This annual report provides information regarding students who registered with disability services at Maryland colleges and universities. To better understand higher education outcomes for students with disabilities in Maryland, the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC), in collaboration with the Maryland Department of Disabilities and in…

To evaluate the experiences that teachers and other decision makers were having with accessibility features and accommodations, as well as their attitudes toward them, an online survey was conducted with educators in nine states. These states were part of an Enhanced Assessment Initiative grant project to promote optimal decision making about…

Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often require accommodations for the successful transition to postsecondary education. Offices of specialized/disability services at four-year postsecondary institutions and community colleges are responsible for providing accommodative services which include technology accommodations for students with…

In 2015, the Data-Informed Accessibility--Making Optimal Needs-based Decisions (DIAMOND) project received funding from an Enhanced Assessment Initiative grant to collect information that would support the development of professional development modules for educators making decisions within new accessibility frameworks. More accessibility features…

The Data-Informed Accessibility--Making Optimal Needs-based Decisions (DIAMOND) project received funding in 2015 from an Enhanced Assessment Initiative grant to collect information that would inform the creation of professional development modules for educators making decisions within new accessibility frameworks. The DIAMOND project conducted…

Community college students vary greatly in their level of academic preparedness. Federal data indicates that 68 percent of community college students need to take at least one developmental education course (Jaggars & Stacey, 2014). Community colleges can support students' success by providing academic supports such as tutoring services for…

Drawing on the author's experience as an information professional for individuals with disabilities, this article discusses the challenges faced by both library users and staff in obtaining and providing information to this community. It poses four questions: Where do individuals with disabilities fit into diversity studies? Do individuals with…

With this Strategic Plan, the Division of Special Education/ Early Intervention Services recommits to "Moving Maryland Forward"--introduced in 2013. With the shifting in the national, State, and local education landscape, Maryland has revisited the initial Plan to sharpen the steadfast focus to narrow the gaps for children with…

In Maryland, some Christian schools have enrolled students with learning disabilities (LDs) but do not have any interventional programs at the school to help them succeed academically. The purpose of this qualitative program evaluation was to evaluate the National Institute for Learning Development (NILD) and Discovery Therapy Educational Program…

The Task Force to Study the Impact of Expanding Credit and Noncredit Courses for Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities was formed in July 2013. Chapter 392, Acts of 2013, (House Bill 813) established the Task Force to Study the Impact of Expanding Credit and Noncredit Courses for Students with Intellectual and Developmental…

The One Year Plus policy of Baltimore City Public Schools described in this Newsletter has the potential to breathe new life into "special education" for students with disabilities. In recent decades, many waves of K-12 education reform--including the No Child Left Behind Act, charter schools, alternative teacher recruitment paths,…

The 2011 National Federation of the Blind Youth Slam event at Towson University enabled a large group of blind youth to participate in a five day long science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) academy. Enrichment experiences such as this one may generate interest in STEM subjects for students with visual impairments. For decades,…

The following profiles address decisions and actions that state education policy-makers--in the state departments of education, unless otherwise noted--are taking to foster successful statewide implementation of their states' new college- and career-readiness standards and aligned assessments. These profiles provide a descriptive overview of each…

The following profiles address the basic decisions and actions that state education policy-makers--in the state departments of education, unless otherwise noted--are taking to foster successful statewide implementation of the new standards and aligned assessments in 15 states. These profiles provide a descriptive overview of each state's…

A report by the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO-10-519) revealed that, despite legislation obligating states and schools to provide equal access, opportunities for physical activity are limited for children and youth with disabilities (GAO, 2010). This document is the initial response to the GAO recommendation that "the…