We tested whether urban middle-school students from mostly low-income homes had improved academic vocabulary when they participated in a freely available vocabulary program, Word Generation (WG). To understand how this program may support students at risk for long-term reading difficulty, we examined treatment interactions with baseline…

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to better understand the perspectives of parents with children who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders regarding the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process, and interventions implemented to help their child meet IEP goals. The web-based survey included both closed and open-ended items.…

This special education reopening guidance has been developed as a companion resource to "Reopening Washington Schools 2020: District Planning Guide" (ED606044) to provide information and resources for supporting students with disabilities throughout the school reopening process. The intent of this document is to offer guidance for all…

As we progress into a future where more students with IEPs are in general education classes, teachers must be innovative, creative, and passionate about providing an opportunity for all students to succeed in the classroom. Rather than students with IEPs being taken from their classrooms to receive remedial services from their special education…

The Council for Exceptional Children's Division on Career Development and Transition (DCDT) has been a longstanding leader and advocate in the field of secondary education for students with disabilities. This paper traces the history of student engagement in transition planning primarily through the lens of DCDT's journal "Career…

Special education professionals are charged to develop relevant, compliant, and legally defensible IEPs for transition-age students with disabilities. This charge is intensified as educators strive to provide plans that will genuinely prepare students for postsecondary education, employment, and independent living. This manuscript demonstrates how…

This study examined the extent to which transition components of students’ Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) were compliant with IDEIA 2004; the extent to which transition components provided evidence of best practices; the association among disability, ethnicity, compliance, and practices; and the relationship between compliance and best…

The National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities (NDPC-SD) was assigned the task of compiling, analyzing, and summarizing the data for Indicator 1--Graduation--from the FFY 2011 Annual Performance Reports (APRs) and amended State Performance Plans (SPPs), which were submitted by states to the Office of Special Education…

Although 95% of the approximately six million students with disabilities aged 6 to 21 years of age are being served in regular schools, a substantial achievement gap continues to exist between these students and their peers in the general K-12 population. Recent studies indicate that an effective teacher is the single most important school-based…

Given the increasing number of students with learning disabilities attending postsecondary educational institutions, it is essential to determine the factors which may play a predictive role in postsecondary education in order to inform educational practices and interventions prior to high school graduation. As such, the primary aim of the current…

Despite a general consensus that students with disabilities should learn skills of independence and self-determination, schools have been criticized for not adequately preparing these students to actively participate in their education. In an effort to place a greater emphasis on this type of preparation, many educators have focused on increasing…

The topic of special education can be confusing and frightening for parents who suspect their child has a disability or has difficulty learning. Parents in this situation want to know how to get help for their child. This guide is intended to help parents navigate the system and services available for children with special learning needs and to…

Assistive technology may be a solution for students with disabilities who are struggling to achieve academic growth; however, the consideration for assistive technology process is not prevalent in schools. The purpose of this qualitative study was to take an in-depth look at the processes and factors that teachers of students with disabilities…

General education teachers are seeing an increase of students with disabilities being included. A major contributing factor to this is that students with disabilities are required to be in least restrictive environments and given access to the general curriculum in the major subjects like math and science as mandated by federal legislation…

Public schools in the United States have a legal mandate to provide families with an opportunity to be actively involved in the decision making process regarding the education of their children with disabilities. However the majority of parents remain passive participants in the special education process. Culturally and linguistically diverse…