This paper seeks to provide a cogent outline of the current policies that six separate countries have on Individual Education Plans (IEPs), identifying the key features in each system. The chosen countries are Australia (Queen Island), Canada (British Columbia), New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Saudi Arabia. The…

This paper addresses the issue of integrating students with special needs into foreign language programs in the early childhood years. A partnership between a university and a charter school in central Florida began as a result of parent and teacher interest in providing a foreign language program for its prekindergarten students. Since 2014,…

This paper reports the results of a national two-year project, commissioned by the Portuguese Ministry of Education, to investigate the implementation of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) under Decree-Law 3/2008. The Decree-Law also introduced the principle that the documentation of students' functioning…

The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 boosted the rights of parents of children with additional support needs (ASN) by improving access to information, instituting a Code of Practice and establishing new redress mechanisms such as the ASN Tribunal and independent mediation. More than a decade later, Scottish…

The Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a legal document developed for each student with a disability. The IEP outlines the student's learning needs and associated educational goals, as well as the program placement and services required to support the attainment of these goals in the least restrictive environment. Most IEPs include all…

As more states adopt the Common Core State Standards, teachers face new challenges. Teachers must unpack these standards and develop explicit learning targets to make these rigorous standards accessible to their students. This task can be especially challenging for special educators who must balance standards-based education with individualized…

The wraparound planning process developed for a young adult with significant physical and developmental disabilities described in this article validates the importance of collaboration between service providers, academic advisors, faculty, and staff in institutions of higher education to support students with disabilities to successfully complete…

Self-advocacy and self-determination include the abilities to select personal goals, plan steps toward goals, assess one's progress, make choices, and self-monitor and self-evaluate one's behaviors. These are important skills in both current and future environments. Unfortunately, youth with significant intellectual and developmental disabilities…

This system aims to improve the communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity in schools that serve students with disabilities, especially those in urban and/or high-poverty settings. The STAR system outlines five practices that build a more adaptive and inclusive education environment while utilizing modes of communication and…

This brief is intended to provide State Education Agency (SEA) and Local Education Agency (LEA) educators with a brief overview of key components of GraduateFIRST, a Georgia program targeting issues impacting school completion for students with disabilities. Georgia's GraduateFIRST program has redefined the state's approach to raising graduation…

The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IBPYP) was developed for students between the ages of 3 and 12 years. It is a transdisciplinary program designed to foster the development of the whole child, not just in the classroom but also through other means of learning. The IBPYP focuses on the total growth of the developing child,…

Describes the educational philosophy and practices of the Sunrise Children's Center in Amherst, New Hampshire, which serves all children, both disabled and nondisabled, from the ages of two to six years. The description of the program is highlighted with stories of children in the center. (BB)

Elementary Options (EO) is a behavior support program in rural southeast Idaho for students in grades K-5 with emotional or behavioral difficulties. Instead of imposing curriculum or classroom strategies, EO works in conjunction with the Department of Health and Welfare to offer a systematic approach to managing problem behaviors with existing…

This project investigated the effects of technology task autonomy, teacher gender, and student gender on student achievement scores for students disaggregated by IEP and SES in middle school science classrooms. Participants were from the treatment group in a larger quasi-experimental design project that investigated the effects of integrated…

Clarifies issues surrounding inclusion and describes the implementation of an appropriate educational program for an 11-year-old student with autism entering middle school. Discusses collaborative efforts of school staff, importance of shared leadership roles, adherence to appropriate due process, and analysis of the instructional environment in…