This paper illustrates the positivistic nature of person-centered planning (PCP) that is evident in the planning methods employed, the way that individuals with disabilities are described, and in portrayal of the outcomes of PCP. However, a confluence of factors can lead to manifestation of excessive positivism that does not serve PCP…

Individual plans for people with intellectual disabilities were evaluated for quality and effectiveness in improving quality of life. Quality was assessed by rating whether goals were relevant, observable, age appropriate, necessary, timetabled, developmental, measurable, realistic, assigned to staff and improving at least one of O'Brien's five…

Two-hundred and sixty-five individual education plans (IEPs) from 13 California school districts representing programs operating under traditional special education funding were evaluated to determine their comprehensiveness, specificity, clarity, and extent to which a "least restrictive environment" was provided. Through interviews with…

The Pennsylvania Department of Education, through Project CONNECT, conducted a pilot study of individual educational programs (IEPs) for preschool handicapped students at 29 intermediate units. A total of 1633 IEPs were coded and tabulated. Among findings were the following: there was a high degree of parent involvement in the IEP planning…

Family-Centered Intensive Case Management, a New York State-sponsored research demonstration project, empowers and supports families of children with serious emotional disturbance, by providing respite care, flexible funding, parent support groups, and behavior management skills training. The project found that, given intensive and individualized…

This guide describes how to set up, implement, and evaluate an individualized leisure education program for secondary school students with disabilities. Field testing of the program found that students who participated in the program were more independent in their leisure and had a smoother post-school adjustment. After an introduction, an…

This study evaluated the extent to which individualized service plans (ISPs) for individuals with disabilities are consistent with established policies. Evaluation of 50 ISPs from Australian community residences for people with moderate to severe disabilities found major deficiencies in the plans, such as a lack of measurable objectives. (DB)

The paper describes a 5-year longitudinal study of a Texas school district's implementation of an individualized mainstream special education program. "Plan A" program activities and outcomes are reported for five phases (sample subtopics in parentheses): initiation in one high school, one junior high school and eight elementary schools…

A systematic approach to curriculum development for students with severe disabilities enrolled in extended school year programs is described. The approach is community driven, consistent with student Individualized Education Program objectives, tailored to the individual student, and teaches functional skills performed by individuals without…

A third-party evaluation of the District of Columbia Experience Based Career Education Program (D.C. EBCE) was conducted in 1978. The program involved tenth- and eleventh-grade students in an individualized program of study that included academic instruction and career development opportunities. Using the Context, Input, Process, and Product…

The first year of the "Operation New Horizons"--Right to Read--Adult Reading Academy Project, sponsored by the Northeast Alabama State Junior College in Rainsville, Alabama, is evaluated in this report. (The objectives of the project, which began on July 1, 1975, centered on (1) developing a reading academy which would help eliminate…

The case studies contained in this document were developed as part of a national project to identify communities that have made substantial progress toward developing comprehensive, coordinated, community-based systems of care for children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbances and their families. After initial identification,…

A study was conducted to (1) examine and evaluate existing vocational programs at the secondary level and to identify such programs or components of programs which appear to be meeting the needs of the learning disabled and the employer; and (2) share these findings with persons responsible for providing vocational education for learning disabled…

This practicum sought to develop a video-based orientation program for a day care center. A one-time orientation meeting was not feasible for this community college-based center, due to flexible scheduling, staggered starting dates of new staff, and a diverse staff. An increase in staff size, space, and enrollment intensified the already difficult…

This monograph offers an introduction to providing an interagency "system of care" for meeting the needs of children and youth with emotional/behavioral disorders (E/BD). This approach focuses on meeting the individual needs of children with E/BD in their home communities and supporting family members as allies in the treatment process. Strategies…