Individualized education plans (IEPs) are to serve as a guideline for the supports and services a student with a disability needs to have access to the general education curriculum. State departments of education monitor the compliance of these programs within the public schools. This study found the materials that state departments use to inform…

Although special education and its legal provisions under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) were designed to support all children with disabilities, it has created a litigious and bureaucratic environment that further marginalizes disabled and labeled children of color and their families. Falling short of a collaborative…

Rapidly becoming the largest ethnic group of American students, compared to White students with disabilities, Latino students with disabilities receive less services and their parents are more likely to struggle to receive services. Yet, it is unclear how Latino families advocate for their children with disabilities including how cultural values…

Special education teachers have a professional obligation to advocate for students with disabilities to ensure students receive a meaningful, individualized education. However, there are potential risks teachers may face when attempting to advocate. Given that effective strategies for advocacy are not always included in special education…

Parents of deaf and hard of hearing children in the special education system may feel overwhelmed by the amount of information they need to learn. This article aims to give parents a place to begin in the effort to work with the school to ensure that their child receives an appropriate education. There are three broad areas that parents need to be…

Too often, parents of children with disabilities come with negative expectations about the intentions of the teachers and administrators who are proposing an education plan for their son or daughter. In preparation, they arm themselves with advocates, lawyers, and a myriad of outside evaluations in preparation for the "battle" ahead. In…

This exploratory qualitative study examines what occurred in the lives of kindergarten through twelfth-grade students who were expelled from school in order to understand possible stressors in their lives. Data were obtained on expulsion cases from a variety of school districts in one midwestern state. The sample (N = 91) consisted of the total…

"Zero to Three" is a single-focus bulletin of the National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families providing insight from multiple disciplines on the development of infants, toddlers, and their families. This issue focuses on the organization's 25 years of working with infants, toddlers, and families. The articles are as follows: (1)…

Special education's progress was shaped by establishment of the Cuyahoga County Ohio Council for the Retarded Child (1933); the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (1975), "Brown v. Board of Education" (1954); "Sacramento City Unified School District v. Rachel H." (1994); coinage of "learning disabilities"…

The authors use the creation and implementation of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as a lens through which to view evolving public policy toward infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families, and ZERO TO THREE's growing sophistication and impact in the policy arena. Beginning in 1986, P.L. 99-457 (later renamed…

Encourages parents and educators to apply political pressure through advocacy to make policymakers aware of special education issues concerning the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Discusses the importance of being familiar with current law, knowing how to obtain services, and being an advocate on a global level. Reminds individuals…

This book for parents of children with disabilities is a guide to parent advocacy and the special education system. The five sections focus on: (1) getting started in advocacy; (2) "Advocacy 101"; (3) the parent as expert; (4) special education law; and (5) tactics and strategies. Individual chapters address the following topics:…

Asserting that school buildings under renovation and even newly built schools may have polluted indoor environments that cause health problems and hinder learning, this guide introduces special education and anti-discrimination laws designed to remove barriers to education for children with disabilities such as chronic health impairments. The…

Focuses on the rights of special needs children in the schooling process. Outlines a number of laws that protect the educational rights of exceptional children, noting that, unfortunately, school systems often fail to provide all the services needed. Presents skills and strategies parents need to conduct advocacy on behalf of their children with…

Discusses the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the opposition of representatives of the disability community to proposed amendments relating to disciplinary procedures for children with disabilities. Provides a summary of the debate between general education organizations and the disability community. (CR)