This document has been developed by the New Jersey Department of Education with the assistance of the TA Customizer Project funded by the U.S. Department of Education Charter Schools Program (CSP) and conducted by the National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE). Its focus is on providing information and technical…

The Camden Career Center (Arkansas) designed a guidance and counseling program that used the services of a vocational counselor to support the vocational education process. The vocational counselor administered assessment instruments, interviewed students, and assisted all students in completing career development plans. The counselor met with…

This policy forum proceedings document contains a short introduction section that describes the current status of virtual public school programs in general and special education programs in particular. Next, this document provides a state-of-the-nation report that describes the exponential growth these programs and the evolving policy issues for…

Since the passage of PL 94-142, also known as the Education of All Handicapped Children Act, in 1975, special and general educators have been urged to work together to improve the education of children with disabilities through increased access to the general education curriculum. Over the years, the evolution of a collaborative approach to…

The objective of this study was to investigate the attendance patterns of parents and students at IEP/transition meetings where transition plans for students with disabilities are developed. Transition plans were developed to determine the level of assistance the student with disabilities required as he/she graduates or ages out of public school.…

Many students identified as having moderate and severe disabilities (MSD) benefit from a curriculum that includes instruction on the functional skills that they will need to successfully transition to adulthood. In particular, this includes students with cognitive disabilities who are most likely to qualify in the 1% who are eligible for the…

In 1997, the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandated that students with disabilities have access to the general education curriculum. Access means more than being exposed to language arts, math, and science; access means academic progress. In addition, the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 requires that all students have…

This study utilized a mixed-methods approach to explore the relationship between the implementation of recommended transition education practices and perceptions of administrative support of transition education. Utilizing a web-based survey, I surveyed 120 secondary educators across Oklahoma to determine the extent to which they reported the use…

This document consists of three separately published fact sheets (for parents and teachers of children who are deaf-blind) combined here because of the close relationship of their subject matter: (1) "Communication Interactions: It Takes Two," by Kathleen Stremel; (2) "Expressive Communication: How Children Send Their Messages to You," by Kathleen…

This digest, in question and answer format, summarizes what is known about effective ways to provide fully educational services for gifted students in the regular classroom. The following questions are addressed: What are the steps to full service? (educators need to plan environments in which all students can fully develop their abilities and…

This document presents the state of Maine's rules of general applicability and specific rights of children who are receiving services from the Maine Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation. The first section presents general rules concerning: statement of intent, definitions, basic rights, least restrictive appropriate treatment,…

This guide was developed to introduce families of young children with disabilities to the early intervention system. It describes early intervention services and defines the roles and responsibilities of parents and practitioners. The guide uses a question and answer format to present information on the following topics: (1) what is early…

The PRYDE program is described as a foster family-based treatment program which has treated a wide diversity of seriously disturbing child behaviors since 1981 with a 70% success rate of discharging children to less restrictive settings. Children are treated individually within separate families and local communities, thus avoiding problems…

Community-Based Independent Living Skills Training for Severely Handicapped Youth is a project of the Minneapolis (Minnesota) Public Schools designed to enhance community training opportunities for individuals aged 16-21. Key issues in program development included: treatment of students as unique individuals, assessments and curricula organized…

The Special Education Parents Alliance created an employment project seeking jobs in the business community for special education graduates and other persons with disabilities. The project serves learning disabled, educable mentally handicapped, trainable mentally handicapped, and physically disabled persons in DuPage County and portions of west…