IEP transition-related content was compared between young adults with developmental disabilities who had or did not have legal guardians. It was found that students with guardians were more likely to earn a certificate of completion, and wanted to remain living with their families, in comparison to students without guardians who were more likely…

"Response-to-Intervention" (RTI) refers to a framework for providing support to struggling learners in the general education setting. To date, RTI models have focused primarily on reading intervention and typically utilize a three-tier approach. RTI models are designed to provide high-quality instruction using evidence-based best…

Teachers at all levels of education today struggle in their efforts to assign fair, accurate, and meaningful grades to students with disabilities, especially those placed in general education classrooms. Lacking specific policies or recommendations, most teachers apply informal, individual grading adaptations for such students. Although these…

Four elementary students referred for special education evaluation were observed systematically for 2 entire days each at three different times within the referral-to-placement process. Data were recorded on 53 variables within six categories in 10 second intervals to examine changes in the nature of instruction and academic responding time as a…

The manual was intended to clarify the relationship among annual goals, short-term instructional objectives and performance objectives for special education students in Michigan. An overview of state and federal requirements is followed by analysis of the annual goals (general statements relating to a skill area without specific reference to…

The individualistic enterprise of education is questioned in this paper. The scientific movement in education in collaboration with private corporations and federal funding has fostered an individualistic enterprise that promotes a restricted role of the individual in society. Three well-known individualization projects are Individually Guided…

The study developed and tested a systematic format for discovering and displaying relationships among five major federal laws concerning the handicapped: P.L. 93-112 (Rehabilitation Act of 1973), P.L. 93-380 (Education Amendments of 1974), P.L. 94-63 (Special Health Revenue Sharing Act of 1974), P.L. 94-103 (Developmentally Disabled Assistance and…

The authors present an approach to the assessment of learning disabilities based on a definition of significant enabling skills for school learning. Students' competence in information processing, language, and mathematics is assessed in 11 tests. By using the Assessment of Basic Competencies test, it is possible to determine a child's location in…

Implications of P.L. 94-142 (the Education for All Handicapped Children Act) for individualized education programs (IEPs) for homebound/hospitalized students are examined. Difficulties in Florida's interpretations of the IEP regulations are cited, and the general trend of overly elaborate IEPs is noted. Special considerations with…

An evaluation of Individual Education Programs (IEPs) for 41 children (ages 7-11) with Down Syndrome enrolled in public schools indicated that the learning of functional skills in natural settings was rarely addressed in the IEPs. No relationship was found between overall functionality and either reported intelligence test scores or age.…

An Iowa program used the Individualized Education Plan model to evaluate the vocational interests and appropriate program placement of newly incarcerated young prisoners. (Author/DB)

The article describes a method to link a competency based vocational curriculum that reflects current industry standards with the educational planning components of the Individualized Education Program. Implementations strategies and benefits of the V-TECS (Vocational-Technical Education Consortium of States) are considered. (CL)

Parents of preschool gifted children were surveyed regarding their attitudes toward the identification process (almost half were uncertain about the system), participation in the program (transportation difficulties), administrative considerations, preschool teachers, and individual educational planning (a majority supported the IEP). (CL)

Before teachers can productively implement individualized education programs for handicapped students, substantive IEP planning should occur at state and local levels. Impediments to IEP development should be identified and relationships among federal, state, and local agencies clarified. A paradigm is offered to help the teacher systematically…

A model for gifted and talented children, the Revolving Door Identification and Programing Model, which stresses differentiated programing, can be applied to special education settings. The model has implications for identifying student skills and interests, streamlining the basic academic program to pursue those interests, and providing…