The article summarizes concurrent policy and practice concerning categorical and noncategorical diagnostic procedures for young handicapped children. The strengths and weaknesses of four noncategorical policy options are discussed. Potential misuses of noncategorical policies are reviewed, and recommendations for policy research are offered.…

Quality education and rehabilitation programs for blind and visually impaired individuals are threatened by recent changes in federal and state education policy that favor noncategorical approaches in special education. Current special education policies are reviewed and suggestions are made for ways to avert domination by the interests of…

Examined are the political, historic, and economic influences in England and Wales affecting the categorization and labeling of pupils with special educational needs. The paper concludes that adoption of a non-categorical classification system has been unsuccessful in abolishing labeling, but has obfuscated statistical information reported by the…

This document describes a policy forum convened to consider the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The forum focused on three critical issues: (1) categorical eligibility, (2) initial assessment, and (3) triennial assessment. For the topic of categorical eligibility, comments are summarized in five sections:…

The application of noncategorical special education in two states and categorical special education in two companion states was considered, with a focus on program practices and procedures. The effects of grade level, disability severity, and school district size on state and local implementation of the noncategorical approach were examined, and…

This commentary offers authors' reflections on their case-study approach to examining the application of categorical and noncategorical special education (EC 612 095). The reflections address why the authors decided to study this issue, how case study methodology assisted in the study, and implications of the study. (SW)

This study examined the literature and state policies concerning noncategorical certification of special education teachers. First, the issues are identified and include services organized around the categorical conditions defined in Federal law, the tendency of categorical certification to adversely affect teacher supply and limit administrative…

Efforts to unify categorical programs for low-achieving elementary school students must address instructional validity issues (including similarities/differences between learning disabled and remedial students in instructional levels, learning rates, and learning styles) and political validity issues (including protection and equitable…

Issues related to blending or consolidating services and funding to better coordinate education for exceptional students are examined in the context of educational reform and the Goals 2000 initiative. Interviews were conducted with approximately 30 federal and state officials between May 1994 and February 1995, focusing on possible barriers in…

This policy brief addresses the issue of issue of whether or not current federal funding policy under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) should be changed from an identification system to an overall population-based system. The current federal funding policy is described, in the context of the legislative history of IDEA.…