If chronological age appropriate and functional curricular content is to be developed, the basic components of an individualized education program (IEP) mandated by P.L. 94-142 (the Education for All Handicapped Children Act) must be supplemented, and instructionally defined for each severely handicapped adolescent or young adult student. (Author)

Project UPSTART, during this fourth year of outreach, offered assistance in replicating its developed Sequenced Neuro-Sensorimotor Program (SNSP) for severely multihandicapped infants, pre-schoolers, young adults and their families. Future replication sites were identified. Programs received outreach assistance in the areas of staff training,…

The article examines effective teaching methods for students with severe disorders of language and discusses planning the physical education program to include identification and awareness of body parts, understanding of spatial/directional concepts, and appropriate social interaction skills. Management suggestions based on behavioral principles…

Programing for vocational instruction is examined in a general sense and several programing steps are discussed, including identifying component skill areas, determining the behavioral and stimulus control requirements, sequencing instructional content, and designing instructional tasks. (DLS)

The "Making Special Friends Project" of the Burlington, Vermont public school system resulted in a series of six manuals: (1) A Review of the Literature; (2) Model Overview; (3) Implementation Guidelines and Inservice Training Manual; (4) Strategies for Implementing Model Components; (5) Developing Community Resource and Accessibility…

Project Mainstream, a regional program for adolescents with severe special needs, aimed for maximum integration through involving students in common activities. A peer tutoring program was implemented based on needs of high school students for involvement, information, instruction, independence, and interaction. Peer tutors were instructed…

A research and demonstration computer center for severely handicapped autistic children, STEPPE-Lab, which uses computers as an augmentative communication and instructional system, is described. The article first reviews the keyboard, joystick, mouse, and drawing tablet as augmentative devices for helping communication disordered children interact…

The paper addresses the educational needs of severely handicapped students with emphasis on the redirecting and redesigning of current thinking, curriculum structure, and teaching methods so that students develop functional skills. Stressed are the need to reconsider the definition of the severely handicapped, the purpose of their education, and…

The paper reviews court decisions mandating extended-year programs for students with severe and multiple handicaps for whom regression during the summer break threatens the development of independence and addresses considerations in developing such extended year programs. Guidelines center on eligibility, funding, program focus, program length,…

The paper describes the development and implications of Chapter 688 in Massachusetts which which provides for a 2-year transitional process to plan for habilitative services for severely disabled young adults who will lose their entitlement to special education upon graduating or reaching the age of 22. The law requires an individualized…

A coordinated 24-hour (school/residential) plan for determining service for severely and profoundly handicapped students is described. It is explained that the following service concepts are to be considered: whole person planning; integrated/cooperative planning: minimum interruption of the rhythm of existing activities, cost effective delivery…

The article describes the implementation and results of a developmentally sequenced language program for 21 severely, profoundly, and multihandicapped students (mean CA=10 years, mean MA=20 months). (SBH)

The article describes critical components of a transition planning system for students with severe handicaps, including coordinating transition planning on a local level, developing transition plans, preparing parents for transition planning, and coordination with adult service agencies. (CL)

Connecticut has designed and implemented a model that includes emphases on systematic instruction in functional life skills, transdisciplinary related services, generalization, and specific behavior management skills to provide quality integrated public school programs for severely handicapped students. (CL)

This document comprises the nine issues of the 1999-2000 TASH Newsletter. Each issue includes news items, conference information, and articles. Major articles include the following: "1998 TASH Annual Conference: Inclusion Roundtable"; "1998 TASH Conference Keynote Address (Zuhy Sayeed); "Do Not Resuscitate - Whose Choice Is…