The prevocational program at the School for Contemporary Education (SCE), Springfield, Virginia, for severely handicapped students (4 to 18 years old) aims at mastery of annual work adjustment objectives by the students and involves development of evaluation procedures, development and implementation of vocational modules for work adjustment…

Five studies on child study teams are reviewed and their implications for training included in a modular approach, the Child Student Team Training Program. The CSTTP features six modules: (1) rationale for teams, (2) referral preparation and review, (3) IEP planning, (4) procedural considerations, (5) parent involvement, and (6) administrative…

A Boston parent advocate and mother of a black child with special needs offers a first-hand account of special education in Boston, Massachusetts, in the context of court-ordered desegregation. (Author/GC)

This report contains the results of the self-assessment and the validation of the self-assessment by Special Education Programs. The report addresses six principles: (1) General Supervision; (2) Free Appropriate Public Education; (3) Appropriate Evaluation; (4) Procedural Safeguards; (5) Individualized Education Program; and (6) Least Restrictive…

Beginning on the front cover, the superintendents of schools in four urban areas describe successful programs in their districts. They explain why individualized instruction improved reading achievement in Detroit (Michigan), while it was phased out in Red Bank (New Jersey); why Milwaukee's (Wisconsin) school organization is unique; and how…

A format for writing an individualized education program is described, along with results of a budgeting skills program designed for a mildly retarded young adult attending a sheltered workshop. The format requires explicit statements in such areas as the prerequisite skills necessary for participation in the program. (Author/SW)

The school nurse should be able to identify the health needs of students and to facilitate remediation of health or handicapping conditions or to assist in adapting the school setting to students' needs. Requirements and activities expected of school nurses in the care of handicapped students are listed. (CJ)

A time management training program is described for use by public school special service providers (e.g., psychologists, specialists) to allocate adequate amounts of time to individualized education program planning and evaluation. A formative evaluation of the application of the approach in a public school district is described. (Author)

Steps to success in the mainstreaming of handicapped students include: (1) warm and accepting atmosphere; (2) acceptance of the handicapped students; (4) less physically restrictive classrooms; (5) successful experiences; (6) emphasis on individual strengths; (7) fair testing procedures; (8) enlivening lesson plans; (9) parent teacher…

Traditional procedures for assessing and stimulating residual vision are often ineffective with deaf-blind and severely handicapped children. Common eye disorders, visual assessment procedures, and vision stimulation components are described. (JN)

Concerned about educational quality in the Mifflin County (Pennsylvania) School District, a committee of educators surveyed 11 other Pennsylvania districts concerning their experience with intensive scheduling in high school special-education programs. Responses were generally positive, except for concerns about special-education support services.…

Describes the development and components of a referral database management system developed by the Arkansas Transition Project. The system enables individualized-education-plan team members to refer students with disabilities directly to adult agencies and to receive a monitoring report describing the agency response to the referral. The system is…

This article discusses the advantages of student-led conferences for students with and without disabilities and their families, including increased student involvement, student goal-setting, student reflection, and student responsibility. It describes the steps and positive results from one school district that has adopted the student-led…

In response to Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments (1997), the Virginia Department of Education implemented a statewide mediation system that includes eight mediators to resolve parent-school conflicts involving special-education issues. An impartial third party helps disputants reach agreement in a nonthreatening atmosphere.…

Two special educators share their experiences in developing standards-based lessons to help students manage their own Individualized Education Programs. They describe strategies used to begin the process, provide a sample unit lesson plan, and show how a typical 50-minute class period could be structured to incorporate self-determination skills.…