In the 1980s, mixed ability or physically integrated dance companies, such as AXIS and DancingWheels, began with professional performance goals, aimed at producing highquality choreographic work involving individuals with and without disabilities. Those companies are pioneers in the integrated dance field and serve as beneficial models of…

Despite a growing literature on the value of family involvement for students with disabilities, there are ongoing misunderstandings about the reasons why culturally and linguistically diverse families of students with disabilities might be less involved with their child at school than other families. This article describes a project conducted with…

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…

During school year (SY) 2012-2013, the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) continued its efforts to improve the validity and reliability of data reporting. BIE data collections are dependent on school level entry (self-reporting) into the Native American Student Information System (NASIS) or into the BIE's Academic Report (formerly the BIEs…

The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) funds schools located on 63 reservations in 23 states across the nation. Of the 183 schools, 59 are Bureau operated and 124 are tribally controlled. One-hundred and sixteen schools provide instructional programs, 55 provide instructional as well as boarding services and 12 peripheral dormitories provide only…

The manual--one-third of which consists of appendixes--describes strategies which are used to involve parents and parent surrogates in the St. Paul Public Schools' Model Program for Handicapped Out-of-School Youth (OSY). OSY offers three primary components that facilitate positive involvement of parents in planning: the team approach,…

One of 10 documents developed for preschool programs for handicapped children, the manual focuses on the use of parent volunteers (or paraprofessionals) in the classroom. The introduction examines the program's purpose and rationale, provides an overview of the parent volunteer system, and considers recommended setting, and the appropriateness of…

The Exercises to Encourage Development (EXTEND) Program for developmentally delayed students is described and evaluation results presented. Designed to provide attention to the child with developmental lags in the areas of motor skills, perceptual sensations, or expressive-receptive language, the program attempts to prevent potential academic…

This paper describes the Children's Diagnostic Center, an innovative model project at Hampton University in Virginia. The center was established to provide high quality, multi-disciplinary evaluations of children thought to have conditions likely to interfere with normal development; to describe resources and services available to parents to…

An early intervention project for preschool handicapped children is described. Specific program goals (including improved functioning in social, emotional, communication, and preacademic areas) are listed, and roles of the interdisciplinary staff members are considered. Among evaluation approaches discussed are psychological measures, family…

The history and effectiveness of the Preschool Program of School District 21 (Wheeling, Illinois), an innovative program for handicapped preschoolers, are described. Referrals come from a variety of sources and result in screening tests conducted by an interdisciplinary team. Individualized Education Programs for enrolled program children are…

The state of the art in involving parents in the education of their handicapped children is reviewed, and model program approaches for increasing their participation are described. Background aspects considered include research findings that demonstrate the importance of parent involvement, and a review of legislative mandates on the topic. The…

The Preschool Program, Center on Human Development at the University of Oregon is described in terms of objectives, rationale, structure, staff, curriculum design, parent involvement, support services, training and dissemination, and research and evaluation. The project has accommodated five major shifts in generally held concepts about young…

The paper describes the proposed Upper Cumberland Early Intervention Project (UCEIP), a project designed to serve 20 handicapped preschoolers a year over a 3 year period in rural Tennessee. The project involves continuation and expansion of two service delivery models for rural areas and is funded under the Developmental Disability Services Act,…

This final report describes activities and accomplishments of Project Adobe, the New Mexico Parent Training and Information Center, which provides information, support, education and training to families with school-aged children with disabilities in their local communities. Achievements include: (1) completion and printing of a booklet on the…