A New York school district was forced to consider a grade-level reorganization or possible school closing, primarily resulting from severe economic pressures. Describes the advantages and disadvantages of reorganizing 2 K-5 elementary schools into a K-2 primary school and a 3-5 intermediate school. Cites four basic reasons frequently offered to…

The University of Hawaii Department of Special Education conducted the Preschool Preparation and Transition Project, a federally funded demonstration program, to support families and their children with special needs in the transition from infant programs to least restrictive preschool placements. The program addressed this goal through three…

This article examines vocational programing for students with disabilities in the context of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Trends are identified in transition, technology and worksite modification, and employment of people with disabilities. The new law's requirements concerning employment, public accommodations, transportation, state and…

Discusses deficits in social development and communication skills among hearing-impaired persons. Proposes a model of life-skills training for hearing-impaired first-year college students that encompasses access and use of student support services, mastery of daily living skills, and enhancement of self-concept and social skills. Describes…

Describes Alberta, Canada's Initiation to Teaching Project, which addressed beginning teachers' inadequate practical skills, eased the transition to full-time professional work, and reduced teacher unemployment and underemployment. Project evaluation revealed that most participants considered it a valuable induction scheme that resulted in…

Special-entry summer schools at Scottish universities facilitate access to higher education for students who lack qualifications usually required for entrance. Evidence suggests that the scheme successfully meets its aims, but systematic research into the initiative's long-term effects would be valuable, particularly with regard to areas of social…

Describes an interview format for use in engaging families of young people with disabilities in dialogue regarding vocational programming needs. The interview addresses parental expectations, family experiences and preferences, the student's personal needs, family support, transportation options, and wages and benefits. Ways to integrate results…

Discusses initiatives undertaken by Sheffield Hallam University (England) to raise awareness of higher education opportunities, increase access, and provide support to a diverse group of students in the local community. Describes the development of pre-entry transition courses and "awareness-raising" programs for students with disabilities, ethnic…

Describes a model framework to guide decision making about the use of technology to facilitate the development of competencies that people with disabilities need to make a successful transition from school to various adult environments. Legal mandates and types of technology are described. (Author/CR)

Describes how university faculty from vocational education and occupational therapy departments and educators from school districts collaborated in implementing a staff development program addressing secondary transition services for special needs students. (Contains 32 references.) (Author)

This article describes how coteaching in a general education life skills class became an effective way to provide inclusive instruction to benefit all of the students, both with and without disabilities. The collaborative team unified separate special education and general education transition efforts within a general education transition class.…

Effective systems for moving individuals with autism through a continuum of services, applicable across various educational settings, are described, including specific examples of implementation strategies used in a large treatment center for individuals with developmental and neurological disabilities. Implementation strategies focus on providing…

The purpose of this review is to present factors that impede and promote successful transition to kindergarten, with a focus on the specific needs of students with problem behavior. The review addresses competencies that teachers report are critical for success in kindergarten, traditional transition practices, and challenges in implementing…

Traditionally science clubs have been seen as a lunchtime or after-school activity, run by volunteer teachers giving up their spare time. Increasingly, however, they are being used creatively as a way of delivering important curriculum enhancement activities or even as a vehicle for the science part of whole-school priorities such as working with…

Primary science has rightly been recognised as one of the great successes in UK education over the last 20 years--a jewel in the National Curriculum crown. Its successes are evidenced by the high numbers of pupils achieving the target levels in national tests and by the rising number of science lessons rated as good or better in school inspections…