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…

Parental involvement and parent-school-community partnerships receive wide acclaim for making a positive difference in the educational and transition outcomes for youth with and without disabilities. Although the impact of parental involvement in education remains undisputed, secondary education traditionally emphasizes the emerging adult…

This report by the Council of the Great City Schools to the Rochester City School District presents the organization's findings and recommendations for improving the special education program in the school system, placing special emphasis on the organizational structure of the program, accountability, and how the instructional program generally…

The paper describes Project PIPE (Parent Involvement through Parent Education), an approach designed to increase the involvement of parents of preschool developmentally delayed and disabled children in their children's education and treatment programs. Three phases are delineated: (1) development of a community network (facilitating relationships…

Intended for people interested in replicating the ideas contained in this manual in their own communities, the handbook describes the Family Exchange Center (FEC), an approach designed to support families with developmentally disabled children. Services offered include social, recreational, educational, mutual aid, support, and respite activities.…

The article defines the term, "transition," discusses the types of transitions that occur during early childhood special education, explores the rationale for studying and planning such transitions, and identifies transition issues and procedures. Tables offer data on critical events in rearing a handicapped family member, commercially available…

Ten steps are usually necessary for successful mainstreaming of handicapped children: (1) Assess the handicapped child's readiness for mainstreaming; (2) Assess the parents' readiness level; (3) Meet with the school or agency's chief administrator; (4) Arrange visits to potential mainstreaming sites; (5) Confer with teachers at the chosen site;…

Describes a program of New York's Keller School (a school for toddlers and preschoolers with communication, cognitive, and emotional disorders), which promotes meaningful family involvement through parent education. Activities to promote parent participation are described, including an annual poster session to present the parents' own data on…

Two Transition Planners, containing rating scales and open-ended questions, were used to involve parents of preschool handicapped children in the identification of transition-related needs. Parents rated as very important opportunities for them to participate in planning and selecting the next program and receiving descriptions of potential…

The manual is based on experience with a program developed by the Volunteers in Partnership with Parents Project (VIPP), in which volunteers were used as partners to families with young handicapped children. Preparation factors are considered, including planning for specific tasks of volunteers and providing adequate training to the staff. The…

The resource guide is intended to assist local Arkansas school districts to establish a program for improving the parent educator partnership in planning and implementing appropriate educational programs for handicapped students. The guide should be used in conjunction with a needs assessment of parents and educators to identify appropriate…

In the second year of a longitudinal case study, the impact of P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, on 12 elementary students in special education, and changes in four problem areas outlined in the law were evaluated: 1) individualized educational programs (IEP's), 2) least restrictive environment, 3) protection in…

This article provides strategies for improving parent information sessions and engaging parents in the support of their children's (including children with disabilities) education. Strategies include using parent-friendly teaching materials, scheduling meetings for family convenience, maintaining a comfortable atmosphere, and providing…

This article examines issues related to treatment acceptability in early intervention programs, by applying concepts pertaining to collaboration, cultural difference, compliance and freedom of choice, family life cycles, and systems theory. A paradigm for designing home-based intervention plans with families of preschoolers with behavior disorders…

This practicum report describes the development and implementation of a program to increase parent participation in the planning and conducting of activities sponsored by the district-level special education parent advisory committee. Monthly meetings and social events were held to encourage the 250 special education families to be more involved…