Curriculum beliefs and practices were surveyed with 341 Colorado elementary and secondary special education teachers. Findings include: training in curriculum development occurs mostly on the job; teachers want training in teaching compensatory and life skills; teachers believe that individualized education plans constitute the curriculum for…

Discusses the importance of the inclusion of disabled students in regular classes as "full members" of their public school communities. Describes the ways in which this inclusion is achieved with a first grade student by means of an individualized education program. (BB)

This study used ethnographic methodology to evaluate the impact of mediation on transition outcomes of six persons with mild mental retardation. Strategies used by focal persons, their parents, and agencies/schools are discussed in relation to (1) empowerment and self-determination, (2) social dimensions of transition planning and "balanced…

This article presents questions related to legal issues of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 2004 and the changes it has made with regard to local education agency (LEA) and the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process. The author's answers to these questions are presented. In answering the general question--to what…

This manuscript offers a general examination of special education in Ontario from its inception to the current system, including references to developments outside the province that have impacted its development. A brief summary of the historical milestones of special education is followed by a look at recent special education legislation. Details…

The number of preschool-aged children with disabilities who spend some part of their day in an inclusive school or child care setting has grown tremendously in the past ten years. Meeting the needs of these children is always challenging. However, Public Law 105-17 the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA'97) mandates that children…

The Hawai'i State Assessment is an annual testing program that measures student progress on Hawai'i's reading, writing, and mathematics standards. This handbook provides all Department of Education personnel at the school, complex area, and state levels with information about participation in the Hawai'i State Reading and Mathematics Assessment…

The purpose of this booklet is to introduce parents of students with disabilities to the "big ideas" contained in school improvement efforts under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and to provide them with the information they need to help ensure that their children…

This manual has been prepared for all New Mexico Statewide Assessment Program (NMSAP) assessment administrators, teachers, school specialists, and principals. It includes information about the following topics: PED contacts, New Mexico Standards Based Assessments (SBA), Grades 3-8 and 11; New Mexico High School Competency Examination (NMHSCE);…

The Additional Support for Learning Act is a key piece of legislation in Scotland's efforts to achieve a more inclusive society and to give all young people access to the learning opportunities they need in order to meet their potential. The Act also has a key role to play in the day-to-day preventative action that schools can take to be inclusive…

This workbook pulls together materials intended to help train individuals who are deaf-blind or have other severe disabilities with the transition from school to the adult world. Topics covered in the main body are: legislation concerned with transition services; appropriate procedures and getting started; transition planning process; questions to…

Data from the West Virginia Department of Education reveals that from September 1991 to January 1992, school districts reported 18,915 out-of-school suspensions involving 12,997 students. In 1995, the West Virginia State Legislature enacted the Safe Schools Act, which specifically mandates suspension for no less than 12 consecutive months for…

This paper provides special educators with effective strategies for successfully implementing full inclusion of disabled students in general education classrooms. The starting point for inclusion is the Individualized Education Plan (IEP), which develops goals and objectives and considers appropriate student placement. Frequently, IEP objectives…

This issue of "Transition Summary" was developed to assist Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams in planning for successful transitions from high school into independent adulthood by students with disabilities. Definitions of transition services within federal law are first explored and legal implications for the IEP team are…

Inclusion, a special education reform strategy, should be refocused to accommodate the needs of children with and without disabilities. Inclusion can transform the status of children with disabilities from second to first class citizens and can eliminate the problem of children who have been misdiagnosed. Inclusion is characterized by a shared…