Though most interactions between parents and school personnel about students with disabilities are positive and productive, disagreements can arise. Disputes may range in intensity from minor miscommunications to significant conflicts that trigger the use of procedural safeguards available under federal law. The Individuals with Disabilities…

The purpose of this study was to determine methods for and barriers to including students with disabilities in high school service learning programs (HSSLPs) with non-disabled peers. Focus groups were conducted with adult stakeholders at five schools nominated as having exemplary inclusive HSSLPs and at least 3 years experience implementing such…

This workbook for the handicapped person involved in the transition from education to work, five other companion documents, and an inservice guide comprise a series developed for assisting disabled persons in their transition from school to work. This guidebook is intended for use by the student either independently or with guidance from a support…

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the beliefs and skills of community early childhood lead teachers and community child care center administrators participating in Florida's Four Year Old Voluntary Pre-kindergarten (VPK) Program in five rural, north Florida counties hold regarding the inclusion of young children with disabilities…

For students with disabilities, annual goals are the nuts and bolts of the everyday program outlined in their individualized education program (IEP). According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) of 2004, a present level of performance with measurable annual goals must be outlined in a student's IEP. Goals should…

Students with disabilities and special needs have faced challenges in accessing educational content, and in taking traditional pen-and-paper tests. How might technology improve the process, while making statewide tests truly accessible to all students? NimbleTools is the first computer-based test delivery system that incorporates principles of…

Teachers of students with "low-incidence" disabilities, such as students who are deaf or hard of hearing, face unique challenges in putting education policy into practice. The present article presents professional development findings from the Third Annual National Survey of Accommodations and Assessment for Students Who Are Deaf or Hard…

The text of Public Law 99-457, the Education of the Handicapped Amendments (1986) is presented. Title I focuses on handicapped infants and toddlers with sections specifying: definitions, general authority, general eligibility, continuing eligibility, requirements for statewide system, the individualized family service plan, state applications and…

This companion document describing roles and responsibilities of school-community support group members, five other companion documents, and an inservice guide comprise a series developed for assisting disabled persons in their transition from school to work. Consumers interested in this document include administrators, teachers, students,…

This single-sheet eight panel brochure provides guidelines for parents on effective participation in meetings with school personnel to discuss their child's individualized education program (IEP). Included are an explanation of what the IEP contains; the settings in which it can be implemented; the non-academic, extracurricular, and supportive…

Relationships among reasons for referral to special education, psychoeducational assessment results, and individualized education programs (IEPs) were investigated for 405 special education students (preschool through grade 12). Students' files were reviewed, and referral information, psychoeducational assessment information, and IEP content were…

The handbook outlines procedures and background information for special education teachers in New York City. An introductory section sets for the mission and goals of the Department of Special Education in New York City. Administration topics covered include relationships to supervisors, public health and safety, discharges and suspensions, and…

Recent state and federal laws require specific changes with regard to the evaluation and placement of special education students, many of which are beyond the principal's knowledge or expertise. Thirteen elementary principals were interviewed to discover the strategies used by principals before referring a student for special education, as well as…

The Impact Evaluation Model (IEM) is designed to provide a sequence of steps and procedures which methodically leads to the assessment of the individualized educational plan for handicapped students. The document includes a description of the method, illustrations of its use, and selected examples of data gathering devices. Initial sections…

Recommendations are made by the Illinois Council for Exceptional Children regarding minimal competency testing (MCT) for handicapped children. The position endorses the use of the individualized education program (IEP) as the most appropriate device to insure an appropriate education for handicapped children. Legal issues involving discrimination…