This article addresses particular aspects of the Agran et al. identified determinants related to inclusive educational practices for students with severe disabilities. More specifically, this article focuses on perceptions of competency in students with severe disabilities and the resulting placement decisions, as well as facilitating systemic…

It is of great importance to maximize access to general education for all students with disabilities. This article focuses on how leaders create inclusive schools for all students--inclusive school reform. Inclusive school reform can result in all students with disabilities being placed into general education settings (including students with…

At a time of great change for educational psychology services in England, this paper reviews current theories of leadership and proposes how an integration of key aspects of these can be applied to support a self review of leadership practice, both by individual leaders and by services. The message from current theory is that in the midst of…

This report was written at the request of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute and the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio, to inform the discussion of state-level policy makers and other stakeholders on how to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of services provided to Ohio's students with special needs. It is critical for Ohio to find…

High-quality care in the earliest years of life has been shown to relate to positive developmental outcomes for children, including improved early academic skills, social-emotional competencies, and cognitive functioning. Unfortunately, the early care experiences of many children are not always high quality; rather, research suggests that…

This article develops a framework for a common definition of system and system change drawing heavily from current understandings within chaos theory, quantum physics, and self-ordering systems. The framework is discussed in the context of TRACES, the national technical assistance agency for students with deaf blindness, and service delivery…

Argues that we can help develop resilience in youth by using a nontraditional approach to changing the fragmented manner in which most services are provided. This approach can include demonstrating desired behaviors instead of relying on the enforcement of mandates or directives to support the change process. (GCP)

This article proposes a systems approach for dealing with change in the delivery of speech-language pathology services, particularly as it relates to implementing service delivery with speech-language pathology assistants. Sequential steps in a systematic framework for promoting inclusion of assistants in service delivery are described. (Contains…

This paper explores the current and potential contributions that futuristics can make to professional education and to the professions in general. A brief description of how the School of Social Development (SSD) at the University of Minnesota Duluth has incorporated futuristic principles is presented as a basis for analyzing the relationship…

The concept of public marketing presents a strategy for the systems approach to community development that would facilitate the community decision making process via improved communication. Basic aspects of the social marketing process include: (1) product policy; (2) channels of distribution; (3) pricing (perceived price vs quality and quantity…

This paper reports on a focus group discussion held in June, 1998, in Killington, Vermont, about a 3-year project in Vermont to encourage the self-determination of people with developmental disabilities. The project has involved training of four project teams, each composed of a person with a developmental disability, a family member, and a person…

Rethinking and expanding the theory of change underlying systems of care are recommended to support development of the knowledge base for understanding what systems of care can be expected to accomplish. Three domains of knowledge are presented as necessary to understanding the relationship between systems-level change and services. (Contains…

This paper describes the Community Collaboration Project, a program in one rural Vermont community (Addison County) to maximize resources serving children with serious emotional disturbances. The project uses an interagency collaboration "wraparound" model which emphasizes consultation instead of direct services. The project utilizes an…

This report examines how adopting the shared services model of human resources (HR) services delivery can help businesses achieve better alignment between their HR service and specific business needs. Chapter 1 provides background information on the research project underlying this report, which included the following data collection activities:…

This report describes the Promoting Success in Zero to Three Services Project, which focused on community-wide efforts in six communities to build systems to provide services for families with infants and toddlers. Part 1 analyzes issues confronted by community stakeholders in their 5-year effort to establish, improve, expand, or maintain services…