This document presents one in a series of twenty-three case studies derived from in-depth interviews using a sampling of former participants in the Mountain-Plains program, a residential, family-based education program developed to improve the economic potential and lifestyle of selected student families in a six-state area. Each case study…

A follow-up study was conducted to assess the various dimensions of social and self-perception of former participants in the Mountain-Plains program, a residential, family-based education program developed to improve the economic potential and lifestyle of selected student families in a six-state area. Twenty-three student families were randomly…

"Data collected from eligibility assessments need to be useful and connected across all areas of service delivery." The content and flow of information have enormous implications for practice. Professionals are challenged because they lack functional information needed to create useful goals and objectives, implement effective…

This manual is designed to help advocates, including parents, obtain special education for children with disabilities residing in New Jersey. It explains the requirements of the federal statute governing special education--the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)--and the federal regulations implementing IDEA, as well as the state…

The study evaluated the IEPs/Individualized Transition Plans of 45 students who were in special education and foster care, and compared them to the plans of 45 students who were in special education only. Results indicate that the transition plans of foster youth with disabilities were poor in quality, both in absolute terms and in comparison to…

The document examines the efforts to consolidate secondary vocational education and special education in Pierce County, Washington. Studies are described for three phases of the consolidation: (1) a determination of vocational education staff input and involvement in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process at the secondary level (data…

The authors describe the development and use of a structured, data base approach to developing individual education programs for special education students. The components of the "Data-Based Program Modification" (DBPM) approach are described to include five decision areas: problem selection; program selection (least restrictive yet most…

Compared the effectiveness of two team approaches to Individualized Education Program (IEP) development and implementation in four elementary schools. The Complementray Program and Service System (COMPASS) approach allowed a greater degree of pupil goal attainment and IEP completeness than the traditional approach and was judged a socially valid…

This article reviews results of research on individualized planning for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities. It discusses the relevant change in the values, philosophies, policies, and developments that have occurred during the last 25 years and discusses how these have influenced planning for, with, and by, people with…

Analysis of 214 Individualized Education Programs for students with behavior disorders assigned to public school resource, self-contained, and cross-categorical and residential/institutional special education programs found many lacked mandated components and contained discrepancies between annual goals and present performance levels across age…

An application of evaluation methodology to innovative educational programs through a case study of a Chicago suburban high school program for alternative education is presented. The evaluation methodology encompasses the difficulty in combining comparative programs, individual-diagnostic, and individual developmental measures, the selection of…

The primary goal of this project was to increase schools' resources and staff skills in providing function-based behavior support to individual students with chronic problem behaviors. Over the course of a 3-year period, 10 school teams received training in and on-site consultation on functional behavioral assessment (FBA) and behavior support…

Research on a system of developing and monitoring progress on individualized education program (IEP) goals has been conducted over a 5-year period at Minnesota's Institute for Research on Learning Disabilities. This research and development project is summarized by outlining the goal and rationale of the research, presenting the overall research…

Charges that the individualized education plan required by the Education for All Hancicapped Children Act (P.L. 94-142) requires too much time and paperwork, although its philosophy is educationally sound. Suggests that less parental involvement in subsequent I.E.P.'s would be less restrictive. (JAC)

A study of 22 students with mental retardation and their families evaluated the impact of person-centered planning activities on several variables related to a student's individual education program/transition planning meeting. Person-centered planning had a significant effect on parent participation in meetings, but not on discussion of…