The last sixty years have been a time of tumultuous change in the American deaf community. Two deaf figures who made a great difference during this period were Frank Bowe and Jack Gannon, who passed away in 2007 and 2022, respectively. Bowe was a prominent disability rights leader, helping to secure more rights for deaf and all disabled Americans,…

The goal of this article is to assist individualized education program (IEP) team personnel to not make errors in the placement of students. To do so the authors: (1) describe what a placement decision is and who makes the decision; (2) review the placement requirements of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2006); (3) examine…

Including students with disabilities in general education when appropriate is an important goal of special education. However, inclusion is not as important as effective instruction, which must be the first concern of education, general or special. "Full" inclusion, the claim that "all" students with disabilities are best…

To better support districts and preschool program providers, the Ohio Department of Education's Office of Early Learning and School Readiness is providing answers to the following frequently asked questions pertaining to Ohio Administrative Code 3301-51-11. This document is divided into sections aligning with each section of the rule. This…

To better support districts and preschool program providers, the Ohio Department of Education's Office of Early Learning and School Readiness is providing answers to the following frequently asked questions pertaining to Ohio Administrative Code 3301-51-11. This document is divided into sections aligning with each section of the rule. This…

The goal of any educational program is to help students maximize their performance. For many students with disabilities, the environment in which to achieve this outcome is under continuing debate and sometimes diminishes the likelihood of achievement. As a result of a long and sometimes difficult history of treatment, individuals with…

This article, written by Meng Deng of Beijing Normal University and Kim Fong Poon-McBrayer of the Hong Kong Institute of Education, reviews and analyses the reform of special education in China, the challenges confronting Chinese special education provisions, and how the Chinese inclusive education model, namely "Learning in Regular…

Education for people with a disability has changed over the years, moving from a philosophy of integration to inclusion. This philosophy requires a whole school approach spanning issues such as access, opportunities for learning, social experiences and developing a culture of acceptance. While this poses many challenges for individuals, schools…

In recent years, with support from the Texas Legislature, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has funded various developmental education initiatives, including research and evaluation efforts, to help Texas public institutions of higher education provide more effective programs and services to underprepared students. Based on evaluation…

The least restrictive environment (LRE) requirement has been one of the major pillars of special education law in the USA since its enactment in 1975 and has proven to be one of the most contentious principles. Absent a decision by the US Supreme Court or further clarification in the wording of the law itself, it is likely that the debate will…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that students with disabilities be educated with peers without disabilities "to the maximum extent appropriate." When the individualized education program (IEP) team is reviewing the student's current performance, establishing the student's goals, and determining the services that the…

The goal of any educational program is to help its students to maximize their fullest potential in inclusive environments. For many students with disabilities, having an inclusive environment seems to be an ideal policy. Ironically, this policy continues to be debatable and controversial. Sometimes, the controversy or debate dominates the real…

Developments in special and inclusive education have lead to increasing challenges for teachers. Initial Teacher Education has struggled to keep pace with these developments and equip all newly qualified teachers with the skills required to meet the needs of children with SEN. This paper reflects upon recent national initiatives designed to…

Inclusion and detracking policies seek to remedy the pervasive inequality of educational opportunities in U.S. schools by building classrooms that are integrated across the lines of race/ethnicity, class, and disability and that offer all students access to a rich and challenging curriculum. In practice, however, teachers often struggle with the…

No student should have to earn his or her way into the general education classroom, writes the author. The inclusive education model recognizes every student's right to be educated in the least restrictive environment, as provided under special education law. Yet many school districts still place students with special learning needs in separate…