This report describes the use of peer sampling procedures to develop individualized plans to familiarize an incoming visually impaired person to a university campus and community. Environmental specificity of the procedure is illustrated by application to two residences. (Author/DB)

Describes the one-to-one integrated tutoring and therapy offered to gifted underachievers at a learning clinic in the United Kingdom. The approach centers on respect for the self and focuses on strengths rather than weaknesses. Case studies illustrate the counseling philosophies, procedures, and strategies. (DB)

Describes the Learning Support Center (LSC), an inclusive program that provides support services to at-risk and marginal high school students. The LSC uses nontraditional staffing (including sources from outside the school), establishes schoolwide ownership via staff involvement, and uses educational instruments such as the Personalized Learning…

Argues that universal tertiary education in Australia is hampered by the country's binary system which separates tertiary education into higher education and vocational education and training sectors. Describes the application of an alternative model at Victoria University of Technology, a dual-sector university which has introduced personalized…

Under United States federal law, students who are in special education are guaranteed the right to attend school, but their education will vary depending upon their disability and their independent goals that are developed in a contract between the school and the parents called an Individual Educational Plan or IEP. Students with moderate/severe…

Because the virtual public school landscape is relatively new--and changing and expanding at such a rapid rate--very little is known about how these schools are currently serving students with disabilities. The purpose of this document is to describe how state-level virtual public school programs are serving students with disabilities and to…

This article features Melmark New England, a private, nonprofit, community based organization dedicated to serving children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders, acquired brain injury, neurological diseases and disorders, and severe challenging behaviors. The Melmark parent corporation, a Pennsylvania based provider of services for those…

Appropriate physical education is a mandated part of a child's Individual Educational Program (IEP). It is not optional, nor should parents want it to be optional. This is the time in the day for the child to develop in a variety of ways that are very important to healthy living for the rest of his or her life. The purpose of physical education is…

Summer provides valuable but often untapped opportunities for youth to explore or deepen their interests, preferences, and strengths; accrue valuable work-related skills and experiences; and establish connections to their communities. At the same time, it is clear that summer opportunities do not happen automatically for many youth with…

Faith communities can be wonderful places for creating a welcoming circle of support for families with members who have a disability. Parents may assume that leaders of their faith community will naturally know how to be inclusive, but this is not necessarily the case. The members may never have heard of individualized education programs (IEPs) or…

During summertime, before school ends and the hard physical labor begins, it is best to reflect on the touchups and renovations that need to be done to a teacher's classroom instruction. This article presents two innovative lesson ideas that will inspire teachers to rethink, retool, and recharge as they decide what some of their summer renovations…

In this article, the authors present an overview of a Web-based electronic system for behavioral-progress monitoring. Behavioral-progress monitoring is necessary to evaluate responsiveness to behavioral interventions, the effects of positive behavioral support, and the attainment of individualized education program goals and objectives. The…

Meeting the needs of children with disabilities requires strategies for engaging each and every child as an individual and facilitating their participation as a member of a group. The use of the project approach meets the needs of individual children by building on an awareness of children's interests and high expectations. All early childhood…

The national shortage and exceptionally high attrition rate of special education teachers are impediments to serving students with special needs. Given that only 64 percent of special education teachers have access to a mentor compared with 86 percent of general education teachers, this book meets an essential need for attracting, retaining, and…

Over the past decade, there has been an increased emphasis on transition planning for students with exceptional needs. This is in part the result of the mandates contained in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004. This increased emphasis has revealed a number of shortcomings with how transition planning is done…