The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is the administrative law that governs special education services and how students with disabilities should be educated. When students are found eligible for special education and related services, the law states that the general education classroom should be the first placement considered where…

The neuropsychiatric paradigm has substantial impact on schools. The increase in the number of pupils being diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is an expression of the medicalisation of deviance. There is also an increase in educational classes specially designed to meet the needs of children with ADHD. This is contrary…

In the United States, Response to Intervention (RtI) is used to promote the use of evidence-based instruction in educational institutions, with the goal of supporting general and specialized educators and enabling these professionals to work together in a comprehensive, integrated manner. In doing so, RtI provides a protocol for identifying…

The paper recommends that young children with disabilities be placed in preschool classes with normally developing children whenever possible. Significant benefits are cited in the areas of social, emotional, and communication development when children with handicapping conditions are educated in settings with their nonhandicapped peers. Four…

Describes focus of current vocational training programs and provides an overview of their effectiveness, as well as the status of the deaf in the world of work. A process for developing such programs, and the job placement history of graduates of such programs at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf are also discussed. (RAO)

For the Vocational Special Needs Coordinator (VSNC), educational administrator, and special education teacher, this manual suggests procedures and materials useful in enabling educable and trainable mentally handicapped (EMH and TMH) students to gain and retain employment. Designed primarily for the VSNC who heads the team effort required in…

The state plan outlines aspects of special education in Kansas. The initial section provides background information and outlines the needs in teaching positions (both professional and paraprofessional) and in the numbers of students receiving special education. The second section addresses the following state department operations: administration…

This paper explores how placement decisions are communicated to the teachers and support personnel who are responsible for implementing students' special education programs. The results are discussed in the context of whether the messages provided to program implementers were consistent and clear. (Author)

This bibliography presents material relating to the development and implementation of instructional programs for special needs students. It addresses a number of instructional concerns such as program design, student behavior, evaluation, individualizing instruction, and job placement. Material cuts across the various categories of disadvantaged…

Provides a rationale for obtaining evaluative feedback concerning the perceived usefulness of school psychological reports and their impact on the development of individual educational plans. Research data and authoritative opinion support the need for feedback on a case-by-case basis. A working copy of a brief evaluation form is included. (Author)

Three outside consultants were asked to evaluate the validity of current special education placement procedures and policies in the Montgomery County, Maryland Public Schools (MCPS) to determine their effect on minority students. Procedures for obtaining information included mailing questionnaires to 396 families and observing in-service staffing…

This training guide is designed to provide strategies and resources for involving work experience education (WEE) coordinators and special educators in the cooperative development and improvement of WEE for students with exceptional needs. Addressed in the guide are the following topics: an overview of the training program, why students with…

The booklet presents regulations of New York's Education Law as it pertains to handicapped children. Fourteen topics are addressed: definitions; board of Education responsibilities; role and function of the Committee on the Handicapped; procedures for referral, evaluation, individualized education program development, placement, and review;…

This article describes the Laptop Computer Initiative (LCI), a program in a Delaware school district to enhance referral-to-placement practices and to develop individualized education programs for special education students. The six steps in the program's development are recounted and positive results of the LCI, such as increased staff efficiency…

The manual outlines Michigan's procedures in providing special education services to students with emotional impairments. The first section depicts the special education process, beginning with pre-referral intervention strategies and referral and proceeding to evaluation, the individualized educational planning committee (IEPC) meeting, delivery…