This digest summarizes information on the roles of the Federal Government, the family, and teachers in preparing young children with disabilities for school. Noted are relevant provisions of Public Law 99-457, the 1986 Amendments to the Education of the Handicapped Act (Part B), including development of Individualized Family Service Plans to aid…

The digest extends the concept of Individualized Education Programs (IEP) to gifted and talented children. IEPs are defined as written documents, developed and revised annually with input from parents, teachers, and where appropriate, the students themselves. IEP content includes a realistic assessment of current performance, reasonable…

This guide is designed to assist regular classroom teachers in helping the hearing impaired child to master the English language. It is noted that the hearing impaired population is not homogenous. Different factors involved in the decision to place a hearing impaired child in a regular classroom are considered. The types of language problems…

In a question-and-answer format, this single sheet outlines the rights of parents in the special education process, as provided by Public Law 94-142, including the right to a free appropriate public education for the child, to request a re-evaluation, to have the child tested in the child's primary language, and to participate in the development…

The paper provides a framework for a nonbiased placement system for students with suspected handicapping conditions. The suggested approach is designed to help school districts determine whether the appraisal system is contributing to the disproportionate placement of minority group students in special education classes. Nineteen steps in the…

The digest explores the rights as well as the responsibilities of parents of handicapped children in the special education process. Rights include a free appropriate public education, notification regarding evaluation or change in placement, informed consent, independent evaluation, review of all records, participation in the Individualized…

The document provides a collection of 33 previously published articles on implementing special education services in the least restrictive environment. Articles are divided into five sections (models for delivery of special education services in the least restrictive environment, training of professionals, individualized education programs,…

Fifteen fact sheets--two page overviews of issues in special education developed by the ERIC Clearinghouse on Handicapped and Gifted Children in 1981--are presented. The fact sheets address topics in a question and answer format and provide references as well as resources on each subject. The following titles are included, "The Administrator's…

Rural gifted programs should be developed by the consumers in rural communities and should focus on the needs and strengths of the community. The unique aspects of rural schools should be used to develop defensible community-based programs. General gifted education procedures, such as developing peer groups and psychologically secure environments,…