Under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, individualized education program (IEP) annual goals are required to enable students with disabilities to be involved in and make progress in the general education curriculum and to address other educational needs. This study reports findings from a content analysis of the annual goals in 88…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) indicates students should participate in their Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings whenever appropriate (IDEA, 2004), yet many students are uninformed of the purpose of these meetings and are not meaningful or active participants in the development of their IEPs (Martin, Van Dycke,…

Throughout special education history, students with disabilities have been denied appropriate services and excluded from their general education peers. While the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates that all students with disabilities ages 3-21 have access to a Free and Appropriate Education (FAPE) in the Least Restrictive…

The United States Senate's unwillingness to ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) notwithstanding, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) contains significant safeguards protecting the rights of students with disabilities, acknowledging their participation rights in decisions about their futures. In the first of…

The present study examined the transition component of the Individualized Education Program for 62 secondary students with autism. Plans were coded using a rubric adapted from Indicator 13 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act. Findings indicated a mean plan score of 10.5 out of 20.0, with a range of 3.0 to 20.0. Strengths…

An in-depth literature review was conducted to identify the skills, behaviors, expectations, and experiences (SBEEs) associated with employment, further education, and independent living for students with significant cognitive disabilities following high school. Analysis of 53 quantitative and qualitative studies identified 103 specific SBEEs…

Principals in the United States are responsible for creating educational environments that enable students, including those with disabilities, to achieve both academic and postschool goals. Unfortunately, many principals lack the preparation necessary to effectively lead special education programs. To support principals and ensure that students…

Purpose: The purpose of this tutorial is to provide speech-language pathologists (SLPs) with foundational information that will assist them in transition planning for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) based on a review of current literature. SLPs must be knowledgeable of transition planning in order to assist students with ASD and their…

Self-advocacy is the ability to communicate one's needs and wants and to make decisions about the supports needed to achieve them (Stodden, Conway, & Chang, 2003). Research shows self-advocacy skills are related to academic performance and successful adaptation to college (Adams & Proctor, 2010; Getzel & Thoma, 2008; Hadley, 2006;…

A number of initiatives in special education have occurred in the United States over the years, some mandated by amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Having a working knowledge of these initiatives allows music educators to have informed discussions with colleagues and parents and participate more fully in Individualized…

Students with disabilities experience higher unemployment, attend postsecondary environments less often, and engage less in their communities after graduating from high school compared to their peers without disabilities (Newman, Wagner, Knokey, Marder, Nagle, Shaver, & Schwarting, 2011). In middle school, young adolescents with disabilities…

Since 1990, transition planning has been a requirement under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Students receiving services under IDEA must have an individualized education program (IEP) with goals aligned to grade-level content standards. In addition, the IEP must ensure the student has the supports necessary, including…

Despite encouraging changes in the expectations of programming for persons with moderate to severe intellectual disability (MSD), data suggest that programs for these individuals are still lacking in several critical areas. Building administrators play a key role in promoting high quality programs for students with MSD within local schools but may…

In December of 2004, the reauthorization of IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) was signed into law and went into effect on July 1, 2005, making dramatic changes in the area of transition from school to post-secondary life. The President's Commission on Excellence in Special Education created recommendations that influenced the new…

The concept of children's rights evolved during the 1980s giving prominence to the role of children as active participants in the construction of their lives. The rhetoric of children's rights has emerged as an important consideration in all policy and practice relating to children. Implementation of children's rights in practice is necessary to…