To explore the accessibility of school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS) for students with severe disabilities, we conducted a survey of 179 schools implementing SWPBIS during the 2015-2016 school year. Personnel from each school reported the frequency and level of importance of SWPBIS implementation across Likert-type…

Purpose: The goal of this study was to investigate the initial feasibility of the Communication Matrix Professional Development Program (CMPDP), an online program created to help educational professionals teaching students with complex communication needs. Method: A one-group pretest-posttest design was employed with 102 educational professionals…

We first conducted a synthesis of literature to identify essential transition teacher competencies to guide curriculum development for a personnel preparation program. The synthesis yielded a list of 67 competencies needed by transition teachers. Using the 67 competencies, we next created an electronic survey in which respondents were asked to…

As schools develop programs to serve students with increasingly complex conditions and as greater numbers of students with severe disabilities are mainstreamed into their neighborhood schools, requirements for safely transporting these students have become more complicated. This document provides special education administrators, transportation…

This final report discusses the activities and outcomes of the Oregon Building Capacity for Sustainable Change (BCSC) Project. This project provided a unique and comprehensive alternative professional development strategy for increasing the capacity of families and educators to effectively design, deliver, and continuously improve supported,…

The Oregon survey of 333 educators serving students with severe disabilities found their perceived prioritized inservice training needs included: (1) teaching students having specific handicapping conditions, (2) teaching functional communication, (3) teaching appropriate behavior and modifying inappropriate behavior, and 4) identifying/designing…

These guidelines present best educational practices designed to assist school districts in providing quality programs for students with severe disabilities. The guidelines are intended to serve as a self-assessment tool for school districts. State-operated programs for Oregon students who are trainable mentally retarded are to use the guidelines…

This report on Community Vision, Inc. is part of a series documenting innovative supports for community living for adults with severe disabilities. Community Vision was created as an alternative to facility-based services in Oregon that would intentionally focus on providing inclusive community living for those with the most severe disabilities…

The article discusses four major objectives of programs in the state of Oregon for students with severe disabilities: building social skills and a social network; building community competence; building a work history; and ensuring that parents have an active involvement in their children's program and future. (Author/JW)

This report briefly describes 40 exemplary special and regular education programs for students in Oregon with serious emotional disturbances (SED) or who are otherwise at risk. The program descriptions are grouped into 11 areas to highlight key program features. These are quality indicators, prevention, remediation, organization, coordination,…