The purpose of this interview-based qualitative study was to explore how individualized education program (IEP) team members determine least restrictive environment and educational placement. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires students with disabilities to be educated in the least restrictive environment and to the…

With this position paper, we advance the case for reformation of U.S. special education law and praxis. These have undergone mostly incremental changes over the five decades since their inception despite a substantial body of evidence amassed over this period, which points to a major gap between extant policy and praxis, and contemporary cultural…

Educator teams consisting of a general education teacher and a special education teacher were recruited to participate in a project where they used the Systematic Supports Planning Process (SSPP) to plan, implement, and monitor individualized supports for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) attending general education…

The purpose of this guidebook is to: (1) Assist Speech-Language Pathology service providers as they support the educational goals of eligible students with disabilities in the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS); and (2) Ensure that all Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) in the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) operate with the…

The purpose of this guidebook is to guide the provision of Speech and Language Pathology services in order to support the educational goals of eligible students with disabilities in the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). It is designed with the purpose of assuring that all Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) in the District of Columbia…

Down syndrome is acknowledged to be the most common neurogenetic cause for intellectual disability. It is a multisystem disorder which results in multiple lifelong health problems. At present, students with Down syndrome can receive education in inclusive mainstream education settings. However, this is not without its accompanying challenges. The…

The least restrictive environment (LRE) is the educational placement determined necessary for obtaining maximum educational benefits. The individualized education program (IEP) team determines the LRE after analyzing the student's academic and behavioral data and assessing the student's unique needs. Specific special educational labels may produce…

Creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for all students with disabilities within school-based agricultural education (SBAE) is important to ensure students receive opportunities. This study explored the experiences that SBAE teachers associated with providing special education and related services for students with disabilities in all…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how parents of students with intellectual disabilities (ID) perceive the significance of LRE in IEPs and inclusion models at the elementary level in six school districts in northern Colorado. The sample included 13 parents of children with ID in grades K-5. The theory of…

An IEP is an Individualized Education Program. When a child is identified with a disability under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) a child has a right to a Free, Appropriate, Public Education (FAPE). For a child to receive FAPE there has to be an IEP developed in order for the child to progress in the general education…

Teachers and parents often find special education law complex and confusing. As one step for a basic foundation in special education law, a previous "TEACHING Exceptional Children" article (Zirkel, 2005) provided a snapshot of the "top five case concepts" based on 10 decisions from the Supreme Court. Each of these decisions…

This study addressed the experiences of primary school teachers in Türkiye regarding inclusion/integration and Individualized Education Programs (IEP). The study also addressed how mainstreaming/integration and IEPs might impact students without special needs and their parents. This qualitative study adopted a phenomenological research design. The…

We acknowledge that some students with severe disabilities are not being taught in general education. We do not agree that inclusion in general education is inherently better, nor do we think it is always appropriate, and we provide some reasons that a full continuum of alternative placements is not only legally mandated but appropriate. We are…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how public-school IEP team members describe decision-making influences and thresholds in least restrictive environment (LRE) placement for K-5 students with significant support needs in the Midwest. Decision-Making Ecology served as a framework for two research questions which…

To better support districts and preschool program providers, the Ohio Department of Education's Office of Early Learning and School Readiness is providing answers to the following frequently asked questions pertaining to Ohio Administrative Code 3301-51-11. This document is divided into sections aligning with each section of the rule. This…