Two assertions regarding the Regular Education Initiative (REI) are presented: (1) general educators are not willing to serve students with handicaps, and (2) general educators are not competent to serve students with handicaps. Illinois general education teachers (N=314) were surveyed to examine their attitudes and perceived ability to work with…

The manual is designed to assist school districts in South Carolina in measuring and maintaining compliance with Public Law 94-142 (the Education for All Handicapped Children Act). Using a checklist format, it is divided into sections which address the following topics: (1) local education agency (LEA) policy requirements; (2) state-operated…

The report examines the status and needs of behaviorally handicapped students in Maine. It describes the referral and identification process, program characteristics, current problems and issues. The first section presents statistics related to prevalence, types of programs received, costs of special education, and the certification and supply of…

This policy statement clarifies the role of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) team in selecting individual accommodations, modifications in administration, and alternate assessments for state and district-wide assessments. It states that neither the state education agency (SEA) nor the local education agency (LEA) can limit the authority…

The question of responsibility for the education of disabled students has become a controversial issue. This article explores the debate between proponents of special education and of mainstreaming for academically handicapped children. Under Public Law 94-142, disabled children are guaranteed an appropriate public education in the least…

This report discusses a variety of K-12 educational programs in California that constitute alternatives to instruction at regular public schools. For each of the programs discussed, the report identifies pertinent issues and provides policy recommendations. The report contents are based on visits to 18 school districts and 8 offices of county…

The Alberta Standards for Special Education are effective in September 2003 and require school boards to effectively identify and deliver programs for students with special needs in grades 1-12. Emphasis is on consistent and enhanced educational practice within the Canadian province so that students with special needs will receive appropriate…

This document, in French, presents the Alberta Standards for Special Education, which are effective in September 2003 and require school boards to effectively identify and deliver programs for students with special needs in grades 1-12. Emphasis is on consistent and enhanced educational practice within the Canadian province so that students with…

The concept of integrating children with disabilities into public school classrooms has paralleled the movement to integrate children of different races. In 1975, Congress enacted the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 (EAHCA), which became effective in 1977. Through regulations detailing precise procedural guidelines, EAHCA has…

A study examined the impact of state comprehensive cooperative agreements on vocational education programs for handicapped youth. During the study, 45 local educational agencies operating in 17 states with comprehensive cooperative state agreements were asked to rate the degree of influence that the state agreement had on such programming areas as…

An ethnographic study of the intake process involving the formal assessment, placement, and educational programming of 12 Hispanic deaf/hearing impaired children, aged 3-8, in both a private school for the deaf and the New York City public schools, was conducted over a 2-year period (1984-1986). Participant observation, interviewing, and…

This paper examines issues in gathering data for purposes of making accountability decisions for students with disabilities. The first section describes five alternative methods being used: (1) administration of norm-referenced tests; (2) focus on results or outcomes; (3) Individualized Education Program aggregation; (4) secondary analysis of…

Handicapped students are now protected by specific statutes in addition to the broad constitutional protection offered all students. As the number of related statutes, regulations, and case law decisions grew, assimilation became increasingly difficult. This publication attempts to meet educators' need for a succinct guide in special education…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) House Passes Budget Resolution: Prospects of a Compromise with the Senate Appear Dim; (2) Older Students' Science…

This document contains the final report and selected materials and products from Project Learner Goals, a project undertaken to assist the Pennsylvania Bureau of Adult Basic and Literacy Education (ABLE) in describing the form and content of project learner activities (activities serving short-term learner goals) within an ABLE-funded program and,…