Inclusion is a way of providing a normalized educational experience for all children with disabilities. Educators differ, however, on the meaning of inclusion, from full-inclusion advocates to those who assert "inclusive" means that learning needs are met in a range of service delivery contexts. Three components of inclusionary schooling that are…

This manual is designed to help Pennsylvania parents of children with disabilities learn how the special education system works in Pennsylvania and how they can make it work for their child. This revision of the manual incorporates changes made to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1997 and the regulations issued in 1999 to…

This report presents the December 1, 1997, special education data collected annually by the State of Maryland as part of the its Special Services Information System. Information is compiled on special education students between the ages of 3 and 21 in all 24 local education agencies and state operated programs. Definitions of key terms used to…

This text examines the characteristics that define autism: impairments in communication; abnormal social development; and clinically significant odd behaviors. Specific chapters include: (1) Neural Mechanisms in Autism (Andrew W. Zimmerman and Barry Gordon); (2) Epidemiology of Autism and Other Pervasive Developmental Disorders: Current…

Noting the unique skills required of parents with gifted/talented children, this book serves as a "portable support service" for parents who are faced with the overwhelming task of understanding and nurturing their gifted children. The guide describes the history and current models of gifted education, characteristics and needs of gifted children,…

Remedial mathematics has taken several forms over the years--across the nation, within departments, and among mathematics instructors. There is a growing debate over the effectiveness of remedial courses in relationship to eventual student matriculation, which increases institution funding. The use of technology, real-life problems and projects,…

This paper presents an overview of online student services being used by 19 vocational education and training (VET) and higher education institutions in Australia. Information was gathered though site visits between July and September 2000 about online support services for prospective students, enrolling students, enrolled students, and graduating…

A cut score validity analysis for a pretest writing prompt and the SAT Verbal and Math assessments was performed for academic writing course placement. This study was carried out as part of a broader program of assessment aimed at understanding the impact of the writing course and eventually set the baseline for assessing the impact of 'writing…

The present study assesses the impact of attending colleges with higher black enrollment on African Americans' self-esteem and self-efficacy. It tests Rosenberg's proposition that racially "consonant" environments enhance self-appraisals. The LISREL models control for various pre-college attributes and for institutional selectivity.…

Two-year colleges used to be a small part of higher education, but they now enroll almost half of all entering college students. This report suggests new data is needed on this evolving sector of academe, including: (1) What are the unseen barriers in two-year-colleges?; (2) What are the unseen college options?; (3) What are the implications of…

A reference work that presents a chronology focusing on special education, its development, and the important issues that both positively and negatively affect the field. Updated through current events, this second edition provides an excellent introduction to special education in all of its practical aspects--how it developed, its curriculum,…

When Congress passed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1997, it authorized an evaluation to track progress at the state and local levels on the legislative goals of IDEA. The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) commissioned a national longitudinal study, the Study of State and Local…

This paper presents a model for advising Latino/a students in graduate social work programs. The model is based on ecological-systemic and empowerment theory and ascribes to the social work values and cultural competence standards proposed by the National Association of Social Workers. It has been developed within an institution that has sought…

Like many other countries in Central and Eastern Europe, children in Slovakia are allocated to different types of schools at an early age based upon their perceived aptitude. Part of the selection process includes an attempt to identify those children who are particularly academic-oriented. Primary and secondary education in Slovakia is divided…

This document is intended to help school districts in Oregon develop procedures for the operation of local special education programs. The guide is formatted to show legal requirements in the left column of each page with sample procedures in the right column. The sample procedures are not required and are intended to work in conjunction with the…