At the 2011 Office of Special Education Leadership Mega Conference in Crystal City, VA, demographer Jim Johnson, of the Frank Hawkins Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise and the University of North Carolina, discussed the changing demographics of the US, coining one of his six observations on the changes ahead as the "silver tsunami…

Students with disabilities have traditionally achieved to a lesser degree than have their nondisabled peers. Since the 1950s the federal government has enacted laws to provide free, appropriate public education to students with disabilities. In the first decade of the 21st; Century the government has produced legislation requiring schools to be…

Profiles three program awards for exemplary rural special education practices. Describes an Arizona program that allows teachers to pursue advanced training without quitting their jobs, an Idaho program of work experience and transitional services for special education students, and a Virginia program for normalization of students labeled…

With the heightened emphasis of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 on inclusion in the general curriculum and meeting the associated standards, assistive technology (AT) has become a necessary consideration to ensure a free appropriate public education and to promote education in the least restrictive environment…

The program development guide describes the Fairfax County (Virginia) Noncategorical Early Childhood Program (NECP) which serves approximately 75 mildly and moderately handicapped children from 2 to 8 years of age with either a preschool home resource program, a class based preschool program, or a class based primary program. The guide is designed…

The final report of Project TRAIN describes a 3-year collaborative project of Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia State Department of Education to provide special education inservice training for regular classroom teachers serving secondary level mildly handicapped youth. The project: (1) developed adaptive instructional training…

This issue of the quarterly publication focuses on Achieving Secondary Education and Transition Results for Students with Disabilities. Editorial introduction notes that today's educational systems are being called upon to re-examine how they prepare students with disabilities for adult life. The shift toward greater participation by students with…

This final report describes the Systematic Integrated Preschool Education Model (SIPE) project, which established classrooms to demonstrate an inclusion model for serving preschool children with severe disabilities. A total of 33 preschool children with identified developmental disabilities and their families in three Virginia school districts…

A staff development model on the topic of mainstreaming was designed around three components: workshops, technical assistance, and program visitations. Evaluation data collected from each component indicated that feedback from the staff concerning the work of consultants needs to be shared with the principal. (JN)

Analysis of responses of Virginia educators (n=788) to a survey concerning increased integration of students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) found limited program change-related guidelines or category-specific outcome-monitoring measures. Doubts about the ability and willingness of general education teachers to make instructional changes…

This paper examines research and literature related to the education of Virginia students who are deaf or hearing impaired, blind or visually impaired, or multihandicapped. The paper discusses legal considerations such as least restrictive environment and other variables required to be considered when determining appropriate service delivery…

This final report focused on research questions associated with reducing the segregation of students with learning disabilities (LD) in Virginia. A survey of special education supervisors, general education supervisors, building principals, general elementary and secondary education teachers, LD teachers, students with LD, and parents was…

Assistive technology is equipment that improves the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities. Using assistive technology, children discover they have control over their environment and develop a sense of competence and independence. As special education enrollments increase, more students are using assistive technology, but many…