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…

What do we know about young children with delays and disabilities, and how can we help them succeed in prekindergarten through third grade? To begin with, Kathleen Hebbeler and Donna Spiker write, identifying children with delays and disabilities to receive specialized services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act poses several…

This study focused on terms anchored in special education and associated stigma of disability in schools. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ensured the right to education in US public school systems for students with disabilities. An associated term asserted that children with disabilities must be educated in the least restrictive…

The rate of children being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has risen dramatically, to an estimated 1 in 150 children. Under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA), children with ASD are entitled to a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. To ensure this, school…

Dr. Stephen R. Pickard is currently serving as an adjunct professor at Gardner-Webb University located in Boiling Springs North Carolina. He is a retired educator having served 21 years as a classroom teacher at both the middle and elementary levels. In addition to his service as a classroom teacher, Dr. Pickard served as a public school…

Four commissioned papers on approaches to implement the least restrictive environment (LRE) provision of P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, are presented. The authors were asked to develop criteria applicable to the local level and appropriate to a variety of contexts. Papers are presented from the following authors:…

A variety of practical and theoretical issues pertinent to the evaluation of mainstreaming programs are presented. (Author)

The article calls attention to the fact that one of the ironies of P.L. 94-142 is the constraining effect of the regulations developed to implement the law. A combination resource room and self- contained class are described as one alternative to strict adherence to the Deno Cascade model. (Author)

The paper reviews the background of P.L. 94-142 (Education for All Handicapped Children Act) and proposes a curriculum model based on the law's least restrictive alternative concept. Goals of the model are reported to cover three broad areas: student development, organizational efficiency, and accountability. Traditional areas of curriculum…

Discussing faculty role in planning and implementing P.L. 94-142, this article presents a model for maximizing faculty leadership by becoming familiar with the law's provisions and school district policies and procedures and by establishing a committee composed of all concerned (principal, parents, teachers, support staff) to plan and evaluate the…

The first of five reports from a project on mainstreaming the handicapped in vocational education presents a literature review drawn from an ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center) search and responses by 16 secondary school curriculum leaders. The review touches upon the following topics: history, P.L. 94-142 (the Education for All…

A model developed by Project EMPLOY, a program designed to increase the positive attitude of vocational educators toward the integration of handicapped students, is described. (PHR)

A model for the delivery of services to learning disabled children which provides procedures for services in the least restrictive environment through professional and parental participation is described. It is explained that the components of the model are the referral system, the case conference (where the decision is made regarding the…

A review of the legal basis for and a model of operationalizing definitions of handicapping conditions is presented along with a trend analysis of the association between operationalized criteria and stability in incidence rates. The role of Public Law 94-142 (the Education for All Handicapped Children Act), Public Law 93-380, and Section 504 of…

This paper offers guidelines for effectively integrating preschool children with disabilities in classrooms with nonhandicapped children. First, formal aspects of program integration including legislative requirements and the Child Find program to identify young children needing special services are reviewed. Next, program planning guidelines are…