In this preregistered study, we confirmed a transition-planning construct and determined its relationship with an established economic-hardship construct using parent- and youth-reported data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012 and following established quality indicators of preregistered secondary data analyses studies.…

Students with learning disabilities (LD) benefit from individualized transition services that address their strengths and assets. This article provides three steps to facilitate strengths-based transition planning: (a) independent and guided reflection, (b) assessment, and (c) alignment of strengths to each component of the transition plan. Sample…

Students in the United States who receive special education services are entitled to receive an Individualized Education Program (IEP) that provides an appropriate level of benefit. Although IEP content is informed by policy mandates and practice recommendations, research has yet to investigate the degree to which school practice is in alignment.…

The extent to which reading achievement is causally impacted by eligibility for special education services due to a learning disability (LD) or speech or language impairment (SLI) is currently unclear. In this registered report, we analyzed U.S. national data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study--Kindergarten Cohort of 2010-2011 (ECLS-K:…

Individual education programs (IEPs) are the cornerstone of special education programs. The persistence of poor in- and post-school outcomes for students with significant disabilities highlights the importance of developing well-designed IEPs to address their multifaceted needs. We conducted a content analysis of IEPs for 150 high school students…

As educators and policymakers increasingly use parental involvement as a mechanism to increase student achievement, scholars know surprisingly little about the disparities in frequencies of parental involvement for first-generation immigrant compared to native-born parents as well as how involvement may differ for parents of students with…

Purpose: Self-reported listening-related fatigue in adolescents with hearing loss (HL) was investigated. Specifically, the extent to which listening-related fatigue is associated with school accommodations, audiologic characteristics, and listening breaks was examined. Method: Participants were 144 adolescents with HL ages 12-19 years. Data were…

Background/Context: As of Fall 2021, approximately 7.3 million students between the ages 6 to 21 were served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which accounts for approximately 15%of students in that age range (U.S. Department of Education, 2022). Students with disabilities receiving special education services are guaranteed a…

While the challenges experienced by parents during Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings have been well documented, limited research has examined parent satisfaction with the IEP document itself and which factors are associated with greater satisfaction. Using 1,183 responses from a national survey, we addressed the following research…

Educators and families develop individualized education programs (IEPs) to address unique needs of individual students with disabilities. Addressing all student needs is critical to ensuring students receive a free and appropriate public education. To understand how IEP teams address the needs of students with complex support needs, we examined…

The purpose of this interview-based qualitative study was to explore how individualized education program (IEP) team members determine least restrictive environment and educational placement. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires students with disabilities to be educated in the least restrictive environment and to the…

Differences in perceptions of disability between students and administrators can play a role in youth's educational experience. This study used data from a cluster randomized controlled trial (C-RCT) of the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI) to first compare student self-report of disability status to matched administrative data…

Although postsecondary STEM outcomes for students with disabilities are poorly understood, literature exploring this problem is quite sparse. We examined the career aspirations of high school students by modeling the likelihood of students with individualized education programs (IEPs) aspiring to STEM careers. Results demonstrated no differences…

Background: Youth with disabilities who have at least one paid work experience during high school are more than twice as likely to be employed after high school. However, barriers exist that limit work opportunities for youth with disabilities and subsequent entry to work as part of their adult lives. Objective: The study identified secondary…

Students who have the most significant support needs are at high risk for exclusion from general education. Unlock access to inclusive education for these learners with this forward-thinking book, a step-by-step guide to person-centered, strengths-based, and meaningful IEPs for K-12 students with complex support needs. This practical text shows…