Can spiraling special education costs explain why educational achievement remained stagnant over the past three decades while real education spending more than doubled? Policy makers, education researchers, and school district officials often make this claim. Special education students--goes the argument--are draining resources away from regular…

A teacher, warned not to put anything in the individualized education program that will cost the school district money, is urged to go to the supervisor, file a noncompliance charge with the state education agency, or alert a third party to take that action. (CL)

Sets forth the future program development responsibilities of the administrator of vocational special needs programs. Discusses terminology, funding, and program content. Also examines major issues, incentives, realistic expectations, and accountability. (CT)

Summarizes the major achievements of the supported employment initiative for individuals with mental retardation and other significant disabilities from 1986 through 1993. Focus is on the number of program participants, consumer characteristics, reduced dependence on Social Security income maintenance, participant earnings, and program…

Reviews the requirements and potential effects of Public Law 94-142 (Education for All Handicapped Children Act). Suggests reforms that would maximize the educational opportunities offered under the Act while reducing (1) financial costs; and (2) bureaucratic problems associated with such heavily prescriptive Federal policies. (GC)

Explains two career education approaches: one integrates academics while teaching about actual careers; the other teaches employability skills. Both cost little or nothing to implement and use existing school resources. For example, the cafeteria is used as a source of information on occupations, health laws, food delivery, hiring practices, using…

A study determined the extent to which the states and territories used their handicapped and disadvantaged set-aside funds under the Education Amendments of 1976 to support program improvement projects. The population of 57 research coordinating unit directors was surveyed. (Author)

Few studies have addressed the effects of teacher education generally, no less the specific program elements necessary to prepare competent and caring teachers. As a result, to address teacher shortages in science, mathematics, and special education, alternatives to traditional preparation have been proposed, and their development has proceeded…

A cost analysis approach can effectively integrate budget and program planning. By analyzing staff time across components of an early childhood program, one can analyze program operations and their costs. The cost analysis system examines personnel costs as well as nonpersonnnel costs and in-kind contributions and provides a format for displaying…

Two parents of handicapped children and two special educators respond to a paper by H. D. Bud Fredericks et al. concerning reasonable costs and ways to reduce expenditures in special education through such ways as using paraprofessionals and providing specialized services by a consultant working with the teacher. (CL)

Child care programs serving children with disabilities should balance high quality care for children, affordable fees to parents, and fair wages for staff. A chart detailing child-to-staff ratios in day care centers and number of children allowed in family day care by state is included. (DB)

Rising energy costs and staff reductions pose problems for those who direct aquatic programs for the disabled. At the same time, aquatics programs for the disabled are increasing in number, broadening in scope, and offering new opportunities for research and development of materials. (PP)

Colleges and universities must be aware of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the consequences of noncompliance. However, the legislation is so new that colleges and universities are forced to rely on interpretations of similar laws. Discusses the terms "qualified individual,""disability," and "reasonable…

A resource cost methodology was used to obtain estimates of the cost of 11 early intervention programs for children, aged birth through five, with disabilities. Factors that had the greatest influence on cost were program duration and frequency of service, staff-child ratio, geographic location, and volunteer resources. (Author/JDD)

This article refutes 10 myths and identifies literature that supports service delivery to infants and toddlers with disabilities in natural settings. The benefits of naturalistic intervention, home-based services, and family-centered services are discussed, and concerns regarding therapist shortages, ethical problems, personal safety of providers,…