This paper explores methods by which the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) development process can be improved through the use of systems-based thinking, specifically through the use of Gittell's (2016) Relational Coordination Model. IEP development meetings have been described as meaningless rituals where parents often leave feeling ostracized…

Little is known about how the expansion of state pre-kindergarten (pre-k) programs affects low-income children with disabilities in Head Start. Using almost 30 years of administrative data of all Head Start programs and a differences-in-differences design, this study tests the possibility that, as state pre-k differentially draws relatively more…

In a world of ever-changing educational trends, it is essential for educators to provide a continuum of services to meet the needs of all students. Therefore, employing an inclusive structure or environment is imperative to the implementation of Special Education laws, according to Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Every Student…

The emergence of the standards-based reform movement has raised a number of issues related to the design of educational programs for students with severe disabilities, and a debate has arisen that presents an "either/or" choice between the general education curriculum and an ecological curricular framework that has traditionally guided…

This study used multilevel modeling to examine the extent to which secondary special educators promoted nonacademic behaviors that were positively linked to postschool outcomes for students with disabilities, including self-advocacy, goal setting and attainment, disability awareness, employment, and utilization of supports. Respondents were 248…

This document is intended to assist Iowa school districts and area education agencies in planning and recording the transition service needs of students with disabilities. Its purpose is to provide educators responsible for the development of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) with additional strategies, ways of thinking, and ways to…

This article presents Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requirements on functional behavioral assessments (FBAs), describes the process of conducting an FBA, explains the legal requirements for developing measurable goals and benchmarks or short-term objectives, describes the development of a behavior intervention plan, and presents a…

This book is designed to provide general and special education teachers with basic information in the workings of special education and to describe teachers' roles in designing meaningful programs for students with disabilities. An introductory chapter describes special education law, terminology, and professional standards. In addition, three…

Students with disabilities represent a relatively small but important group of students in U.S. high schools. The education of these students is heavily influenced by federal and state law as well as by longstanding beliefs about the purpose of education and the extreme heterogeneity of the population. Until recently, general educational policies…

This study examined the recording of special educational needs as required by the 1980 and 1981 Education Acts of Scotland, focusing on differing criteria for opening Records of Needs. The study conducted a national survey over 4 sample months of recording activity, interviewed key informants (usually a school's principal psychologist or education…

This monograph examines issues in the transition of youth with emotional and/or behavioral disorders to adulthood. It describes transition as a process by which youth with disabilities are systematically equipped with skills necessary for realizing valued postsecondary outcomes. The subject of transition is examined within the historical,…

This manual on development of transition planning programs/services for high school youth with disabilities and their families is based on the premises that both youth and family members need to be actively involved in every step of the transition planning process, that empowered families can access necessary transition and adult services needed…

A study was conducted to identify and develop instructional aids in the form of physical apparatus that would permit students with physical handicaps and/or limitations to have greater access to laboratory-shop courses in Montana secondary schools. Steps taken in carrying out the study included the following: (1) identifying the physically…

These curriculum skills units have been developed as a guide to assist educators instructing students with disabilities. Curriculum skills outlined in the text stress strategies needed to: develop effective communication skills, understand practical math and science skills, determine acceptable social skills needed in society, identify those…