The Individualized Education Plan (IEP) document is a legal plan for special education which is created by a team that includes educators and you, the child's family. The IEP contains goals to promote your child's success in school and should, if needed, include goals on improving their behavior. The IEP provides information about the specifically…

The problem that drove this study was the increasing number of students with autism entering the school system, and the barriers often encountered for both academic and social inclusion for students on the autism spectrum. Autism Spectrum Disorder, as defined by diagnostic criteria, includes deficits in social-relational communication;…

For children with the most severe and persistent academic and/or behavioral challenges, parent and family involvement is vital. Student outcome data suggest that the current educational system does not adequately prepare students with the most intensive needs, particularly students with disabilities, for the world of college and work. Although the…

In this article, we describe an inclusive educational programme for a young boy severely affected by autism. The programme is exemplary not only academically, but also in terms of what children need socially and emotionally. It represents best practices in action. Given the wide agreement about what constitutes best education practices, but the…

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) present unique needs regarding sexuality education. While the topic of sexuality has received increased attention in the fields of intellectual and developmental disabilities generally, less consideration has focused on the unique needs of individuals with ASD specifically. This paper presents one…

This paper is designed to provide school social workers with a conceptual framework that will help guide their participation in state and local level planning for implementing functional behavioral assessments (FBAs) and behavioral intervention plans (BIPs) for students which school personnel propose to suspend for more than 10 days in any school…

Student behavior problems have been found to be the most significant and frequently addressed concern of rural educators. A model was developed in response to the needs of rural educators in West Virginia for planning, documenting, implementing, and monitoring behavior plans for students with emotional and behavior problems. The first step…

This article highlights the necessary components of a functional behavioral assessment, a decision making framework concerning the selection of assessment and intervention procedures to be used at school, and a description of one practical functional behavioral assessment tool, the Initial Line of Inquiry, that has been employed by school-based…

The Pine County (Minnesota) Special Education System has adapted a database for use in decision making regarding programs for learning disabled and behavior problem students. The system is used for decisions in seven areas: identification, initial assessment, eligibility determination, individualized education program (IEP) selection, IEP…

Positive behavior support (PBS) has evolved over the past 15 years from an individualized approach to behavior management to one with an increased focus on universal applications. Although there are clear areas of convergence between individualized and universal supports, it is also clear that the provision of individualized supports is an…

This publication is designed to help educators understand the purpose and meaning of the functional behavioral assessment process and how to identify and assess the behavior of students with disabilities. It shows how to develop and write effective behavior intervention plans using data collected during the functional assessment and presents many…

This Digest summarizes requirements for individualized education programs (IEPs) under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as amended in 1997. In addition to specific information the IEP must contain, it notes that the amendments require IEP teams to consider the child's strengths, the parents' concerns, and the results of 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…

The goals of this guide are to: (1) Educate teachers and help them prepare for having a student with autism in their classroom; (2) Emphasize the critical importance of communication and collaboration with the parents of their student with autism; (3) Support the creation of an inclusive environment for all the learners in their classroom; and (4)…

The No Child Left Behind Act was designed primarily to ensure educational accountability through schools producing positive results or outcomes for educational efforts. With this policy change, a need exists to provide parents information that describes the evidence basis for curriculum materials and interventions that are being used in special…