Response to intervention (RTI) was included in the 2004 reauthorization of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), specifically as part of an assessment process to determine if a child has a disability. Although IDEA's focus is on students with disabilities, 10 states have developed policies that attend to students with gifts and…

The report describes a regionalized system of community based child health centers developed in Iowa to provide coordinated secondary level health services for children with chronic illness and handicapping conditions. The system is based on two principles: (1) Communities will be given the responsibility for determining which health services are…

This report explores ramifications of vocational rehabilitation services being provided in independent living programs through tracing the development of disability rights and independent living movements from their inception to the present. Comparisons are drawn between the programmatic approaches of state rehabilitation agencies and independent…

The existing vocational education delivery systems for exceptional students (grades 9-12) in Orange County, California, were evaluated. In the first phase, a needs assessment survey was developed to identify vocational education programs/classes available for handicapped students through sheltered workshops, high schools, community colleges, and…

This exploratory study analyzed the incidence and nature of barriers experienced by applicants wishing to adopt special needs children, defined as: "children who are older, have physical disabilities, are emotionally troubled, or are mentally retarded. Many are Black or Hispanic. Some are brothers and sisters who need a home together." Between…

This study sought to identify resources available and training/technical assistance needs of personnel employed by projects serving American Indians and Alaska Natives under the provisions of Section 130 of the Rehabilitation Act. Section 130 authorizes funding of vocational rehabilitation service grants to the governing bodies of Indian tribes on…

This two-report volume was prepared to describe approaches for evaluating individual Office of Telecommunications Policy (OTP) demonstration projects in the future and to aid demonstration project directors in project planning and development. The first report focuses on the role of planning and evaluation activities, stressing their importance in…

This document contains a preliminary report on the implementation of Wisconsin's Community Options Program (COP), a program designed both to divert persons from entering nursing homes and to deinstitutionalize current nursing home residents who can be effectively served by community-based alternatives. The introduction of this report provides a…

This document is a report evaluating the Community Options Program (COP) operated in Wisconsin in 1982 and 1983. The report states that the program is designed to reduce the institutionalization of disabled persons by supporting these persons in the community, thereby decreasing expenditures for long term support and slowing the demand for nursing…

A study of 611 occupational therapists investigated the impact of inclusion on public school occupational therapy. The respondents indicated that inclusion did impact service delivery and the skills of students with disabilities. Responses to the questionnaire also indicated active involvement in inclusion planning and collaborative intervention…

Analysis of 24 responses from members of transdisciplinary teams to a survey on implementation of the transdisciplinary service delivery model for young children with disabilities identified consistencies and discrepancies between theoretical principles and implementation in the areas of parent participation, child assessment, team activities, and…

This checklist is intended to help communities evaluate their provision of Personal Assistance Services (PAS) for people with significant disabilities. Although PAS services are the key component of individualized supports for such persons, they should be considered in conjunction with other services. Essential qualities of effective PAS are: (1)…

The document contains the 3-year evaluation summary for the Kansas Statewide Network for Special Education Paraprofessional Training. The program's purpose is fourfold: (1) to develop an increasing awareness of the professionalism of the paraprofessional in the total educational system; (2) to present an overview of P.L. 94-142 (the Education for…

The report presents results from a survey of four states (Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, and Nebraska) regarding mandates for the provision of special education services for children below 3 years of age. An overview of each state's mandate contains a brief description of the law and how it came to be; an explanaton of the way responsibilities are…

This document reports on efforts to develop an initiative to target increased involvement of the Arizona Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) with Arizona's disabled American Indians both on and off reservations. The report summarizes comments on important issues generated during a central office planning meeting of the Arizona RSA. It…