The primary aim of this paper is to address how empathy curriculum can be applied to training needs of paraprofessionals working with students who have multiple disabilities. A thorough review of the literature on the role of the paraprofessional and implications for training and supervision is provided. This is juxtaposed with a review of the…

Revisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1997 allowed for districts to hire teachers' aides to assist in the educational process. These teachers' aides, known as paraprofessionals or paraeducators, have increased in number since 1997 and now play an important role in helping students with disabilities. The purpose of…

Little literature exists documenting how K-12 American Sign Language-English interpreters are supervised or evaluated, or how supervision and evaluation affect interpreters and deaf and hard of hearing students. To address this gap, the author asked 230 educational interpreters about their experiences of supervision. Using a critical policy…

The purpose of this study was to conduct an initial investigation to examine the perceptions of a sample of special education administrators from a western state to identify the challenges they encounter that may negatively affect their ability to do their jobs well. It was anticipated that the results of the study would be of interest to faculty…

In 2018 the Rhode Island (RI) Regulations Governing the Education of Children with Disabilities were revised to comply with the 2016 amendments to the RI Administrative Procedures Act. In this process members of the community requested that the RI Department of Education develop a companion document that maintained the relevant sections of the…

It is the position of the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) that the delegation of nursing tasks in the school setting can be a valuable tool for the school nurse, when based on the nursing definition of delegation and in compliance with state nursing regulations and guidance. Delegation in school nursing is a complex process in which…

The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) recognizes the current challenges faced by states and schools relative to the provision of high-quality intervener services for children who are deaf-blind. To respond to these challenges, OSEP asked the National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness (NCDB) to conduct an…

This is the 36th Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act," 2014. Section 664(d) of the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act" ("IDEA") (P.L. 108-446), as reauthorized in 2004, requires that the Department of Education report annually on the progress…

This is the 33rd Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act," 2011. Section 664(d) of the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act" ("IDEA"), as reauthorized in 2004, requires that the Department of Education report annually on the progress made toward the…

This is the 32nd Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 2010. Section 664(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (P.L. 108-446), as reauthorized in 2004, requires that the Department of Education report annually on the progress made toward the provision of a free…

The 34th Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act," 2012 describes our nation's progress in: (1) providing a free appropriate public education (FAPE) for all children with disabilities; (2) ensuring that the rights of children with disabilities and their parents are protected;…

The 35th Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act," 2013 describes the nation's progress in (1) providing a free appropriate public education (FAPE) for all children with disabilities, (2) ensuring that the rights of children with disabilities and their parents are protected, (3)…

This article presents position statements, issue briefs, and resolutions and consensus statements of the National Association of School Nurses (NASN). The Position Statements include: (1) Allergy/Anaphylaxis Management in the School Setting; (2) Caseload Assignments; (3) Child Mortality in the School Setting; (4) Chronic Health Conditions, Managed…

This is the 31st Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act," 2009. Section 664(d) of the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act" ("IDEA") (P.L. 108-446), as reauthorized in 2004, requires that the Department of Education report annually on the progress…

This document provides a framework for better understanding of the knowledge and skills essential to a state level position within special education. It was developed with an eye on essential skills and knowledge for carrying out the general supervision/leadership requirements of the state education agency (SEA) specifically as it related to…