Natural environments is a term used in the regulations for Part H of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It states that early intervention services must be provided in natural environments, including home and community settings in which children without disabilities participate. Questions addressed in this paper include: (1)…

This document consists of five consecutive volumes (19 issues) of the newsletter of the New York State Federation of Chapters of Council for Exceptional Children, covering the 5-year period 1987-1991. Selected major articles from the last three years are are follows (only first author noted); (1) "Whole Language and Special Education"…

This special report summarizes a larger report titled "Linkages in the Delivery and Financing of Special Education Services in New Jersey" by Henry A. Coleman et al. It describes a project which analyzed the linkage between the structure of state aid for special education and the identification, classification, and placement of students…

This policy digest reviews the current status of state level graduation policies and the inclusion of students with disabilities in more rigorous student accountability measures. The results of two surveys conducted by the Council of Chief State School Officers on the inclusion of students with disabilities in state level graduation requirements…

There has recently been an explosion of interest and writing about autism, autism spectrum disorders, pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDDNOS). This issue of the "Early Childhood Bulletin" suggests readings for parents, therapists, and professionals serving on Interagency…

This theme issue provides guidance on school district compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in the inclusion of students with disabilities. It provides a summary and analysis of four recent decisions in federal appellate courts, which all affirmed the right of students with significant disabilities to attend…

This paper addresses the controversy about use of "out-of-level" testing, the practice of assessing students (usually those with disabilities) with a lower-level version of a test. The controversy pits unintended instructional consequences against "accurately" measuring performance and avoiding student frustration. Introductory…

This bulletin deals with the critical shortage of qualified professionals in special education and related services which seriously hinders the nation's ability to serve the growing number of children and youth with disabilities, birth to age 21. For every 10.5 special education teachers now employed in the nation, school systems report needing…

Literature indicating high rates of abuse in this population is reviewed, as is literature indicating high rates of developmental disabilities in child victims of abuse. Problems in data collecting practices are noted. Reasons for these children's greater risk for abuse are identified, including child attributes, stress, parent vulnerabilities,…

This issue of the "Early Childhood Bulletin" is a summary of information that was presented at a 1996 conference on autism sponsored by the National Early Childhood Technical Assistance System (NECTAS). Participants included Part H and Part B, Section 619 Program coordinators, individual program providers, and Interagency Coordinating…

By setting academic standards, America takes its first critical step toward providing a plan that will create an excellent educational system for the 21st century. It is important for those working on standards and those educating students with disabilities to work together as standards are being developed. Four kinds of standards need to be…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that each state participating in the federal early intervention program establish a state interagency coordinating council (ICC) to assist and advise the state lead agencies in achieving a coordinated service delivery system. When IDEA was reauthorized in 1991, by the passage of P.L.…

Input from a variety of viewpoints is essential in complex policy discussions. Families serving on local interagency coordinating councils (LICCs) and state interagency coordinating councils (SICCs) should reflect the diversity of families served within the early intervention or preschool service system with respect to income level, ethnicity,…

This paper analyzes the preschool special education eligibility classifications and criteria used by states and the District of Columbia in compliance with Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Four types of eligibility classifications are described: use of only Part B disability categories; use of Part B categories plus a…

Since Part H Interagency Coordination Councils (ICCs) were established in 1986, parents have been discussing what the primary role of the parent member is and should be, such as providing a parent and family perspective to the work of the ICC or representing family consumers throughout their state and, as such, a wide range of needs and opinions.…