This issue discusses the many facets of vocational assessment in the development of transition plans and services. "Vocational Assessment: The Kick-Off Point for Successful Transitions" (Pamela J. Leconte, Debra A. Neubert) presents an overview of why assessment is important and how it connects school to work. "Professionals in…

These hearings were concerned with the authorization of the Higher Education Act 1998 amendments. The hearing focused on affordability of postsecondary education, simplifying the student financial aid system, and academic quality for students. The document reports testimony of representatives of professional associations and Pennsylvania…

Intended for parents (or surrogate parents) of children with disabilities in Arizona, this handbook explains rights and procedural safeguards under federal and state laws. Section 1, an introduction to special education, is followed by a section on parent rights in relation to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, initial evaluation,…

This book examines schools' legal responsibility for providing equal educational opportunities for children with disabilities under the 1997 reauthorized Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). First, an introduction to the American legal system and federal policy on disability is provided. Next, the six principles of special education…

This book is intended to help participants in Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings for children with disabilities to meet basic requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in a defensible way and offers an approach to putting data before the IEP team, structuring deliberations, and documenting decisions. It stresses…

The five-volume directory describes more than 1,200 discretionary grants and contracts supported by the Research to Practice Division of the Office of Special Education Programs. The projects are grouped into sections representing the seven program areas of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments (1997), Part D. This…

The Texas legislature and the State Board of Education, recognizing the need for an alternative to student retention, established the Retention Reduction Pilot Program to provide additional days of instruction for students in first grade who would otherwise have been retained. The Optional Extended Year Program (OEYP) was initiated to expand…

Designed for Massachusetts parents and adolescents with special health needs, this booklet provides information on the transition to adulthood. It covers four major areas of adulthood: health care, education, employment, and recreation. It includes: (1) a family fact sheet on health care transition that explains important issues and lists…

In 1986, Congress enacted Public Law 99-457, which outlined requirements for statewide early intervention systems and preschool services to assist young children who are either developmentally delayed or who have certain conditions which carry with them a high probability of resulting in developmental delay. Now known as the Individuals with…

This handbook for elementary and secondary school principals contains several chapters on topics important to building level administrators. Each chapter summarizes relevant state and federal court decisions and statutes, concluding with recommendations for practice. The handbook is divided into four sections: students and the law, special…

This document is intended to help teachers teach their students about the Selective Service registration requirement and the need for young men to register with the Selective Service System in order to maintain their eligibility for federal loans, grants, and other educational benefits. The first 50% of the document consists of 10 sections devoted…

This participant's manual for a teleconference on independent living for youth with disabilities provides an agenda for the teleconference, a list of trainers, and information for assisting students' transitions to adult life. It includes "Building Your Future: A Guide to Transition from School to Work and Community," a publication for students…

This handbook provides guidelines for the operation of local special education programs for Alaskan children with disabilities. It addresses: (1) the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments of 1997 and basic concepts of special education; (2) identification of students with disabilities, referral, screening programs, and…

This paper uses personal profiles to highlight major events across the past five decades that have affected the lives of individuals with mental retardation and their families. Each of the scenarios provided represents a creation of prototypical families, communities, school climates, issues, and social attitudes during a particular decade.…

When interviewed in spring 2003, officials in 16 states with a demonstrated commitment to job training provided data on 30 state-financed programs in their states. An analysis of the data yielded the following findings: (1) when recent, long-term, and projected declines are considered, funding is declining for 22 of the 30 programs studied; (2) in…