Background or Context: With the implementation of three-dimensional science and high stakes testing, policymakers have bolstered science curriculum to include standards that engage students in scientific discourse while providing the needed guidelines for teaching science content. However, the field of science education has not been a policy focus…

Parents and educators are expected under IDEIA to work together on educational decision-making for students with disabilities. While collegial relationships in this process are intended, partnerships are not always formed because both parties can struggle to understand each other's perspective. Parents may hold their view, while educators may have…

Research has demonstrated that many children have learning problems related to deficits in specific cognitive processes that are not adequately represented by a single IQ score. The administration of cognitive measures that include narrow abilities is useful in understanding specific learning problems and developing effective interventions.…

This article presents the conceptual foundations and specific features of an ecologically oriented model of school-based organizational consultation. We begin by providing an overview of ecological theory. This is followed by a brief description of a model of school-based organizational consultation with a special focus on the ecological elements…

The Individual Education Plan (IEP) process plays a vital role in the instructional process of the individual with ELN (exceptional leaning needs). The IEP process helps to level the playing field for students with ELN against those students that do not have diagnosed learning problems. From the parents to the students to the IEP staff, they all…

"Spina bifida" is one of the most common birth defects in the United States, affecting some 1,500 babies each year. Spina bifida happens during the first month or so of pregnancy and means that the baby's spine did not close completely. Damage to the nerves and the spinal cord may result. Following a brief story about a child with a…

Children identified for special education services were once denied access to regular education classrooms and their peers regardless of the nature of their disabilities. In recent decades, efforts have been made to integrate more exceptional children into mainstream environments. The term inclusion has manifested itself into modern education…

Multiple policy strategies exist to promote equity and inclusion in education and training systems. Across countries, the provision of additional resources to students with special educational needs is a common strategy; previous research indicates that providing extra resources to students with special educational needs can help those students…

By 2010 it is predicted that one in 900 adults will be survivors of some form of pediatric cancer. The numbers are somewhat lower for survivors of brain tumors, though their numbers are increasing. Schools mistakenly believe that these children easily fit pre-existing categories of disability. Though these students share some of the…

Response to intervention (RTI) is a decision-making process for (1) identifying gaps between current and desired results; (2) designing, implementing, and revising interventions; (3) matching the degree of educational needs to the intensity of interventions; and (4) implementing interventions at multiple tiers. The process can be applied to…

This article reviews "Road to Success" as a curricular innovation that addresses needs of adolescents with learning disabilities (LD) as they transition from school to employment or postsecondary educational settings. A variety of curricula exist for aiding the general populace of job seekers in planning and preparing for employment, but…

Because of recent legislation, students with mild disabilities frequently receive social studies instruction in the general education classroom. Therefore, middle school teachers have the challenge of teaching social studies to students with a wide range of abilities. Emphasis in the general education social studies curriculum is on high-level…

A variety of testing methods can be extremely useful in finding out whether children who are experiencing learning difficulties may have one or more learning disabilities. This is an important and valuable role for testing. Another important issue concerns how best to ensure fairness for a learning disabled student when he or she must take a…

Recent legislation, such as the No Child Left Behind and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act amendments of 1997 and 2004, emphasizes the importance of teaching students with mild disabilities in the general education classroom using the general curriculum. Consequently, students with learning problems take a variety of science courses,…

This study examines recent evidence that many children with learning disabilities (LD) have accompanying behavior problems, especially children who experience academic difficulties in school but who are not formally diagnosed as LD. Subjects were 85 referrals to a university educational assessment center from 1991 to 1994. The subjects, 58 males…