School leaders and special educators are expected to be experts on all levels and types of special education law and services, types of disability, and aspects of academic and functional programming. With the increasing demands of the job and the ever-changing legal and educational climate, many administrators and teachers are overwhelmed, and few…

The third of 16 booklets designed for use in an Open University course on special education in the United Kingdom, this guide introduces key issues in the course. The variety of handicapping conditions is examined, and age and sex factors in special education are considered. Effects of the environment and the special educational system are also…

This article reviews the historical development of special education in the People's Republic of China, with special emphasis on trends and issues that have emerged in the period since the Cultural Revolution of 1966-69. Major positive developments are identified along with continuing obstacles and possible solutions. (Author/CR)

The report examines the development of education services for exceptional children in Duval County Public Schools (Jacksonville, Florida) from 1976-1986. Changes are noted in the context of such general trends as declining then increasing enrollments, the back-to-basic movement, and the stress on competency testing. The impact of the passage of…

This article describes activities of a federally sponsored project called Identifying Emerging Technologies for Students with Disabilities, and identifies trends in the areas of general technology, educational technology, national education initiatives, and educational practices. (DB)

Reflects on the development of transition planning and services for students with disabilities. Discusses legislative changes mandating transition services and describes current conditions and outcomes for youth in transition. Identifies transformative collaboration and other themes that have implications for improvement of transition services.…

This response to a previous article considers future trends in special education in urban and correctional settings. Discussion focuses on necessary components of such special education programs and critical issues related to the recruitment, training, and retention of sufficient numbers of qualified teachers (particularly minorities) to provide…

The article reviews the current situation in preschool special education: who is served, how they are served, and program costs; predicted is program expansion under Public Law 99-457. A strategy is recommended for developing state preschool special education policies that take into account costs as well as benefits. (Author/DB)

This paper offers a literature review of materials concerning inclusion of students with disabilities, and reports on the 3-year development of an inclusion program at one elementary school in Texas. The literature review is organized into sections which address legislative initiatives and law, special education programs with mainstreaming, the…

This article describes the evolution of the graduate-level teacher preparation program in early childhood education at the University of Colorado. The current program blends early childhood regular and special education to prepare students for roles in inclusive early childhood environments. Process variables in program change are identified.…

This report updates information on a previous synthesis of information currently available on the development of educational outcomes and a system of indicators for students with disabilities. Specifically, it provides information on the key national policy groups involved in outcomes-related activities and on key reports that have been produced…

This report provides a synthesis of information currently available on the development of educational outcomes and a system of indicators for students with disabilities. An overview summarizes activities of the National Center on Educational Outcomes in the areas of model development, survey of state practice, information exchange, solutions to…

The National Center on Educational Restructuring and Inclusion (NCERI) has conducted a nationwide study to identify where inclusion programs are taking place. Chief state school officers identified local districts in which inclusive education was taking place. These districts were then contacted requesting further information and this document…

A teacher and mother of a child with mental retardation examined the history and current status of the inclusion movement. A review of the historical background considers the origins of special education, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, major court cases, and requirements of the 1997 amendments to the Individuals with…

This document, fourth in a series, describes trends in statewide assessment programs. It is based on surveys conducted in the past for the Association of State Assessment Programs. States were asked to describe the assessment programs they operated during the 1995-96 school year. Part One of the survey asks each state to describe its existing…