This booklet has been developed in hopes that it may aid in keeping communication open and focused between families and schools. Building communication between parents and the school staff through letters offers a way of keeping records of ideas, concerns, and suggestions. This booklet provides general guidelines to writing letters as well as…

This booklet has been developed in hopes that it may aid in keeping communication open and focused between families and schools. Building communication between parents and the school staff through letters offers a way of keeping records of ideas, concerns, and suggestions. This booklet provides general guidelines to writing letters as well as…

The field of special education, and specifically the area of intellectual disabilities, has undergone dramatic changes in terminology, evaluation practices, service delivery models, expectations for learning, career development, and independent living opportunities. "Guidelines: Intellectual Disabilities in Educational Settings" is…

The term three-tier model of intervention is a model consisting of three well-defined and separate processes running on different levels within a system. In New Mexico, this principle has been applied to develop a model of student intervention for school-aged students. The model has three distinct levels of instructional interventions that account…

Meeting a growing need for school-based practitioners, this book provides vital tools for improving the academic, behavioral, and social outcomes of students with high-functioning autism or Asperger syndrome (HFA/AS). Research-based best practices are presented for conducting meaningful assessments; collaborating with teachers, students, and…

As any parent of a child with autism knows, your life changes and you take on new roles after your child receives a diagnosis of autism. Ready or not, you are now expected to be an expert on interventions, support professionals, and special education. Suddenly, your concerns and worries are different from the parents around you. While they may be…

Examines the areas in which educational misconduct involving handicapped students is likely to occur. Argues for accountability for such misconduct and discusses why remediation should be by common law tort action. Explains why the Handicapped Children Act procedures are not appropriate in litigation. (MD)

Student behavior problems have been found to be the most significant and frequently addressed concern of rural educators. A model was developed in response to the needs of rural educators in West Virginia for planning, documenting, implementing, and monitoring behavior plans for students with emotional and behavior problems. The first step…

This curriculum guide, designed for use by special education teachers of kindergarten through twelfth grade students in Lexington County, South Carolina, addresses five major areas of affective development: (1) understanding emotions; (2) self-concept development; (3) interpersonal skills; (4) skills in behavioral responsibility; and (5)…

This "Packet of Information for Families" (PIF) was developed for parents whose children are identified as both gifted/ talented and on the autism spectrum, or twice-exceptional. Parents of twice-exceptional children often search for appropriate and challenging enrichment programs for their child, but the dearth of information available…

As school communities become more diverse, making decisions regarding discipline will continue to be difficult. However, providing appropriate discipline for special education students is essential in order to maintain an effective learning climate. This article walks readers through a hypothetical situation in which a principal must make a…

This report discusses disciplining children with disabilities in schools, in the context of the legal requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Practical concepts are explained in terms of the school's responsibility to: (1) maintain a safe environment; (2) teach a code of discipline to all students; (3) use the…

This handbook for parents of children with Tourette Syndrome (TS) includes information on the child's rights under the law and legal steps to achieve those rights. Relevant federal laws are reviewed including Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requirements for impartial due process hearings, least restrictive environments, and allowance…

This manual is designed to be a practical guide for designing, implementing, and evaluating instruction and services for students with disabilities. The first section, "Leadership and Collaboration," offers a conceptual framework for program leadership, a program vision and descriptions, strategies for interagency collaboration, and…

The No Child Left Behind Act was designed primarily to ensure educational accountability through schools producing positive results or outcomes for educational efforts. With this policy change, a need exists to provide parents information that describes the evidence basis for curriculum materials and interventions that are being used in special…