The aim of the article is to describe the assessment model adopted by the SCINTILLA Project, a project in Italy aimed at the online vocational training of young, seriously-disabled subjects and their subsequent work inclusion in smart-work mode. It will thus describe the model worked out for evaluation of the training program conceived for the…

Recent legislative and school reform efforts require schools to evaluate and improve educational practices for students with severe disabilities. The authors developed the "Program Quality Measurement Tool" (PQMT) to enable administrators and educators to evaluate the educational programming provided to students with severe disabilities against…

This paper presents information on re-developing an outcome evaluation for a state-funded program providing service coordination utilizing wraparound to youth with severe emotional disturbance (SED) and their families. Originally funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Kentucky IMPACT program has existed statewide since 1990. Changing…

We use this paper to suggest the use of Sen's capability approach in interpreting disability. The substantive focus is our evaluation of the Drake Music Project, which uses electronic and computer technologies to enable severely disabled people to explore, compose and perform music. We consider how the process of making music enables the musicians…

The paper describes an interactive evaluation process based on E. Brown's transactional evaluation model, and its application to evaluating programs serving children with severe and multiple disabilities or other low incidence populations. The model emphasizes the first part of the assessment process, determining which questions to ask and what…

A model is presented to link the evaluation and treatment processes in vocational rehabilitation of severely handicapped persons. The model is explained to include task analysis, functional anslysis, and ecobehavioral approaches and incorporates them within a database. (CL)

The article provides an overview of benefit cost analysis and its limitations and reviews the applications of benefit-cost analysis within vocational programs for persons with severe disabilities. Recommendations are made to assist state and program developers in choosing among program alternatives. (Author/DB)

The project addressed the discrepancy between research (documenting the vocational potential of severely handicapped adults) and current services (which include an expanding national program of nonvocational day activity centers) with five coordinated components designed to improve, implement, and evaluate vocational services. The first component,…

A literature search and polling of experts in severe disabilities generated a listing of 123 items representing Program Quality Indicators. Items were then rated by six groups (total N=254) representing such interests as behavior therapy, deaf blindness, mental retardation, state directors of special education, and parents. (Author/DB)

This study found little actual integration resulting from placement of 16 high school age students with severe multiple disabilities in special education classrooms within regular high schools. Guidelines for evaluating the integration of students are offered including a two-pronged test and examples of data appropriate for evaluating integration…

The article suggests that accuracy data alone provide insufficient information upon which to base instructional decisions, particularly for severely handicapped students. It discusses the merits of data that relate behavior to a time base. Characteristics of various time-based measures are described and data collection examples are presented.…

The introduction to several articles on measurement issues in supported education for severely handicapped students stresses the importance of measurement in evaluating outcomes and identifying variables responsible for those outcomes. (DB)

Evaluation of the 1-year program for approximately 25 seriously emotionally disturbed older adolescents involved a review of the program design (objectives and organization), the planning process, interviews with staff, and analysis of data about student progress. Interviews were conducted with 11 staff members to elicit information on such topics…

This report discusses the outcomes of a study that investigated teacher perceptions of the educational value of the Indiana Assessment System of Educational Proficiencies (IASEP) as an effective tool used to evaluate educational progress for students with moderate and severe disabilities. Fifteen teachers of students with moderate and severe…