Presents guidelines and strategies for the joint development and subsequent implementation of the individualized education programs (IEPs) and the relationship between special education and vocational education in this process. Three major topical areas are explored: key concepts, IEP development in vocational education, and IEP implementation…

Our standard secondary model of adding standardized educational components to passive students has outlived its worth. A more sculptural metaphor may be of assistance: the idea of removing that which is not essential, of finding and bringing forth the essence of those who come before us.

Teachers at all levels of education today struggle in their efforts to assign fair, accurate, and meaningful grades to students with disabilities, especially those placed in general education classrooms. Lacking specific policies or recommendations, most teachers apply informal, individual grading adaptations for such students. Although these…

The purpose of this guide is to help families prepare for those times during which their child moves from one environment to another and from one developmental stage to another. The focus of the guide is on the role of assistive technology (AT) during those times--how to consider a child's evolving AT needs, how to identify and address the AT…

As the parent of a child who has or may have a disability, the federal and state laws give them certain rights--called procedural safeguards. If they would like a more detailed explanation of these rights, they should contact the principal of their child's school, a school administrator, their local special education director, or any of the…

This publication addresses basic issues related to the concept of transition as it is applied to students with disabilities in California. Following a pretest (and its answer key), the document uses a question and answer format to discuss common concerns about transition, normalization, the school role, the "Bridges" model developed by…

This paper describes a field experience program that involved preservice teachers in creating action plans that would incorporate schools of education and human service agencies in collaborative efforts for the welfare of children. The program, a component of the Secondary Education Teacher Development Seminar, required development of an…

A project developed and implemented a model retention program to attempt to reduce by 20 percent the dropout rate at Crowley's Ridge Vocational Technical School (Arkansas). The major emphasis was on placing students in a vocational program that would maximize their chances for success. During the program: (1) all students were included in all…

A Teacher Corps project intended to develop and implement a program of individualized instruction at a local middle school is described. The program is based on the assumption that each student is, in some way, a gifted student. The project adapts educational research in the area of gifted student instruction to a middle-school teacher-student…

Functions of guidance groups, the guidance counselor, the Advocacy Program, and the Guidance Committee of the High School in the Community (HSC), New Haven, Connecticut, are described. HSC, designed to provide a choice of learning environments within the public school system, serves students dissatisfied with their previous school experience.…

A detailed profile of the largest fresh-air education program in the country for disadvantaged youth -- Sea Ventures -- is provided in this document. Created entirely through the effort of volunteers, Sea Ventures provides learning opportunities that go beyond occupying youngsters. This multi-racial/lingual juvenile delinquency prevention program…

This report describes and evaluates the La Grange (Illinois) Area Department of Special Education (LADSE) network for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). It also presents a curriculum guide for applying the wraparound approach in schools. The LADSE EBD network is based on three levels of support: special classroom, supported…

Describes a model of comprehensive individualized support for young children (ages 24 to 48 months) with severe developmental disabilities, including autism, based on a triad of essential elements: (1) development of functional communication skills; (2) supported participation in socially inclusive environments; and (3) multifaceted family…

A component of a school assessment plan includes traditional IQ testing, often referred to as psychological or psycho-educational testing. Psycho-educational testing can yield information about how a student compares to others in her grade or age group, individual strengths and needs, and recommendations to improve instruction. The intended…

Five years ago, the Cecil County Public Schools in Maryland embarked on an aggressive schedule to fully include all students with special needs in the regular education setting to be consistent with the most recent interpretation of "least restrictive environment." At the time, 59 percent of special education students were receiving…