An administrator describes a systematic approach to develop, store, and recall individualized education programs (IEPs) for handicapped students. The approach is designed to reduce time requirements and make classroom supervision and long term student data management more efficient. A thesaurus (presently, over 4,000 entries are stored in the…

Moving from middle school to high school can be challenging and exciting, but students with special needs may need to begin preparing for the move earlier than other students. As with other major changes in a child's life, the move to high school will go more smoothly if parents gather information and do some planning. A good time to begin…

CAMEO is a system that combines computer technology with a resource of objectives to provide a flexible, time-saving solution to the workload created by individualized education programs (IEPs) for handicapped students. Results of a field test demonstrated that CAMEO reduced preparatory and clerical time without compromising the ability to address…

The computer-managed IEP systems described in this article provide a good sample of what is currently available. After previewing several of them and reviewing the rest, the authors believe that these types of systems have the potential to benefit teachers, administrators, and parents as well as students. They create reports in a more timely and…

School counselors provide a variety of services to students with disabilities, and becoming involved in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process is an opportunity through which school counselors can demonstrate their unique contributions. The authors highlight specific skills (e.g., group facilitation, consultation) and developmental…

The responsibility for providing safe transportation for travelers seated in wheelchairs is shared by many stakeholders, including wheelchair and tiedown/restraint manufacturers, vehicle modifiers and equipment installers, transit providers, rehabilitation technology suppliers, wheelchair/seating clinicians, and even informed and responsible…

The key to a well-written, well-reasoned Individualized Education Program (IEP) is clearly identifying and writing measurable goals and objectives. The single most important part of that process is identifying and understanding a student's needs. This essential first step is the best way to prepare for the search that will produce the most…

This system aims to improve the communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity in schools that serve students with disabilities, especially those in urban and/or high-poverty settings. The STAR system outlines five practices that build a more adaptive and inclusive education environment while utilizing modes of communication and…

This paper describes the use of the Individual Career Plan (ICP) with students having disabilities at the University of Massachusetts (UMASS) at Amherst. The ICP is a career development tool that encourages self-determination. First, a summary of the barriers to career achievement for students with disabilities in higher education is presented.…

Although much that is written about rural schools focuses on economic scarcities, pressures on teachers, and limited materials, there are also distinct advantages offered to those attending school in rural areas. Small schools provide all children--including the gifted--with unique opportunities to develop intellectual, social, and creative…

The characteristics and structures of school-focused inservice teacher education are explored by educators and researchers in 16 essays. An introductory article gives the rationale for more and better school-focused inservice education, particularly because of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (Public Law 94-142). School-focused…

The HIP (Humanizing, Individualizing, Personalizing) program at the University of Missouri-Columbia was designed to meet demands of teacher educators, students, and school practitioners for earlier, expanded field experiences and for more direct linkage between basic theory and pedagogic practice. Certain basic assumptions are made in this…

The doctoral thesis, three-fourths of which consists of appendixes, describes the development and implementation of procedures to maximize the individualized instruction time of speech, hearing, and visually handicapped students in a public school itinerant special education setting in Pennsylvania. A brief review of the Education for All…

The report discusses the California State Department of Education's California Master Plan for Special Education, a comprehensive approach to provide special education services to handicapped children. The plan establishes a system that identifies children in need of special education, places children in the programs best suited to their needs,…

This paper presents an individualized model that assists inservice and preservice educators in attaining their professional goals in a continuing program of self-improvement. This model provides a structure that creates a theoretical framework that lends continuity to individual programs. It also presents a methodology of identifying individual…