This article explores one approach to meeting the unique needs of students with disabilities using a systematic approach to decision-making called the achievement-based curriculum.

A desire to have every student attending our University be aware of, and reflect on, disability in their studies and future careers, initiated our project to explore how to enhance disability awareness within all our University's papers. In this project we systematically reviewed pertinent literature and ran an action research workshop for staff.…

Despite the national focus on improving transition services and post-school outcomes, many young women with disabilities still face significant barriers in obtaining meaningful employment and pursuing postsecondary education or training. Although recent reports indicate that the gender gap in employment rates may be diminishing, in this same…

Recently the National Reading Panel concluded that systematic and direct instruction in phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension that is informed by ongoing assessments of student progress results in positive student achievement (NICHHD, 2002). For students with moderate to severe disabilities and students with…

The purpose of this research is to analyze elementary school counselors' views about the individualized educational program. This is a descriptive research that based on a survey and interviews. A questionnaire consists of 18 questions about the implementation of individualized education programs were administered to 45 school counselors from…

Accessing Curriculum through Technology Tools (ACTTT), a model development project, was developed and tested by staff of the Center for Best Practices in Early Childhood (the Center), a research and development unit within the College of Education and Human Services at Western Illinois University. The major goal of ACTTT was to develop,…

The goals of secondary education and career preparation for students with disabilities are considered and three factors in secondary special education are examined: (1) what students are taught, (2) how services are organized, and (3) how programs are evaluated. The article concludes with a survey of postschool services and opportunities. (CL)

Fifteen papers address issues in therapeutic recreation for disabled persons from the perspectives of practitioners, educators, and students. The following papers are presented. "Therapeutic Recreation Service: The Past and Challenging Present" (H. Sessoms); "Therapeutic Recreatiion in an Era of Limits: A Crisis...A Challenge... An Opportunity"…

This paper has been developed by the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) of the Council for Exceptional Children to serve as a companion document to the 2003 joint position statement "Early Childhood Curriculum, Assessment and Program Evaluation-Building and Effective, Accountable System in Progams for Children Birth through Age 8" of National…

The report analyzes the effectiveness of Dean's Grant projects (DGPs), federally funded programs designed to help prepare regular preservice educators to deal with mainstreamed handicapped students. Following a review of demographic data on the 112 DGPs, survey and questionnaire results are summarized in an examination of such aspects as DGP…

This guide presents a curriculum that integrates development of emergent literacy skills with computer technology in young children, including those with disabilities. The curriculum was tested over a 3-year period in preschool classrooms that included children with mild to severe disabilities. Quantitative and qualitative evaluation results are…

All effective youth programs have youth development at their core. Effective youth leadership programs build on solid youth development principles, with an emphasis on those areas of development and program components that support youth leadership. This paper has been created by the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth…

The English study monitored the first stages of an integration plan involving nine handicapped 12-year-old boys. The study pointed out the need for coordination between the special school and the special unit of the mainstreamed school and for an adequate curriculum for the students at the mainstreamed school. (PHR)

To meet the needs of the handicapped, vocational training programs for handicapped people should provide individuals with technical, personal, social, and communication competencies. As competition for Federal funds becomes more acute, questions will increasingly focus on program effectiveness. Data on young deaf adults, even with professional or…

The report summarizes a year long observational study of special education programs in one district's 12 elementary schools (Queens, New York). Data were gathered using observational time samples of teacher, student, and paraprofessional activity and student time on task; descriptive notes of the classroom context; ratings of 15 dimensions of…