Person-centered planning is a process that allows individuals, family members, and friends an opportunity to share information to develop a personal profile and a future vision for an individual. This article describes strategies and technology that teachers can use to promote parents' participation and facilitate communication while maintaining…

Individualized education programs (IEPs) for students with disabilities ages 16 and older must include a transition component. It is important for educators to understand the role transition assessment plays in developing a thorough transition component that includes measurable postsecondary goals, annual IEP goals, transition services, and a…

In this article the author provides legal explanations to the following concerns: (1) Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) and Individualized Education Programs (IEPs); (2) Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs) and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs); (3) Manifestation Determinations under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA);…

This article describes the design and use of daily schedules for individual students, especially those with moderate or severe disabilities, highlighting the multiple learning opportunities such schedules can provide. It considers advantages of schedule use, types of daily schedules, considerations for developing schedules, embedded academic…

This article presents a detailed example of how faculty and staff at one middle school implemented team-based functional behavioral assessment (FBA) planning procedures with a student exhibiting recurring minor problems. Insets list tasks and considerations for an FBA, a sample formatted antecedent-behavior-consequence summary of team member…

This article shows how teachers can implement behavioral observation and assessment using a structured rubric narrative log format to understand a student's problem behaviors and find ways to encourage more positive behavior. Advantages of narrative observations for functional behavioral assessments are specified and include exploring one's own…

The Individual Student Planning Team Process is presented as a method for planning effective educational programs for all students in inclusive classrooms. The process involves identifying student educational strengths and needs, determining which needs can be met through general education activities, supporting individual student programs in…

This article provides guidance on the use of functional behavioral assessment (FBA) techniques to identify the function of problem behaviors by recording antecedents and consequences of each behavior. It includes a case study illustrating application of FBA as well as a sample form for recording observations, developing a behavioral hypothesis,…

Describes a program to facilitate contextual learning for school-aged students with disabilities by developing individualized, community-based leisure education programming in concert with students' families. Emphasis is on transfer of new skills to home and community and on self-determination in leisure interests and community involvement. (DB)