The article outlines guidelines for parents to understand their disabled children's individualized education programs. Implications and cautions needed for terminology, test scores, subtest interpretations, and classroom behaviors are examined. (CL)

The authors discuss the issue of increased record-keeping responsibilities which are the direct result of the individualized education process (IEP) as mandated by P.L. 94-142 (the Education for All Handicapped Children Act), and they describe one method of alleviating the burden of this paperwork through the use of computers. (SW)

Individualized Education Program meetings can improve the parent-professional partnership by careful consideration of such factors as meeting location, comfortable waiting areas, group process clarification, opportunities for parent input, telephone follow-up, and development of support groups. (CL)

The article offers activities and strategies that can be used prior to, during, and after the individualized education program conference to improve communication between the special educator and the parents of handicapped children. (CL)

The article examines the parent-teacher partnership, stressing the importance of both parent and teacher input. Five suggestions for involving parents of handicapped students in the Individualized Education Program meeting are offered and include asking parents before the meeting to think of short- and long-term goals for the child. (DB)