The prevalence of students with mathematics learning disabilities has triggered an interest among special education researchers and practitioners in developing an understanding of the needs of this group of students, and in identifying effective instructional programming to foster their mathematical performance during the school years and into adulthood. Research into the characteristics of students with mathematics learning disabilities is being approached from different perspectives, including developmental, neurological and neuropsychological, and educational. This diversity helps us develop a broader understanding of students' learning needs and difficulties. Special education assessment practices encompass a variety of approaches, including norm-referenced, criterion-referenced, and nonstandardized procedures, depending on the specific assessment questions professionals seek to answer. Students' mathematical knowledge and conceptual understanding must be examined to determine their strengths and weaknesses, curriculum-based progress, and use of cognitive strategies to arrive at mathematical solutions. Research findings have identified empirically validated interventions for teaching mathematics curricula to students with mathematics learning disabilities. Research studies have been grounded in behavioral theory and cognitive psychology, with an emergent interest in the constructivist approach. Although research studies have focused primarily on computational performance, more work is being conducted in the areas of story-problem solving and technology. These areas as well as other math curricular skills require further study. Additionally, the needs of adults with math LD have spurred educators to examine the elementary and secondary math curricula and determine ways to infuse them with life skills instruction accordingly. As the field of mathematics special education continues to evolve, special educators must remain cognizant of the developments in and influences on the field of mathematics education. Reform efforts have shaped the field significantly since the 1950s, contributing to the curriculum offered in mathematics textbooks and the pedagogical practices taught in higher education courses. Mathematics educators continue to search for a better understanding of how children learn mathematics; this process is shaped by the prevailing theoretical orientations and research methodologies. This special series in mathematics special education provides readers with information about the characteristics of students with mathematics learning disabilities, assessment procedures, mathematics programming, teacher preparation, and future directions for the field. The series originated as a result of discussions with Dr. Lee Wiederholt and Dr. Judith K. Voress, who saw a need for the compilation of recent research and best practices in mathematics special education. I thank them for their support of and thoughtful insights about the development of this series. I also appreciate the support of Dr. George Hynd and his...

Mathematics assessments play a valuable role in identifying students' strengths and weaknesses and in developing and monitoring instructional practice. Over the last century, mathematics assessment has been refined as math content has changed as a result of curriculum reform. Today, researchers and practitioners use various assessment techniques to (a) identify students who have mathematics learning disabilities (LD), (b) target individual strengths and weaknesses across mathematics areas, (c) document the effects of mathematics instruction in a remedial or special program, (d) identify strategies that students employ during math activities, (e) conduct research about the characteristics of students with math LD, and (f) examine the technical characteristics of mathematics tests. This article provides an historical overview of the development of mathematics assessment and a description of specific strategies for conducting math evaluations.

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Discipline is of utmost concern to educators and is viewed by the American public as a major problem in education (Gallup, 1984, 1994). State legislators and Congress also view it as a major problem in our nation's schools-one that must be solved. Many reasons are cited for the lack of discipline in school settings: for example, low teacher salaries, insufficient funding for education, lack of parental support, and a disregard for authority by students. Many of these problems are beyond the control of educators but must not be used as an excuse for why discipline problems cannot be ameliorated. Rather, educators must focus on identifying and addressing the individual needs of students, improving the educational environment, using effective prevention and intervention techniques, and building collaborative partnerships. Although the majority of students do not present discipline problems, even a small number of students who engage in negative behavior can disrupt the learning environment and divert teacher time from instruction to manage the situation. Therefore, educators must establish a system of order that clearly defines the boundaries for acceptable behavior and provides consequences for appropriate and inappropriate behavior. Discipline can be defined as" ... order among pupils so learning can take place without competition from unproductive factors. It is a system of rules for conduct and a mechanism for ensuring that conduct codes are followed" (Smith & Rivera, 1993, p. 2). A system of classroom order can be achieved when principles of effective discipline are implemented: 1. Establish a positive climate. 2. Build a foundation for a positive learning environment. 3. Use prevention techniques. 4. Establish collaborative relationships with parents and other professionals for dealing with discipline concerns and promoting a positive learning climate. 5. Match intervention to behavior problem. 6. Establish an evaluation system to monitor student progress frequently. When these principles are incorporated into educators' instructional repertoires, an environment for success and learning can be fostered and more time can be devoted to teaching. Providing a learning environment based on the principles of effective discipline can help students understand the relationship between specific behaviors and their consequences and can result in all students learning important social skills.