Although different authors define the SMART acronym differently, an IEP-related interpretation of the acronym is as follows: specific, measurable, action verbs, realistic, and time limited. In addition to these features, well-written IEP goals reflect students' unique strengths and needs. This article discusses how educators can produce specific,…

In the past few years, the provision of mental health services in public schools has received considerable attention. When students with disabilities are eligible for special education and related services under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), mental health services are required if such services are needed to provide…

The debate between progressivism and traditionalism has reached an impasse. Battles in curriculum are, according to Ackerman (2003), "manifestations of a fundamental debate between progressive educators and traditionalists" (p. 345) that has been going on for over a century (Pogrow, 2006). No educational institution exists that is purely…

Effective collaboration is associated with positive outcomes for students and is a key component of equitable educational opportunities. There are challenges to effective collaboration, however, as our understanding of it differs based on the various definitions in the literature. The purpose of this systematic review is to identify the common…

Many speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are underprepared to serve children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), despite a growing need and increased expectation for ASD expertise. To understand this practice gap, 60 SLPs and 26 parents of children with ASDs were surveyed regarding SLP knowledge and competency. Of concern was that only about…

Adolescents with disabilities experience co-occurring mental health needs at higher rates than their peers without disabilities (Blake, 2017; Milligan et al., 2015; Poppen et al., 2016; Thornton et al., 2017). Mental health needs often become more prominent as individuals with disabilities transition from childhood to adolescence (White et al.,…

Traditional literacy practices using print-based texts exclude students with complex support needs from the full range of literacy activities provided to peers without disabilities, which may limit them to low-level literacy skills or functional skills. By contrast, by including various forms of representation and text, multiliteracies are…

Central to positive learning outcomes for students with disabilities is the ability of the individualized education program (IEP) team to work collaboratively. Within the IEP team, effective service delivery involves direct and related service providers working in an interdisciplinary capacity as they share professional responsibilities to…

The success of all school-age children relies heavily on active engagement between caregivers and school communities (Francis et al., 2016). Meaningful parent-school partnerships involve reciprocal relationships that build on each other's expertise and are based on good communication, professional competence, advocacy, commitment, equality, and…

Refugee families who have children with disabilities encounter numerous systemic barriers that impact their opportunities to partner with schools and special educators. This study explored early childhood special education and elementary special education teachers use of culturally responsive family-professional partnership practices with refugee…

Aim/Purpose: As e-Learning 3.0 evolves from a theoretical construct into an actual solution for online learning, it becomes crucial to accompany this progress by scrutinising the elements that are at the origin of its success. Background: This paper outlines a framework of e-Learning 3.0's critical success factors and its empirical validation.…

18 qualitative investigations of families of children with disabilities from nondominant communities and their perspectives on home-school partnerships were included in this meta-synthesis. Included studies used a qualitative research design to examine the perspectives of families of children with disabilities from nondominant communities in…

Religious organizations often serve as mainstays of communities, especially rural communities with otherwise limited support to promote improved transition outcomes. Yet, religious organizations appear not to be utilized as agencies in transition service partnerships. This article addresses involving religious organizations in the transition…

Many teachers want to provide meaningful science activities and instruction in their classroom that benefit all young children. This is consistent with the increasing focus on enhancing science experiences and instruction in preschool classrooms. Recommendations for how to engage in early childhood science activities are available, as are science…

The primary message of the Supreme Court's ruling in "Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District" (hereinafter "Endrew F.," 2017) was that school districts are obligated to "offer an IEP [individualized education program] that is reasonably calculated to enable the child to make progress appropriate in light of the…