Mandates such as No Child Left Behind (2001) and Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (2004) shifted the emphasis of instruction to include skills that access the general curriculum for students with moderate to severe intellectual disability. The purpose of this study was to describe changes in literacy instruction of teachers…

The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the effect of teacher professional development for working with students with Autism Spectrum Disorders and teacher (N = 56) self-efficacy in the general education classroom. A pretest/posttest quasi-experimental research design was implemented. Teachers in one randomly assigned school received…

The current meta-analysis examined the use of deep touch pressure (DTP; e.g., weighted vests) with students with disabilities. DTP is a form of sensory integration therapy that is currently used extensively in schools with students with autism and other disabilities. Each study in the analysis was evaluated using the Council for Exceptional…

This paper reviews characteristics of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), possible causes of ASD, current demographic information, the effects on the individual with ASD and the family, as well as diversity and multicultural issues related to autism. Additionally, the paper provides pertinent information about students with ASD for both general…

The history of special education in the United States and Thailand has followed a similar path in many ways. Both countries made compulsory education mandatory to move in a positive direction in providing special education services to children with disabilities including the provision of services for children with ASD or Autism. In Thailand,…

Determining the most effective curricula for students with severe disabilities requires increased attention as legislation and curricular changes are being made in the field of special education. This article a) reviews the legislation mandates from the 2004 Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) and the 2001 No Child Left…

Current special education law mandates that educators use scientifically based practices, and in addition, educators should deliver refined instruction for learners with disabilities. Applied behavior analysis, based on the premise of increasing socially significant behaviors, embodies many interventions that adhere to evidence-based teaching…

The authors examined 62 court cases occurring in 2009 from the LexisNexis database regarding students, ages 3-21 years, with various forms of autism spectrum disorder and violations to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. They analyzed procedural and substantive violations to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the…

The purpose of this study was to examine Differential Item Functioning (DIF) by disability groups on an on-demand performance assessment for students with severe cognitive impairments. Researchers examined the presence of DIF for two comparisons. One comparison involved students with severe cognitive impairments who served as the reference group…

The number of children identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) entering mainstream public school classrooms is increasing. No Child Left Behind and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires that these students be taught using research-based practices. There is, however, very little known about best practices in the public…

This single subject design study (ABAB) investigated the effects of using iPads[R] in a classwide academic intervention to increase independent task completion and basic math skills of seven students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) enrolled in a special education school for students with moderate to severe disabilities. An…

This fall in schools across the nation, students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) will experience educational opportunities that, until recently, were denied to them. Because the No Child Left Behind Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ensure that students with ASD are included in the student body, principals must make…

In America, the number of children diagnosed with autism has increased to 1 out of every 150. The current trend in special education appears to support integrated education. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is recognized by many as a very effective instructional methodology in teaching children with autism. Parents are increasingly requesting that…

The purpose of this study was to gather information on experiences of general education teachers concerning inclusion practices for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). In this case study third, fourth, and fifth grade general education teachers in a rural Southwest Missouri school district provided the data source to keep a narrowed…

Research into integrating technology such as iPads into the curriculum for students with disabilities is still new. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the use of a basic math skill application on an iPad to increase basic math fluency. As part of a classwide academic intervention, the study was conducted with 10 students with…