This article reviews research, policy, and practice related to the use of assistive technology by students with mild disabilities. It addresses the potential of technology for individuals with disabilities, consideration of assistive technology in the Individualized Education Program, and strategies for capturing the potential of assistive…

The characteristics of effective or successful individualized instructional programs were investigated. The work of other evaluators was reviewed and a series of screening criteria were applied in order to identify effective programs. Programs were selected from evaluation reports for their effectiveness and their "popularity." Information about…

The following findings are presented in this second evaluation of Chapter 1 of the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act of 1981: (1) the achievement of disadvantaged students has improved since 1965, relative to the general population; (2) Chapter 1 students experience greater increases in achievement test scores than others; (3) students…

A preschool intervention program for handicapped children in Wheeling, Illinois provides a noncategorical approach to developing positive self-concepts, which are thought to lead to greater success in learning. Referrals of children at risk for developmental delay come from a variety of sources, including parents, doctors, hospitals, and vision…

The "Home, School and the IEP (Individualized Education Program)" program was developed in order to provide counseling and training to the parents of autistic children in public schools in Brooklyn, New York, and to improve the behavior and achievement of the children themselves. This report briefly describes and evaluates the program in…

A review of the literature on Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) from 1975 to 1989 identifies three phases (a normative phase, an analytic phase, and a technology reaction phase), and reveals a history of IEPs' inadequacies and passive compliance, in contrast to the original intent of Public Law 94-142. (Author/JDD)

In December 2004, Congress reauthorized the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and in doing so, established the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) in the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). On July 1, 2005, NCSER began its operation and held its first set of research grant competitions, which included the…

A popular term in contemporary special education circles is "empowerment," but what does it actually mean to be an empowered individual? Although many definitions exist in the literature and include such terms such as self-determination and self-advocacy, at the core of empowerment is the understanding that an individual is truly empowered the…

The final report presents a quarter-by-quarter analysis of results in a project designed to develop and implement a microcomputer-based management system for resource room teachers of mainstreamed mildlly handicapped secondary students. Information was to consist of updated daily records of instructional activities and of the individual student…

This article summarizes findings presented in a report by the Audit Commission on the provision for children with disabilities. It discusses widespread dissatisfaction with student assessment, development of statements, resource allocation to support children with special educational needs, and procedures to ensure services are effective.…

This paper has been developed by the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) of the Council for Exceptional Children to serve as a companion document to the 2003 joint position statement "Early Childhood Curriculum, Assessment and Program Evaluation-Building and Effective, Accountable System in Progams for Children Birth through Age 8" of National…

The school district in this practicum report was found to be out of compliance by the State Department of Education in the area of writing individualized education plans (IEPs) that contained goals and short-term objectives with measurable student outcomes. Informal workshops were held to provide the special education teachers training for writing…

The study examined the Philadelphia school district's program for mildly handicapped students. It provided descriptive data related to mixed categorical classes, described students enrolled in the mildly handicapped program, provided descriptive data on the content of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), and attempted to determine the…

This study examined whether distractor choices functioned differently for students without learning disabilities than they functioned for students with learning disabilities who received no accommodation, students with learning disabilities who received a read-aloud accommodation, and students with learning disabilities who received some form of…

Autism spectrum disorders, as the name suggests, do not represent a single nor straightforward set of needs to be met. The challenges facing education and other professionals, and the young people whose needs are being addressed, are considerable. The key is to see past the presenting issues, often behavioural in nature, to the communication…