As the country quickly builds its efforts to enhance quality in early education and care classrooms, states are implementing Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) to recognize and improve the quality of programs. QRIS also provides technical support and increased financial benefits for participating programs to attain higher levels of…

The most common setting for early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families is the home. This article discusses home- and community-based early intervention and how the routines-based interview (RBI) can set the stage for successful home visits. It also addresses what has been learned about home visiting,…

Catholic schools in the United States have grappled with how to serve students with disabilities without the funding sources available to public schools. This mixed methods case study examines the driving forces, restraining forces, and social justice issues that influenced the development of an inclusion program at one Catholic elementary school.…

This study discusses the results of a collaborative action research project in a multi-disciplinary school for children with disabilities. The aim was to alter practices and views of the professionals concerned in order to promote the inclusion of four children in mainstream schools. Three interrelated programmes were designed and implemented over…

Research indicates that there is a connection between special education students' success and the individual education program (IEP) team's integration of efforts in preparing special education students for postsecondary options in education or work. Little research has been conducted on special education students' and parents/guardians'…

This dual case study utilizes qualitative research methods to examine the experiences of two mothers of young children with special needs. Over the course of ten months, the researcher spent many hours interviewing both mothers about their experiences with Early Intervention (EI) professionals. Observations of medical appointments, team meetings,…

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to describe to what extent seven collaborative behaviors were demonstrated by general education teachers assigned students with disabilities, special education Resource Specialists, and the principals in selected California elementary schools that met their 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 English language arts annual…

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, together with the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, set in motion policy changes that have allowed many thousands of children and youth with disabilities in the United States the opportunity to gain the educational and vocational skills needed to transition to living, working, and participating as…

Factors that either facilitated or inhibited development of inclusive preschool programs were identified through interviews with 201 direct service and administrative personnel in four U.S. geographical regions. Key personnel were identified as the strongest facilitators of inclusion. Other important influences were provision of training, external…

Prepared by Goodwill Industries as part of a Federal research and demonstration grant, the series of 12 handbooks is designed to assist with the organization and administration of volunteer programs in rehabilitation facilities serving handicapped and disadvantaged persons. The handbooks, ranging in length from 20 to 60 pages, cover various…

A project studied the feasibility of developing a branch of the Vocational Technical Institute (VTI) to serve special vocational needs of in-school and out-of-school youth and adults. Population figures on handicapped persons in Southeast Kansas were obtained from the literature, educational agencies, and public service agencies. Data were also…

This report describes activities and accomplishments of the Community Options Project, a 5-year effort to enhance the capacity of eight local communities in New Hampshire and Maine to include young children (birth to age 6) with disabilities and their families in typical early childhood programs and to enhance the quality of these programs for all…

This study used semistructured interviews to examine the views of 10 teachers in integrated preschool settings for young children with and without special needs concerning integrated program development and implementation at the early childhood level. Findings suggest considerable variation in conditions of implementation, with teachers…

Client orientation should be an individualized, ongoing process which provides not only information about rehabilitation programs and services but also encourages and ensures the individual's involvement and participation in his or her own program. Ten guidelines to be considered in developing client orientation programs are (1) providing…

Analysis of transcripts of focus group interviews with 32 educators (general, special, administrators, related services, and instructional assistants) in 5 elementary schools identified 8 component areas of expressed training needs concerned with inclusion of students with disabilities. A training framework incorporating these areas was then…