Mental health challenges are common among children, and can interfere with learning and adjustment to school. Although early intervention is crucial and the family-school partnership plays an integral role in the development and implementation of individual education plans (IEPs), there are few supports to assist families in navigating this…

Academic success methods belong to the philosophy and practice of good schooling, and have been under continuous revision as the needs of society have changed. The revisions are also due to inefficient usage, dated information, and lack of results. Seven current academic success methods are inclusive schooling, differentiated instruction,…

Parent involvement is acknowledged as a crucial aspect of the education of students with special needs. However, the discourse of parent involvement represents parent involvement in limited ways, thereby controlling how and the extent to which parents can be involved in the education of their children. In this article, critical discourse analysis…

Alberta Education provides programming support and funding to school authorities to develop and implement special education programming for ECS children and students in grades 1 to 12. "Special Education Coding Criteria 2009/2010" outlines criteria within specific categories to help school authorities identify those children and students…

This study explored parents' views of the educational experience of children with Individual Education Plans. The research goal was to determine how parents are meaningfully involved and engaged in the development and monitoring of education programs for their children. The primary data source for the study was 31 interviews with parents, analysed…

This volume is the third in a series (developed in response to a needs assessment survey of special educators in Alberta, Canada) providing practical suggestions about instructional strategies, classroom management, preparing individual program plans, and understanding special needs. This volume presents a process for development of Individualized…

An elementary principal discusses his own son's learning disabilities and explains how schools can engage parents in setting special needs students' individualized education programs. As a parent, he went through four stages: separation anxiety, role confusion, concern about the future, and partnerships with teachers. Educators must recognize each…

This study described the meaning 7 mothers of children with spina bifida ascribed to their children's physical education, the mothers' roles in the schools, and the importance of the IEP in home and school communication. The stories of 4 mothers of elementary and 3 mothers of secondary aged children were gathered using the phenomenological methods…

This guide for French speakers describes the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process in Alberta, Canada. Different sections address: (1) components of the IEP; (2) when an IEP is necessary; (3) the process of developing the IEP (includes a flowchart); (4) how evaluation information is collected through the student, parents, professionals,…

The 2007/2008 Parents of Children with Severe Special Needs Survey is conducted to obtain opinions from parents of children with severe special needs to assess their satisfaction with key areas of the education system. A random sample of 816 parents of children with severe special needs completed the survey. Severe special needs descriptions…

This report discusses the outcomes of a 1996-1997 review that investigated the current role of Learning Assistance Services in the delivery of special education support services to students in 115 British Columbia public schools and the students who receive these services. Learning Assistance Services are described as school-based, non-categorical…

This article describes policy provisions supporting educational services for children with disabilities in British Columbia. It presents an overview of present policy and reviews the efficacy of current practice, particularly in the area of human resources, financial resources, early intervention, Individualized Education Programs, and parental…

This guide provides information to assist in developing and monitoring programming for students with learning disabilities. It focuses on key components of programming based on research and best practices. Expected outcomes of implementing the suggested strategies are described for each key component. The guide stresses that these key components…

This guide for parents of children with disabilities in Alberta (Canada) focuses on the role of the parent on the educational team. Part 1 describes the rights of parents, the responsibilities of parents, and where parents can go for information and help. Part 2 discusses schools as partners, including information for parents on how to procure…

The purpose of this document is to identify the essential components of appropriate programming that are mandated by Alberta Education for students with special education needs, to provide examples of effective practices, to establish a common understanding of the terminology associated with this specialized field, and to clarify the meaning of…