This article outlines parents' struggle to secure adequate educational resources for their child(ren) with special educational needs within the Irish State system. The authors challenge the view that legislation facilitates practical advances that are meaningful to individual families. This small-scale exploratory study reports the findings from…

The lack of clear language in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which is the federal law that governs the provision of special education and related services to children with disabilities in the USA, has led to inconsistencies in school districts' decisions regarding the least restrictive environment (LRE). This uncertainty…

Research demonstrates that students with disabilities are harassed more than their nondisabled peers. Students with disabilities who have been severely harassed have argued that they are not receiving a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) as required by Individuals with Disabilities Education Act…

Since 1966 when we began our careers in special education, we and others in our cohort have seen substantial changes in our discipline. In our personal experience, we had the opportunity to work together in situations that led us to focus on practices and procedures that produced better outcomes for our students, and better outcomes for students…

The number of lawsuits pertaining to educationally related issues is on the rise in the US (Mounts, 1999). Garner (2000) reports that teachers consider legal issues the third most important area of teacher preparation. However, few universities offer undergraduate courses in educational law and few programs offer comprehensive training concerning…

The article examines the concept of "appropriate" educational programming as mandated under P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. A description of the approaches to the question in effect before the Supreme Court's decision in the case of the Board of Education versus Rowley begins the article. The effect of the…

The current status of minimal competency tests for special education students is discussed with particular emphasis on the legal implications. (SBH)

Provides advice from a legal standpoint on discipline procedures for special education students. (WD)

This presentation was meant to identify for principals some of the issues surrounding the education of the handicapped by the use of questions and answers that include citations of selected federal court cases. Issues discussed include history of the education of the handicapped, problems related to handicapped student identification and testing…

Summarized are data on the implementation of due process procedures for handicapped children in Massachusetts. Presented is an analysis of due process hearing characteristics, including number of appeals, characteristics of children and parents, and the types of persons involved in hearings. Implementation problems are seen to include selection of…

An attorney cites the needs for legislation to secure the rights of hearing impaired persons in legal issues (to assure confidential communication between attorney and client and to provide interpreter services), in automobile driving and insurance, and in unanswered questions regarding P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act.…

Traces the legal arguments and decisions in "Smith vs. Robinson," which resulted in a U.S. Supreme Court decision disallowing the award of attorney's fees to successful plaintiffs claiming rights under the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. Notes implications of and reactions to the Supreme Court decision. (PGD)

Reviews current legal interpretations regarding discipline of handicapped students. Proposes a model for fostering compliance with legal mandates when considering disciplinary procedures for such students. Principals should employ behavior management options (such as time-out techniques, use of school counseling and social workers, in-school…

Interviews in eight school districts in six states were conducted to examine the consequences of using civil justice procedures to allocate instructional services (as in P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act). The study sought to determine consequences of P.L. 94-142 in three areas: (1) the effects on the legal system; (2)…

The paper discusses the lack of governmental guidance in providing for the rights of handicapped children in Scotland. (PHR)