The very first federal law that affected a student with special needs was the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHA: Public Law 94-142) established in 1975 by the United States Congress. PL 94-142 required all schools that received federal funds to accept students with physical and mental disabilities and to educate these children in the…

This paper provides an introduction to the concept of audio-supported reading (ASR) for students with specific learning disabilities. In a previous paper written for the National Center on Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM Center), Jackson (2012) defined ASR as a technology-based technique for reading in which individuals read digital text…

In this article, we describe current research findings on assessment accommodations and universal design within the context of emerging interactive digital assessment tasks that employ simulations such as in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). STEM education in many classrooms now includes digitally based activities such as…

In this study, the researchers explored the state of the use of assistive technology (AT) in Nigeria through a survey of 165 special educators. The underlying structure of the respondents' perceptions, and their challenges and barriers to the use of AT, were examined. Among other findings, the largest proportion of students using AT are those with…

As the call for evidence-based programs and practices heightens (e.g., the Every Student Succeeds Act), there is little doubt about the urgency to bring solid research into the classroom. Implementing findings generated from rigorous research continues to be a viable, trustworthy, and necessary factor in preventing and addressing learning…

Anecdotal reports indicate that individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are often preoccupied with television, computers, and video games (screen-based media). However, few studies have examined this issue. The current study examined screen-based media use among a large, nationally representative sample of youths participating in the…

Teacher preparation programs are exploring opportunities to better prepare pre-service teachers for the realities of managing inclusion classrooms. The ability to manage a classroom while meeting the learning needs of all students is critical to the success of a teacher. Research suggests that a teacher's positive attitudes toward inclusion and…

Online learning has been growing at an exponential rate over the past decade, providing new opportunities for students seeking quality courses and programs offered through flexible formats. However, as higher education continues to expand online offerings, services must be expanded simultaneously to support all students. This article focuses on…

In 1997, the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act of 1990 was amended to require that assistive technology be considered when preparing an individual education program (IEP). This study explored involvement of Midwestern music educators in the IEP development process as well as their knowledge and attitudes regarding use of assistive…

In schools, teachers come across pupils who have diverse abilities and special needs. Some of the learners achieve high and some may lag behind in their learning. They may face learning problems such as difficulties in listening, speaking, thinking, reading, writing, spelling, reasoning, calculating or social skills. It is a great challenge on the…

Children with exceptional learning needs find it very difficult to retain content information from the regular curriculum. Many content teachers also find it difficult to adapt curriculum to the learning needs of these exception children within the confines of the classroom and without any assistance. Although many schools are equipped with…

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) stands at the forefront of contemporary efforts to create access to education curricula for all students, including those with disabilities. This policy reader comprises a notably wide range of articles that address the challenges and opportunities facing policy makers as they consider UDL's implications for…

For handicapped children the computer is a uniquely valuable tool. The increasing availability of assistive devices is opening up the magical world of computer technology to more and more handicapped children. (LHW)

Predictions about future directions in special education assessment include more research on fewer instruments, new types of assessments for identification of learning disabilities, and consumer demand for tests with acceptable technical characteristics. Teacher-oriented assessment predictions include increasing diversity of student performance,…

Focuses on the major HTML coding techniques used when making Web pages and online courses accessible to students with disabilities. Examples of accessibility features provided are not difficult for most Web authors to incorporate into their Web pages. With a few adaptations, Web page developers can make online information accessible to students…