Since the mid '70s, school districts have been trying to place students with disabilities in the least restricted environment. As governments strive to create a more inclusive society, an inclusive academic setting for students with disabilities has become a priority. The purpose of the study was to examine the impact of academic setting on…

In this Information Research Cadre, Teresa Blythe responds to the following research question: For those states that have residential schools for the Blind/VI and Deaf/HI students, have they developed policies and procedures for residential placement of these students? To develop this response Blythe conducted web research utilizing numerous…

The purpose of this study was to employ value-added methodology to determine which placement setting offered the ninth grade 2009 special education high school cohort the most academic growth as measured on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS). This particular cohort was selected because it was the most recent cohort for which 3…

The purpose of this study was to determine if significant changes have occurred in the instructional placement and state assessment participation rates of special education students in the state of Texas since the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Data analyzed included the instructional placement data for the years of 2002…

The guidelines for vocational assessment of handicapped students are intended to help Texas educators fulfill requirements that a vocational assessment be completed before a handicapped student is placed in a vocational education program. Three levels of assessment data are distinguished: Level I data which are collected by special education…

Sixteen Texas projects for handicapped infants participated in a study to determine followup service placement of project graduates and cost of early intervention. Analysis of completed survey forms indicated that an overall success rate for finding children after graduation from a project was 81% of the total attempted. For more than three-fourth…

The purpose of Project CMYC (Catch Me if You Can) was to develop and test a model for longitudinal study of local (Texas) Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) program graduates and their families. The model called for comparison of ECI graduates and families to a group of children with similar disabilities and of comparable age, who had not…

The resource guide for regular teachers provides policies and procedures of the Flour Bluff (Texas) school district regarding special education of handicapped students. Individual sections provide guidelines for the following areas: the referral process; individual assessment; participation on student evaluation and placement committee; special…

This guide offers specific recommendations to Texas school districts concerning the implementation of least restrictive environment (LRE) requirements for students with disabilities. Suggestions are grouped according to six issues recommended for consideration in the decision making process: These are: (1) the primacy of the individual student's…

This booklet explains parent and student rights concerning special education for children with disabilities, as outlined in federal law and Texas law. The booklet offers definitions of terms and outlines the steps involved in the child-centered educational process leading to special education services. Components of the process are then described,…

Current issues involved in the identification and assessment of Limited-English-Proficient (LEP) students being considered for special services are reviewed. Focus is on the characteristics of the at-risk LEP students, who are often placed in special education programs. A theoretical framework to guide research and practice in this field is…

Intended for parents of young children with disabilities in Texas, this booklet describes the Texas early childhood intervention (ECI) program and identifies parent rights. An introductory chart summarizes five steps of family centered services (from assessment and evaluation to the annual Individualized Family Service Plan meeting) in terms of…

This publication is intended to provide Texas educators with a ready reference concerning Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, a chart comparing this statute with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), practical suggestions for implementing the statute, and the federal regulations and analysis. The first section presents…

These guidelines were developed by a committee of staff members from special education divisions at the Texas Education Agency and comprise a collection of federal and state criteria and regulations concerning placement of students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment. Specific requirements (with legal citations) and criteria…

The document presents state (Texas) Board of Education rules parallel with the relevant federal regulations and state laws concerning requirements for special education services. A detailed table of contents lists state and federal regulations separately and provides access to information concerning the following general areas: clarifications of…