Self-determination refers to a person's ability to have control of their life choices, decisions, and interactions with others. Self-determination skills include: 1) decision-making, 2) goal setting, 3) self-awareness, 4) problem-solving, 5) self-advocacy, 6) self-monitoring, and 7) self-efficacy. Researchers suggest that youth with or at-risk for…

Questions often arise about how accessible educational materials (AEM) might be included in Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). The two purposes of this article are to (1) help families and educators understand the importance of including AEM in the IEPs of students who require them, and (2) to discuss locations in the IEP where it may be…

This guidance report focuses on the teaching of mathematics to pupils in Key Stages 2 and 3. It is not intended to provide a comprehensive guide to mathematics teaching. We have made recommendations where there are research findings that schools can use to make a significant difference to pupils' learning, and have focused on the questions that…

This guide has helped put executive skills on the map for school-based clinicians and educators. The book explains how these critical cognitive processes develop and why they play such a key role in children's behavior and school performance. Provided are step-by-step guidelines and many practical tools to promote executive skill development by…

The Council of Chief State School Officers' "Accommodations Manual: How to Select, Administer, and Evaluate the Use of Accommodations for Instruction and Assessment of Students with Disabilities" was first developed to establish guidelines for states to use for the selection, administration, and evaluation of accommodations for…

Transition from secondary education to adulthood represents a period during which adolescents with disabilities face multiple responsibilities and changing roles that include establishing independence, attending postsecondary education or training, developing social networks, choosing a career, participating in their communities, and managing…

This book presents a group of case studies to show how to assess students to develop a clear statement of transition service needs and then use that information for goals and objectives in their IEP or ITP (individual transition plan). The case studies format will help you see in a concrete way how assessment procedures relate to young people with…

This program for reintegrating students with disabilities into the mainstream involves data-based decisions during the following phases: long-range planning, assessing the less restrictive setting, approximating new placement routines, assessing student readiness, the transition, followup, and evaluation. A checklist for assessing the less…

Suggestions presented for special education teachers evaluating or preparing mildly or moderately disabled students for integration into mainstreamed classes include: training students to understand the difference between the resource and mainstreamed classes (directions, group activities); meeting with the regular classroom teacher; and teaching…

This article presents recommendations for transition planning assessment for secondary students with learning disabilities. It proposes redirecting assessment practices to obtain present-level-of-functioning information for Individualized Education Program planning that extends beyond high school graduation. Current assessment procedures that…

The Helpful Entry Level Skills Checklist was designed to assist preschool teachers in selecting functional skills that children (including children with disabilities) may need to make a successful transition into the public schools. These skills, for the most part, deal with attending, compliance, ability to follow directions, turn taking, ability…

Targeted at special education teachers/special population instructors, work experience coordinators, vocational assessment personnel, and guidance counselors, this guide examines the relationships among career development, transition, and self-determination for students with disabilities. The guide uses a question-and-answer format to identify and…

Teachers can help deaf elementary students adjust to the total communication classroom setting by: evaluating signing skills; conducting a class orientation; submerging students in the sign language environment; using sign language vocabulary cards; offering sign language classes; encouraging peer tutoring; scheduling individual conferences; and…

Job performance of disabled students can be monitored through: (1) student job reports (which emphasize self-analysis of on-the-job performance) and (2) job support groups (which focus on problem solving for employment situations). Both activities help students perceive the connection between work experience and school and help teachers intervene…

Physical education is a direct service which should be provided to all students with mental disabilities. Instruction in physical education should be guided by a comprehensive plan which outlines long-term goals and sequential objectives leading to attainment of these goals. The Achievement Based Curriculum model serves as an example of such a…