imparting information, but the effectiveness of these experiences remains to be assessed.

Reverse Mainstreaming Sighted Children into a Visually Impaired Special Day Class

The author reviews the concept of mainstreaming and relates her personal experience with integrating visually impaired and sighted students in a special day class setting. Some academic and social benefits to both groups are presented, and issues related to success are discussed.