U.S. schools are required to educate students in the least restrictive environment (LRE). The number of students with high incidence disabilities, including those with speech or language impairments (SLI), who spend most of their day in the general education classroom has increased in the last decade. Establishing classrooms that proactively…

The conclusion of the Cuban Revolution in January 1959 ushered in extensive changes to education in Cuba. One such substantial change was the formal establishment of special education in 1962. Since then, Cuba has maintained a national commitment to the education and inclusion of students with disabilities. However, education professionals in the…

Access to the general education curriculum is a critical component of special education today, yet many teachers struggle to implement practices that provide such access. The authors describe how teachers can draw on three levels of support--teacher-, student-, and peer-delivered strategies--to optimize access to the general education curriculum…

Two diametrically opposed beliefs are held concerning the meaning of the least restrictive environment (LRE) when determining the class placements of students with disabilities. One group adheres to the placement philosophy that the LRE is always the general education setting. The other group believes that the LRE is where the students' needs may…

Mandates emphasizing student achievement have increased the importance of appropriate assessment techniques for students in general and special education classrooms. Informal reading inventories (IRIs), designed by classroom teachers, have been proven to be an efficient and effective way to determine students' strengths, weaknesses, and strategies…

As general education classrooms become more diverse, teachers continue to explore ways to support students' learning. Study guides support students in learning their material, focus their attention on important topics, and help them review for quizzes or tests. This article provides successful classroom-tested ideas for developing and using study…

Effective learners develop strategies to help them listen, understand, record, and study new information as presented by lecture, demonstration, or discussion. Students with learning disabilities often lack one or more of these skills. They may have difficulty processing oral or visual presentations, taking notes on important points, remembering…

The U.S. Department of Education (2000) reported that approximately 80% of students identified with learning disabilities (LD) received half of their instruction within the general education classroom setting. Therefore, it is important that general education teachers implement teaching strategies and practices that meet the distinct educational…

With ongoing collaboration among general education teachers, special education teachers, related services professionals, and parents, students with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) can receive a quality education alongside their typically developing peers. This article provides strategies to promote the successful inclusion of students with ASDs…

In July 2007, a revised version of the Council for Learning Disabilities' principles of ethical practice was approved by CLD's Board of Trustees. Subsequently, the new standards were published in the January 8 issue of LD Forum. Using a case study approach, this article highlights the application of these principles to situations confronted by…

Professional development can take many forms. The most effective development includes individual educators in the formation and planning process. Educator study groups are one form of professional development that allows major stakeholders in the education process the autonomy to develop individual and group goals. This often translates into an…

Co-teaching, the pairing of general and special education teachers in a general education classroom, requires a high degree of expertise on the part of both teachers. Done well, it can be compared to a strong marriage--partners sharing and planning, reflecting and changing. Done poorly, it can be described as a blind date--co-teachers just waiting…

"Response-to-Intervention" (RTI) refers to a framework for providing support to struggling learners in the general education setting. To date, RTI models have focused primarily on reading intervention and typically utilize a three-tier approach. RTI models are designed to provide high-quality instruction using evidence-based best…

Among the challenges of delivering services to students with disabilities via a co-teaching model (the pairing of special and general education teachers in a general education classroom) is the dilemma of how to observe teachers in such a setting. Collaboration between a university and a large school district with special and general education…

Educators are challenged to provide instruction for learners with diverse needs in general and special education settings. Learning centers are one organizational method that can be used to provide students with small-group instruction, practice and review activities, and increased active engagement in learning. Educators must be organized and…