The research synthesis presented here reviewed the currently available evidence on the effectiveness of parent-implemented interventions and family-centered service delivery approaches in early intervention, early childhood special education, and kindergarten through grade three (EI/ECSE [early childhood special education]/K-3). The search for…

Background: Youth with disabilities who have at least one paid work experience during high school are more than twice as likely to be employed after high school. However, barriers exist that limit work opportunities for youth with disabilities and subsequent entry to work as part of their adult lives. Objective: The study identified secondary…

Although parent involvement is required by special education law and is important for all students, the literature synthesizing studies on parent involvement has focused on the general education parent population, often without addressing students with disabilities. The purpose of this review was to descriptively synthesize the literature on…

To provide a missing piece to the legal foundation of professional development and practice for the individualized education program (IEP) process, the authors report the results of a comprehensive systematic analysis of court decisions specific to IEP-related procedural violations after the 2004 amendments of the Individuals With Disabilities…

Parents who are knowledgeable of special education are more likely to engage in their child's education. Parents seek information about special education from a number of sources including State Departments of Education (SDEs). However, little is known about the web-based special education resources SDEs provide to parents. We sought to address…

This article reviews the causes of underachievement in gifted students and discusses two successful intervention programs, a secondary program with individualized goals to meet the needs and interests of the students, and an elementary program which focused on active parental support and the services of a psychologist. Case studies of…

This article provides a practitioner-friendly synthesis of existing literature on family involvement in the management of dysphagia for school-age. Research reviewed includes family perspectives on programs, therapists, and characteristics that comprise effective family involvement in school-based dysphagia management programs. Also included are…

The author looks at problems involving parents of handicapped children in the educational decision making process and suggests areas of needed research. Mediation is suggested as a means to keep parents involved in decision making and to reduce the adversarial and costly nature of due process hearings. (SB)

The article considers such issues as the individualized education plan, due process procedures, the least restrictive environment, parent participation, annual reviews, and allocation of federal support. Recent setbacks caused by cutbacks at the California and national level are cited as a result of more recent state and federal rulings. (SB)

The authors define the individualized educational program (IEP) provision of PL 94-142 and the roles and responsibilities of the participants in the IEP process. Studies of concerns and potential problems with the IEP are briefly reviewed. (SJL)

The paper analyzes issues in bilingual special education and identifies knowledge gaps in the provision of appropriate education to exceptional minority students. The legal bases of bilingual education and special education are reviewed and the intersection of legal issues in bilingual special education is noted. Definitions of the population are…

As its name implies, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 was full of promise for handicapped students and their parents. The authors examine the gap between the philosophy and the reality of six promises made in P.L. 94-142. (Part of a theme issue on mainstreaming.) (Editor/SJL)

This article discusses the concept of professional/parent partnerships and the legal, attitudinal, and logistical barriers to providing an appropriate education for many gifted learners. A parent describes her role as an instructional partner in the development of an individualized program for her gifted child. (Contains references.) (CR)

This paper reviews the literature on the implementation of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process, using a framework based on phases of evolution of the IEP process. It identifies issues such as the importance of training for all IEP process participants, especially parents and regular teachers, and the development of team decision…

In the second of a five part study on least restrictive environment (LRE) placement for handicapped students, results from onsite observations of 134 local placement team meetings concerning 96 cases are examined. Sampling procedures used to determine cases in the five states are reviewed, as are the observation form and data collection…