This article describes the use of measures of functional assessment of essential activities in self-care, mobility, communication, and social cognition in preschool children. An overview of functional assessment is provided, and psychometric properties of the various tests are described. Case studies illustrate the value of using functional…

A course at Southeastern Louisiana University prepares special education teachers to collaborate with rural families having children with disabilities. Precourse, postcourse, and 2-year followup questionnaires found that participants had a new understanding of family dynamics and the impact on the family of a special-needs child and developed…

This article describes the governmental and cultural contexts for educational research in Botswana and the important role research plays in the development of educational policies. The effects of limited resources are illustrated in several examples regarding special education and other services for children and adults with disabilities. (Contains…

This commentary reacts to an article that presented an agenda for educational change to encourage early childhood inclusion. It discusses the need for a bottom-up approach, as well as a top-down approach, to ensure accountability in educational reform. The need for increased accountability in the research community is also stressed. (Contains…

This article describes the activities of a national group of assistive technology professionals known as the Quality Indicators for Assistive Technology Services (QIAT) Consortium. The work of the Consortium is discussed and the current set of indicators is included. Processes used in the development of the indicators are described. (Contains…

This reaction to an article (Bailey, 2001) that describes three potential levels of accountability for providing family support in early intervention and preschool programs, recommends helping all family members of children with disabilities, helping parents identify programs in the community, and identifying the most appropriate professionals for…

Findings from the National Longitudinal Transition Study (NLTS) of Special Education Students indicate strong gains in the first five years after high school in the four outcome areas of employment, wages, postsecondary education, and residential independence. Outcomes differed widely by disability category, gender, ethnicity, and high school…

This article describes the restructuring of the Special Education Teacher Education program at the University of Washington. Analysis indicated a paradigm shift as well as intense collaborative activity and significant programmatic and curricular modifications. Descriptions of the type of personnel needed in the new program are offered, and goals…

This article reports on a survey of 36 state departments of education concerning state provisions to ensure recruitment, enrollment, and placement of students with disabilities in tech-prep educational programs as required by the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act of 1990. Results suggest the need for vigilance to…

This study of 92 special educators and related service providers evaluated two interventions (a series of stress management workshops and a peer-collaboration program) on factors correlated with turnover (burnout, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment). The interventions showed promise as a means of providing on-the-job support for…

Behavioral momentum or interspersed requesting has been effectively used to achieve compliance with young children with disabilities. This paper reviews research on behavioral momentum and proposes expanding the utility of behavioral momentum to incorporate a variety of outcomes in social interactions, communication, motor skills, self-help…

Emphasizing the constructivist principles of voice, collaboration, and inclusion, this paper discusses the influence of constructivism across the interrelated levels of reform: structural reforms in school organization, pedagogical reforms in classrooms, and development of school-linked human service systems. It concludes with a political-economic…

Highlights key issues for consideration in institutional research on college climate, including those that affect women, racial and ethnic minorities, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered students; and disabled students. These climate issues are also pertinent to majority students in diverse environments and are quickly becoming a regular…

A study involving 114 educators of students with profound and multiple learning difficulties, interviews with 20 head teachers, and observation in four British schools, found student assessment was largely informal, Individualized Education Programs were often lacking in detail, and about one-third of teachers had no special education…

This article examines the contextual, conceptual, and empirical foundations of functional behavioral assessment (FBA) in general educational settings. The need for schools to design effective responses to increases in individual problem behavior and the need to be compliant with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act are discussed.…