The article focuses on a practical prioritization process as a method to bridge the gap between assessment and planning of individualized education programs for severely handicapped students. This prioritization process is based upon a set of criteria agreed to by planning teams which include educators, related service personnel, and families.…

The Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS) special education programs function with a multidisciplinary team called the Child Management Committee. The Child Study Committee, which usually meets once a week, develops, implements, and monitors comprehensive, multidisciplinary assessment procedures; summarizes assessment results in written…

Recognizing the increase in school violence, California recently enacted the Hughes Bill that requires a positive behavioral intervention plan for individuals with exceptional needs. Although special education teachers are required to develop positive behavioral intervention plans, most have not been trained in the skills necessary to develop or…

Forty-four teachers enrolled in special education graduate courses were surveyed to find out how much time teachers are spending on the development of individualized education programs (IEPs) and to discover implications regarding instructional time lost in the IEP process. Literature was reviewed on the field of education prior to P.L. 94-142…

Effects of participatory planning on internal consistency within the special education referral, planning and placement process and the Individualized Education Programs (IEP) were investigated. A stratified representative sampling procedure was used to select 114 handicapped students enrolled in one district's special education program. Referral…

The paper traces the establishment and outcomes of a special education program development unit as part of the West Virginia Department of Education. It is explained that the office used a process/product planning approach with information on mission, role/function, allocation of function and resources, and multiple matrix analysis planning. Based…

The presentation reviews the evolution of a summer special education assessment team. The interdisciplinary team grew from a due process specialist and occupational therapist to include a speech clinician. Their roles changed from processing students for special education to facilitating the transition of students and their families from private…

The paper deals with a mental health program designed to treat the 2 1/2 to 5 year old Mexican American child with severe emotional or behavioral problems. Components of the program included a mutual agreement with Parent Child Centers (Headstart) in the community; staff who had expertise to evaluate, diagnose, design, and implement an individual…

This paper reviews the current status of gifted education in South Africa and makes recommendations for improvements. Characteristics of the gifted and procedures for identifying gifted children are described, emphasizing the importance of identifying the gifted as early as possible. Provisions for differentiated gifted education, as currently…

Recent federal and state laws and regulations mandate new and increased services for handicapped students served by local school districts and educational service agencies. Public Law 94-142 requires that free appropriate educational programs be provided for all handicapped children. To react appropriately to both federal and state mandates and to…

This speech by an educator and parent of gifted children addresses the problem of appropriate educational services for gifted children, concluding that advocacy for these children entails pushing for acceleration, an often neglected but effective option. The paper begins with anecdotes which illustrate the unmet needs of gifted children and which…

The Pine County (Minnesota) Special Education System has adapted a database for use in decision making regarding programs for learning disabled and behavior problem students. The system is used for decisions in seven areas: identification, initial assessment, eligibility determination, individualized education program (IEP) selection, IEP…

This paper considers ways to help children with special health needs by utilizing the Individualized Education Program (IEP) and the Individualized Health Care Plan (IHCP). Results of a study which found a lack of necessary health information in school documents is summarized. The school nurse is seen as a pivotal person in the identification and…

Because it must place special needs students as well as regular students in vocational training programs, the Salem County Board for Vocational Education has initiated a non-categorical vocational training program model. Developed in response to the general practices concerning placement and a need for an individual vocational plan for students…

The complex process of developing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and the placing of handicapped students is discussed. The IEP is developed by the school administrator, the child's teachers, and the child's parents. A model of an efficient system for implementing an IEP is described. The basis of the model is the collection and coding by…