There is a process within the special education program that directly links a child's educational program with their plans for the future. It is called a Transition Plan and is part of the Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Transition services are a coordinated set of activities for a child with a disability designed to be used within a…

The purpose of this brief is to help families and educators understand the right of students with disabilities who need accessible educational materials to receive these materials in a timely manner. This right is based on provisions in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as well as in the disability civil rights statutes…

Questions often arise about how accessible educational materials (AEM) might be included in Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). The two purposes of this article are to (1) help families and educators understand the importance of including AEM in the IEPs of students who require them, and (2) to discuss locations in the IEP where it may be…

For young people with disabilities, crossing the bridge to adulthood will be empowering instead of intimidating--when their support teams know the essentials of effective transition planning. Now all the fundamentals of well-crafted transition plans are collected in one concise quick-guide, straight from one of the top authorities on helping young…

Self-advocacy occurs when deaf or hard of hearing individuals explain to hearing teachers, classmates, bosses, and officemates the nature of their hearing loss, their language skills, and the accommodations they require in order to effectively do their work, participate in conversations, and get involved in other activities. Self-advocacy may be…

On November 14, 2005, the U.S. Supreme Court announced its decision in "Schaffer v. Weast." This special education decision concerned which party bears the burden of persuasion when parents challenge a school district's Individualized Education Program (IEP) in a due process hearing. In this article, we define burden of persuasion and…

The Department issued this Notice of Policy Guidance (notice) to address the requirements of Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as amended by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997, as they apply to the education of blind and visually impaired students. This notice updates the Office of…

This docment consists of a large student manual and a small 17-page "Coach's Guide" that has the same main title. The program covered is designed to help students with mild cognitive and developmental disabilities to participate in the transition planning process. It explores issues of self-awareness and attempts to help students develop…

This guide provides information on Batten Disease to assist in planning a quality educational program for the student with the disease. Because Batten Disease, or neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis, causes the death of brain cells, students with the disease are described as suffering from mental impairment, worsening seizures, and progressive loss of…

This book describes how supplementary aids and services are defined by best practice, interpreted by individual states, and viewed by the courts to enable children with disabilities to be educated with typical children to the maximum extent appropriate. The first three chapters of the book deal with the need to provide a free appropriate public…

Designed to assist parents and teachers in understanding the complex procedures of special education, this book describes the process for obtaining school services for children with disabilities. An introduction reviews six major provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that relate to children's rights to a free,…

This handbook for regular and special education teachers, diagnosticians, administrators, parents, and others involved in the development and implementation of individualized education programs (IEPs) for students with disabilities, focuses on both the intent and spirit of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Chapters cover the…

Designed to assist Spanish-speaking parents and teachers in understanding special education procedures, this book describes the process for obtaining school services for children with disabilities. An introduction reviews six major provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that relate to children's rights to a free,…