Many speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are underprepared to serve children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), despite a growing need and increased expectation for ASD expertise. To understand this practice gap, 60 SLPs and 26 parents of children with ASDs were surveyed regarding SLP knowledge and competency. Of concern was that only about…

For Wisconsin schools and districts, implementing an equitable multi-level system of supports means providing equitable services, practices, and resources to every learner based upon responsiveness to effective instruction and intervention. In this system, high quality instruction, strategic use of data, and collaboration interact within a…

Often the consideration of assistive technology devices and services during the individualized education program (IEP) process is overlooked. Because the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) authorized this consideration, IEP team members must be keenly aware of the importance they hold in providing this valuable input. Thus, IEP…

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the numbers of children identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) continues to rise. In North Dakota, the percentage of students identified with an ASD has increased from 1.9% of the total population of students with disabilities in 2004 to 6.2% of that same group in 2013-14.…

The field of special education, and specifically the area of intellectual disabilities, has undergone dramatic changes in terminology, evaluation practices, service delivery models, expectations for learning, career development, and independent living opportunities. "Guidelines: Intellectual Disabilities in Educational Settings" is…

This manual is intended to give teachers a basic understanding of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and an in-depth understanding of techniques for evaluating the student with TBI in order to provide appropriate programming. Section 1 introduces a definition of TBI including incidence and causes, an overview of neuroanatomy, primary and secondary…

This document provides guidance for establishing a tiered instructional approach to support the achievement of all students in Maryland public school, particularly those not demonstrating mastery of grade level content. The framework includes student screening, identification of specific learning needs, provision of appropriate instruction aligned…

First addresses the use of destructive labels to describe students with behavior disorders, including negative multiassessment practices, weakness-focused Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), punitive management programs, disparaging remarks, and behavioral descriptions that accentuate student weaknesses. It then suggests ways to promote dignity…

The DURABLE (Discussing, Understanding, Reinforcing, Adapting, Building, Learning, Evaluating) Approach, an organizational intervention that is designed to facilitate implementation of individualized evaluation program (IEP) evaluation, is presented. The need for school psychologists to become actively involved in organizational-level matters in…

Problems associated with the school psychologists traditional assessment functions and methodology are identified and contrasted with the need for assessment information that can contribute meaningfully to the formulation and evaluation of educational interventions. (Author/LMO)

This article presents questions regarding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) regulations and the No Child Left Behind Act. The author's answers to these questions are presented.

Nine papers comprise the proceedings of a 1988 North Carolina symposium on early childhood education. The first paper, "Preschool Assessment" (Nancy Johnson-Martin), focuses on norm-referenced psychological assessment to determine eligibility and programming needs. "Appropriate Use and Interpretation of Assessments of Young…

A comprehensive three-level program evaluation plan assesses overall impact of early intervention programs through assessment of children's progress toward developmental milestones; quarterly child progress through administration of a program-relevant, criterion-referenced tool; and weekly child progress toward specific instructional objectives by…

The Preliminary Manual for the Portland Problem Behavior Checklist (PPBC) was developed to aid school personnel to identify problem behaviors, and to implement and evaluate intervention procedures to remediate or alter those problem behaviors. This manual describes the development, validation, administration, scoring procedures, and possible uses…

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a federally recognized disabling condition which involves behavioral and academic difficulties. Dysfunction varies with the type and location of injury and with the age of the child. School personnel traditionally have had little exposure to TBI, and there is great potential for problems to occur due to lack of…