Individual education plan (IEP) quality is a strong predictor of student outcomes and progress towards their goals. In the Republic of Ireland, unlike many other jurisdictions, IEPs are not compulsory, regulated or assessed. Therefore, the aim of our co-produced, mixed-methods study was to identify and understand the IEP priorities of the autistic…

Self-advocacy skills enable active student involvement in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) planning process. However, some students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) lack appropriate self-advocacy skills and may require specific instruction in how to prepare for and participate in their own IEP. Special educators may have…

Through teaching and research, the authors have seen the magnificent ways that Black people use language to connect people, families, and communities across the Black diaspora. When students come to school using African American English, they know that many of their relatives, friends, and neighbors speak like them. They may also know that many of…

Parents play a vital role in supporting children with learning disabilities, but little is known about their understanding of this diagnosis. The experiences of parents with the diagnostic process and the services their children receive post-diagnosis vary widely. Parents who participated in this study reported that they understand learning…

A transition-aged youth with an individualized education program has the right to free, appropriate public education that includes postsecondary transition planning and services. The documented transition supports need to meet both procedural and substantive requirements. While many court cases have included transition components, few have been…

This qualitative study examined the experiences of parents who sought inclusive education for their children with intellectual disabilities or extensive support needs. Data were collected from 33 participants in the form of narratives that emerged through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using a phenomenological methodology. Findings…

Although more than 1.38 million students receive accommodations and supports accorded by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, many teachers report not knowing about their responsibilities under Section 504. The purpose of this article is to educate teachers about Section 504. Specifically, teachers will learn about ways to evaluate and…

Although collaborating with families is essential to the success of students, especially those with disabilities (McConnell & Murawski, 2017; Yell & Bateman, 2020), it is a complicated relationship. It is a relationship bringing together people who care deeply about a child. These relationships can be emotional and include love,…

Self-determination is a dispositional characteristic, expressed when people act as causal agents in their lives. It develops throughout the life course, starting in early childhood. Causal Agency Theory defines three self-determined actions that lead to self-determination, which are (1) volitional action: including making conscious choices based…

For parents and teachers, Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings can be stressful. Worse, they can be ineffective--with parent, teacher, and student feeling that words were exchanged and passions ignited--without meaningful discussion, let alone effective development of or change in the student's educational program. One way to reduce the…

Physical education (PE) has long been neglected throughout the individualized education programme (IEP) process. Parents often feel unprepared to advocate for PE services within the IEP process. Aim: Thus, the purpose of this study was to outline the development of an advocacy checklist to help parents address PE within the IEP process and to…

Individualized education plans (IEPs) are to serve as a guideline for the supports and services a student with a disability needs to have access to the general education curriculum. State departments of education monitor the compliance of these programs within the public schools. This study found the materials that state departments use to inform…

How do special education-related professionals parenting children with disabilities experience the special education system? This qualitative exploratory study delves into the experiences of 25 mother-educators who are special education-related professionals navigating the special education system for their children with disabilities. Through…

As schools seek to bridge the cultural and linguistic gap between special educators and students at the intersections of learning and language, the case described in this article illustrates how educators can continue to apply one of the key tenets of special education, the strengths-based approach. The hegemony of English has become so pervasive…

This study examined the effectiveness of interventions used to increase the participation of adolescents with disabilities during individualized education program (IEP) meetings. A systematic literature review and meta-analysis were conducted to identify and synthesize the group-design experimental literature on this topic, as well as evaluate…