This digest summarizes the rights and responsibilities of parents of children in the special education process under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments of 1997. Among 15 rights listed are a free appropriate public education for every child, informed consent concerning evaluation and programmatic decisions, evaluation…

This paper provides information on the use of assistive technology devices and services in the special education evaluation process and programming for students with disabilities. The legal responsibilities of the school district to consider assistive technology for the student during the evaluation process and as a possible service on the…

This handbook is designed to provide introductory information for the paraprofessional, the general educator, and the special educator to enable a better understanding of roles and responsibilities in the inclusive classroom and to enable them to work as a team. Specific instructional strategies that are useful when considering how to provide…

This training module is comprised of two documents, the facilitator's guide and the student guide, and is intended for the introductory phase of a course for paraprofessional school personnel. The facilitator's guide provides the full text of the student's guide as well as chapter goals to be accomplished by students, topics covered in each text…

This digest describes the process of designing quality individualized education program (IEP) transition plans for secondary students with disabilities as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as amended in 1997. It stresses the importance of taking an early, long-range approach, preferably beginning at age 14 or…

This book is intended to provide parents of students with autism with necessary information for the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process and includes relevant information from the 1997 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Chapters discuss the following topics: (1) introductory information; (2) definitions of autism, the basic…

This publication is intended to ensure that consideration for and provision of extended school year services (ESY services) for students with disabilities are consistent with the requirements of federal law, Iowa state rules, and Iowa's adopted educational standards. Part 1 of the document discusses the specific addition of ESY services to the…

This resource guide is intended to identify both primary and supplementary resources for designing preservice and inservice training on early intervention programs for children with disabilities. The instructional materials are described and listed in three sections. The first section provides annotated descriptions of instructional materials in…

This guide for North Dakota parents provides an overview of the special education process and the rights of students with disabilities and their families. Section 1, "The Special Education Process," provides answers to questions on the following topics that parents might have about the special education process: special education…

This bulletin provides guidance and direction to Missouri local education agencies (LEAs) regarding the U.S. Office of Special Education Program's findings that indicate Individualized Education Program (IEP) transition meetings for students with a disability failed to: (1) provide a notice to parents of the IEP meeting with the required…

This guide on transition services for Minnesota students with disabilities provides parents with information on student's rights and responsibilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that is available, how to obtain it, and how to improve the system to provide for transition needs that are not being met. Separate…

To serve exceptional students effectively, all professionals involved must share responsibilities as members of a team. Other issues facing special education professionals include feelings of territoriality, opposition to mainstreaming, and strategies for change. (CJ)

Various instructional models for use in classrooms with both mildly handicapped and nonhandicapped students are described: (1) developmental model; (2) inquiry and inductive reasoning models; (3) behavioral model; (4) perceptual motor theory; (5) diagnostic-prescriptive models; and (6) individual education plan. (CJ)

Used naturalistic inquiry and context evaluation to examine work of three experienced teachers during a year's implementation of an inclusive kindergarten program involving children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Found that the two kindergarten teachers met about 50%, and that the special education teacher met about 70%, of recommended standards…

Presented in a question-and-answer format, this article examines family concerns, goals, and expectations related to students' use of assistive technology. A chart shows possible goals, potential positive outcomes, potential negative outcomes, and possible responses of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) team. Four case studies illustrate…