The first Early Intervention Conference was in Georgia in August of 2023. The first day of the conference was a tremendous success. Attendees called their friends and colleagues encouraging them to attend the following day. There was evidence of enthusiasm and enjoyment throughout the venue from snippets of networking conversations to selfies…

Inclusion has been a prominent topic in music education since the passage of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1974 (now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or IDEA 2004). In 2000, music educators at the Housewright Symposium presented a list of goals for music education for the year 2020 in a document called…

The legal dimension of response to intervention (RTI) has been the subject of considerable professional confusion. This brief article addresses the issue in three parts. The first part provides an update of a previous iteration that compared 12 common conceptions, referred to here as the "lore," with an objective synthesis of the…

The purpose of this study was to determine the types and frequency of music and special education workshops held at state music educators association (MEA) conferences. Specifically, the researchers sought to determine the following within the past 10 years: (a) states that offered music and special education workshops at their MEA conferences,…

As educators move into a new era of educational reform, it becomes imperative that teachers use evidence-based instructional practices shown to be effective for students with disabilities. One area that plays a role in this process is secondary transition. The National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center has identified 63…

In this article, the authors provide a summary of the current techniques being used to recruit, retain, and support a diverse range of scholars, including students with disabilities, in a doctoral program. The manuscript provides a summary of the current need for leadership personnel who are scholars with knowledge in special education, general…

This article presents the author's address on the 2008 International Conference of the Council for Learning Disabilities in Kansas City, Missouri. In this keynote address, the author focuses on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), and students with specific learning disabilities (SLD), and…

The effectiveness of three types of in-service training designed to improve early intervention practitioners' abilities to use family-systems intervention practices was evaluated in the study of 473 participants. Participants attended either conference presentations or one of two types of workshops (half day/full day or multi-day), or received one…

Marlene Wyatt is the mother of three children ages 5 and under. Her middle child, Liz, who is approaching her third birthday, has an autism spectrum disorder. There is never an unclaimed minute at home or work for Marlene. Her husband frequently works overnight and weekend shifts. Marlene works as a custodian at the local school. The family…

Self-Determination is a central concept in special education practice and policy. Research indicates that students who possess specific self-determination skills have better outcomes and enhanced quality of life. Self-determination is a broad term and can be looked at in a variety of ways with differing values of importance. The concept of…

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act is the main federal program concerning the education of children and youth experiencing homelessness. It provides federal funding to states, which then distribute the funds to their school districts through a competitive application process; the funds are used to ensure that children and youth…

Published for over a decade, this directory continues to be a successful, sought-after resource, providing valuable information to professionals, families, and individuals in the learning disabilities community. Supported by the National Center for Learning Disabilities, this 2011 edition brings together the most up-to-date information on LD…

Although the 2004 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (P.L. 108-446) (IDEA 2004) has brought the issue of specific learning disabilities (SLD) identification procedures and criteria to the forefront, calls for reform are not new and are based on decades of various policy, implementation, and research agendas. The…

This issue of "Special Edition" contains the following articles: (1) Message from the Assistant Commissioner (Joseph Fisher); (2) Inclusion: Success in the Classroom (Benton McDonough); (3) Mid-Tennessee (Allison Davey); (4) West Tennessee (Larry Greer); (5) East Tennessee (Robert Winstead); (6) Excellence in Teaching (Paul Ayers and…

For more than half a century, school psychologists have considered the need for role expansion and revision if they are to meet the poignant needs of children, youth, families, and school personnel. In fact, as previously discussed, school psychology practitioners and trainers have come together for a variety of conferences hoping to transform our…