This final performance report discusses the activities and outcomes of a project that addressed the need for training certified and highly qualified secondary special education teachers to provide classroom and transition related instruction and services to students with low incidence or severe disabilities. The project was carried out by the…

This paper describes the learning center approach of the preschool and kindergarten programs at the Maryland School for the Blind. Units are presented in monthly themes suggested by the local school curriculum, and this thematic approach is incorporated into the specific learning centers. The classroom is divided into six main learning areas: (1)…

The "Plain Talk about K.I.D.S. (Kids Inclined toward Difficulty in School)" summit on learning disorders was held in 1995 to bring together experts in the field of learning disorders to help disseminate the knowledge that will bring progress in the educational management of students who have difficulty in school. The first 10 chapters present…

The "Plain Talk about K.I.D.S. (Kids Inclined toward Difficulty in School)" summit is a biennial conference that addresses the challenges of educational change from several strategic directions at once, combining theory and research with concrete strategies and solutions from the educational, medical, judicial, business, and parental professions.…

This report discusses findings of a study that investigated the resolution of disputes in the field of special education. Information was collected from ten states (Alabama, California, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming) on their current dispute resolution systems and from two additional states…

This brief explores the challenges of documenting dropout rates and ways to support students with disabilities so that they meet academic standards and graduate. It begins by discussing the high dropout rate for students with disabilities and the rise of standards-based reform and high-stakes tests. Characteristics of high-risk students are…

This brief for parents discusses the transition of students with disabilities from the structured environment of school to the post-school world and transition requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1997. It begins by explaining the importance of transition planning and decision-making and the need for…

This report describes court challenges to high school exit exams for students with disabilities, explores the legal and public policy issues, and discusses implications for educators. Legal challenges include claims brought under the Due Process and Equal Protection clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment, and under disability statutes, including the…

This book provides educators with an understanding of Asperger syndrome (AS) and how it affects a student academically and socially, and provides specific strategies for helping elementary school students with AS function successfully. Following an introductory chapter, chapter 2 presents the major areas of difficulty for individuals with AS with…

This "toolkit" document is intended to provide a culturally appropriate set of resources to address the unique political and legal concerns of people with disabilities in American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. It provides information on education, health, vocational rehabilitation (VR), independent living, model approaches, and…

This report to Congress examines issues in the transition of students with disabilities into postsecondary education or employment. Major findings are: (1) most IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) youth complete high school, but data on transitions are limited; (2) problems impeding the transition of IDEA youth into postsecondary…

This book is divided into five major sections that focus on the various perspectives, needs, and concerns of employees in the workplace. Chapters include: (1) Work: Meaning, Mattering, and Job Satisfaction (K. M. Connolly); (2) Spirituality in the Workplace: An Overview (E. J. Looby and D. S. Sandhu); (3) Developing the Whole Employee: Some…

This final report describes accomplishments and activities of the North Carolina Partnership Training System Distance Education Project, a 3-year federally supported project to establish a distance education personnel development program to prepare more qualified and certified teachers for students with behavioral and/or emotional handicaps (BEH),…

This final report presents findings of a Wyoming research project designed to test the possibility of using interactive technology in the assessment, at a distance, of infants and toddlers in rural or frontier areas. The project compared the quality of reports developed when a transdisciplinary assessment team conducted assessments either in…

The purpose of this document is to provide an orientation and overview for new state special education advisory panel members regarding their role and functions. This information is a compilation of material and best practices from state special education advisory panels throughout the United States. The manual is intended to assist members of…