As schools strive to function as communities, the inclusion of all stakeholders is paramount to establishing and maintaining an important sense of interdependency, equity, and access. In the effort to disseminate information as quickly as possible, however, U.S. high schools often neglect to ensure that their websites are accessible to those with…

Standardized tests are often required to gain admission into postsecondary schools or to obtain professional certifications. Federal disability laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) require entities that administer these tests to provide accommodations, such as extended time or changes in test format, to students with…

In order to gain access to accommodations and services at colleges and universities, students with learning disabilities must provide documentation of their disabilities, and as students with learning disabilities access higher education at increasing rates, the need for documentation of their disabilities and its impact becomes even more…

High school students with disabilities are attending colleges and universities in growing numbers, with their rate of college participation doubling in the past twenty years. Students with disabilities in the secondary educational system are protected by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) of 2004, which requires…

Self-Determination is a central concept in special education practice and policy. Research indicates that students who possess specific self-determination skills have better outcomes and enhanced quality of life. Self-determination is a broad term and can be looked at in a variety of ways with differing values of importance. The concept of…

Numerous studies show that employment, community participation, and postsecondary training rates of students with severe disabilities after leaving high school are the lowest of all disability categories and compare unfavorably to those of their peers without disabilities. In addition, outcomes generally do not improve as these students age. Certo…

School-Parent Compacts are a component of school-level parental involvement policies, and must be developed by the school, teacher, and parents as a description of how parents, the entire school staff, and students themselves will work together for improved student academic achievement. This District of Columbia Public Schools School Year…

Addresses the area of dispute over students who were forced to repeat a grade or two due to their disability, and now wish to participate in high school athletics after reaching the state athletic associations's age limit. Reviews federal statutes as they apply to high school athletic associations. Examines two recent decisions. (79 footnotes)…

College personnel from a Special Services Program explain how parents, students, and school psychologists can best prepare high school seniors with disabilities for the transition to college. The difference between accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act versus Public Law 94-142 is highlighted with an emphasis on those needs which…

As part of a series of lesson plans compiled by Phi Alpha Delta, this collection presents a lesson plan on current issues for each month of the school year. Intended for high school and middle school with adaptations for elementary school, the lessons cover the Americans with Disabilities Act in relation to accommodations for students with…

Designed for parents of students with physical injuries, this guide provides information to help families plan for the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Chapter 1 discusses shifting goals and expectations, including getting work experience, having friends and dating, and becoming independent. Chapter 2 addresses job exploration and…

Examines how the introduction of new technology has spawned the emergence of new types of furniture, furnishings, and classroom design to support high school science instruction. The challenges imposed by the Americans with Disabilities Act on school science labs are highlighted. (GR)

Courts have ruled that age-limitation rules for high school athletes, generally 19 years, are reasonable. Courts have been fairly consistent in holding that waiving academic requirements would not be unreasonable. Courts are mixed concerning whether students with physical disabilities should be allowed to participate in contact sports. (37…

Analyzes the legal controversies that have arisen when students with disabilities have sought to participate in interscholastic sports. Offers suggestions for handling such controversies in a way that reasonably accommodates the needs of students with disabilities without harming the positive values of organized public school sports programs. (69…

The Scholastic Journalism section of the Proceedings contains the following five papers: Implementation and Effects of the Arkansas Student Publications Act" (Bruce L. Plopper and William D. Downs, Jr.); "Choosing a Media Career: Factors Influencing the College Student's Decision-Making Process" (Carolyn H. Ringer and Julie E.…