Special education law and practice have undergone profound transformation over the past 50 years. Students with disabilities are now more likely to receive a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment possible; however, the ideals of the law have not always been manifested in effective practice. Although special education…

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…

As the population of English Language Learners (ELLs) continues to grow in schools, so does the concern for their lack of academic progress and the possible inequitable representation of this culturally and linguistically diverse population in special education (Artiles, Rueda, Salazar, & Higareda, 2005; Guiberson, 2009; Mac Swan &…

Special educators struggle to develop legitimate Individualized Educational Plans (IEPs) that describe student needs and lead to academic achievement. The purpose of this study was to determine if using a rubric to create an IEP resulted in an increase in academic achievement. The conceptual framework is drawn from a synthesis of the literature on…

Although schools generally provide safe environments, teachers, staff, parents, and students are concerned with the rising level of disruptive, antisocial behavior (Horner, Sugai, Lewis-Palmer, & Todd, 2001). Only a relatively small number of students in a school building engage in the most serious and/or chronic problem behaviors. However, these…

Providing children with special educational needs with individual education plans (IEPs) was advocated in the 1994 code of practice for SEN, and retained in the 2000 code. Specifically as it relates to mainstream secondary schools, this has proved highly controversial: many SENCos report that the writing and implementing of IEPs is a bureaucratic…

Children with autism present unique challenges related to communication, behavior, and social skills. Each child with an autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibits individual characteristics of the disorder. Early identification of autistic spectrum disorder has been shown to improve the child's benefit from educational interventions. There may be…

This teacher's resource guide from British Columbia provides an overview of the needs of students with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). It begins by discussing the definition of FAS and fetal alcohol effects (FAE), characteristics of students with FAS/E, and steps for preparing to teach students with FAS/E (collecting information, making and carrying…

Visually-impaired gifted students are at risk for not being identified as gifted. Relevant identification, placement, and curriculum problems are reviewed and excerpts from interviews with two visually-impaired gifted students illustrate their unique needs (e.g., the effects of multiple labels, counseling needs, and the need to feel equal to…

Guidelines in this publication are concerned with the provision of counseling as a related service for handicapped children, and are written to assist school personnel in discharging their responsibilities when the Committee on the Handicapped (COH) determines that a pupil requires counseling. Legal authorization for such counseling is reviewed…

This case highlights family and educator conflict about special education placement using the case of Jerry, a student with behavior disorders. Aspiring administrators are invited to consider Jerry's needs, the desires of his family, the concerns of local and alternative school faculty, the safety of students and staff, and the provisions of the…

A case study of a nine-year-old boy with visual impairments and mental retardation illustrates the importance of family-school-community partnerships when planning for students with visual impairments. A chart identifies areas for Individualized Education Program team consideration and decision-making to support the child's inclusion in the…

This manual, developed to assist Missouri school personnel in the provision of educational opportunities for students with traumatic brain injury (TBI), answers commonly asked questions about the educational needs of these students, and gives practical applications of educational practices and programming. Three case studies are introduced to help…

Due to advances in medical technology more early childhood students who are medically fragile are entering school and being included in general education. The field of special education lacks a broad research base regarding this unique population. This qualitative study examined the perceptions of nine early childhood teachers on the inclusion of…

This manual provides information on the identification and evaluation of students with severe disabilities. The first section provides general information related to funding for students with severe disabilities, the funding process, eligibility, types of support, the Individualized Program Plan, and student evaluation. Section 2 provides case…