This paper recounts the Macomb-Oakland (Michigan) Regional Center's 17-year successful experience in eliminating institutional care for children with developmental disabilities (many of them with severe disabilities) and providing all such children with specialized foster home placements. A paper by the Center's director, Gerald Provencal,…

This qualitative study examines the perspectives of 14 teachers of students with severe disabilities whose role changed from special education teacher to integration facilitator. All 14 participants expressed strong beliefs that students with severe disabilities would learn more in an integrated environment. The teachers identified themselves as…

Major court decisions concerning the least restrictive environment for students with severe disabilities are analyzed and conclusions are drawn outlining the current status of case law. Court cases have weighed the benefits of mainstreaming against the benefits of providing greater or more specialized services in a segregated program. In general,…

This monograph presents an evaluative description of the Alaska Youth Initiative (AYI), a community-based interagency program serving children and adolescents with severe emotional and behavioral disorders. Principles of the program include a no reject policy and a "wraparound" service delivery approach. The monograph offers information…

This guide is for parents of children with disabilities who require the help of a machine or device for some life-sustaining activity such as breathing or eating. Following an introduction, chapter 1 is on preparing for the child's return home including parent training, community-based services, and obtaining funding for home care. Chapter 2, on…

This brief paper describes an innovative training project, the Augmentative, Assistive, and Facilitated Communication project, designed to enhance the capacity of school personnel to use alternative communication strategies with children having severe communication impairments. The project has provided training and technical assistance to school…

This document summarizes the final accomplishments of the Supportive School and Community Education Program (SSCE), which was designed to prepare supportive educators for students with low incidence and severe disabilities. The SSCE was awarded a federal grant for a four-year period, 1992-96, to expand an established preservice preparation…

This monograph explores the development of comprehensive systems of care for severely emotionally disturbed children and adolescents. It is intended as a technical assistance tool for states and communities interested in improving services and as a review of the state of the art for developing systems of care. A generic model of a system of care…

This monograph presents an overview of the current status of programs for students with serious emotional disturbances in California and makes recommendations for program improvements. An introductory chapter summarizes important themes including screening, prevention, and early intervention; definitions; eligibility issues; assessment;…

This publication describes the program at Bishopswood Special School (Oxfordshire, England) which has gone from serving children (ages 2-16) with severe learning difficulties in a special school setting to full integration of all pupils and staff into three mainstream schools. Bishopswood School is described as currently having its own budget,…

A 5-year research program, the Research Institute on the Placement and Integration of Children with Severe Disabilities, was conducted to survey current definitions and placement patterns involving large representative samples of children 3 to 21 years old with severe disabilities. Twenty variables, including characteristics of students, families,…

This practicum was designed to: improve the skills of personnel working with students with severe and/or profound handicaps in junior high school; to improve staff development; and to increase the consistency of services offered in a community-based instruction program for K-12. A needs assessment survey of 10 staff members determined the level of…

In a federal court case (Timothy W. versus Rochester School District), a public school district was relieved of any obligation to provide special education services for a disabled child who was considered incapable of benefiting from educational services. This case has raised significant questions regarding the scope of school districts'…

This background paper seeks to clarify the concept of transition for students with severe disabilities and to describe New Hampshire's response to the federal school-to-work initiatives. A conceptual framework is presented for linking educational outcomes more closely with improved adult life expectations. The framework seeks to encourage local…

This resource book is intended to assist special education teachers in planning art lessons to meet specific goals. It is divided into sections covering mild and moderately handicapped students, severely and profoundly handicapped students, and student with specific sensory handicaps. Each section discusses definitions and characteristics of the…