This article examines the role of assessment in developing Individual Family Service Plans (IFSP) under Part H of the Education of the Handicapped Act. Emphasis is on determining eligibility, collecting assessment data for describing developmental performance, and establishing desired outcomes. (PB)

This paper reviews the Supreme Court's Zebley decision which expanded the definition of disability in young children by including functional equivalence; compares regulations and practices under the Social Security Administration and Part H of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; and offers guidelines concerning the intent of the law,…

The paper compares evaluation requirements established under P.L. 94-103 (Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act) and P.L. 94-142 (Education for All Handicapped Children Act). The correspondence of the requirements to traditional evaluation models is noted, and obstacles to implementation of the evaluation procedures are…

Traditionally, the use of control groups, regression discontinuity/projection, or norm referenced models has been advocated for educational program evaluation. The small numbers of and the heterogeneous characteristics of severely and profoundly handicapped make these evaluation methods inappropriate for this population subgroup. Furthermore, no…

The article describes the organization of an assessment battery which generates data for establishing individualized education programs (IEPs) for children with learning disabilities. Instruments and procedures for obtaining data related to each facet of assessment are identified. (SBH)

The instructor's manual examines ways to help regular class teachers develop instruction based on individualized educational programs (IEPs) developed for disabled students. Procedures are described for the workshop leader to discuss training objectives, assumptions concerning the need for training, and a brief review of research. The issue of…

A review of British Columbia (Canada) Education Ministry documents and published research literature examined theory and practice regarding grading of special needs students undertaking modified programs. A lack of equity in reporting progress for these students was found despite professional consensus that students with special needs should be…

This article reviews research, policy, and practice related to the use of assistive technology by students with mild disabilities. It addresses the potential of technology for individuals with disabilities, consideration of assistive technology in the Individualized Education Program, and strategies for capturing the potential of assistive…

The report summarizes findings on evaluation studies conducted over a 6 year period at the Institute for Research on Learning Disabilities. Major findings are highlighted in the first chapter. Findings are grouped under the following topics: current evaluation practices, reading evaluation, spelling evaluation, written expression evaluation, oral…

Research has shown that successful school-to-work transitional planning must be linked to good vocational assessment. A study of the type and extent of formal vocational assessments being conducted by educators within secondary schools in Wisconsin showed that 77 percent assessed occupational interests, 63 percent assessed vocational aptitudes,…

This book considers issues relating to the development, revision, and evaluation of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), including best practices that have been developed by states and school districts. It begins with an overview of the objective of education for all children regardless of disability, with appropriate goals and instruction to…

Limitations in standardized test use with Hispanic students are summarized and recent research developments supporting use of testing and assessment as tools for promoting learning are examined. Assisted performance and dynamic assessment are discussed in the context of individual education plans and a test-train-test cycle. (Author/MSE)

This report summarizes 48 states' current policies on the participation of students with disabilities in large-scale assessments and the accommodations noted in state policies as available for those students. In developing the summary, changes in state assessment policies were also checked. Charts in the report provide information on presentation…

This guide for parents explains implications of the 1997 amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which requires the participation of students with disabilities in statewide and districtwide assessments, leading to greater accountability by the educational system for educational results for all students. The guide notes that…

The importance of using data collection and analysis procedures to monitor academic and social behavior progress of students with emotional and behavioral disorders is the focus of this article. After reviewing literature supporting the efficacy of data collection procedures used in classrooms for students with disabilities, issues regarding the…