Forest Grove School District v. T.A. involved a student with learning disabilities, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and depression (T.A.) whose parents had moved him to a private academy for students with special needs without first consulting with his public school. In the past, the school district had found T.A. to be ineligible…

This journal provides 12 brief articles focused on open education. Topics explored include (1) open education and reading, (2) mainstreaming, (3) characteristics of an open teacher, (4) administration of an open concept school, (5) an existential methodology in the language arts, (6) social studies in open education, (7) open education in early…

Philosophy and practice in gifted education are reviewed, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive planning policy which takes into account the total experience of the gifted student and the need for a differentiated curriculum. Gifted education should include basic skills, general curriculum, talent development, and interpersonal relationships…

Mentally retarded individuals are often stigmatized and segregated, though constitutional guarantees in many countries promise them equality. Use of the U.S. court system to secure these guarantees, resulting in deinstitutionalization, individualization of services, and increased employment opportunities, is analyzed and contrasted with the…

This position paper proposes an expanded definition of transition, based on common components of early childhood and secondary perspectives. It advocates for a seamless model of transition service delivery for students with disabilities, including program planning, from birth through age 21. The model addresses curriculum, location of services,…

"Response-to-Intervention" (RTI) refers to a framework for providing support to struggling learners in the general education setting. To date, RTI models have focused primarily on reading intervention and typically utilize a three-tier approach. RTI models are designed to provide high-quality instruction using evidence-based best…

The authors present an approach to the assessment of learning disabilities based on a definition of significant enabling skills for school learning. Students' competence in information processing, language, and mathematics is assessed in 11 tests. By using the Assessment of Basic Competencies test, it is possible to determine a child's location in…

Individualized Education Programs (I.E.P.s), as specified by PL 94-142, attempt to guarantee that a person's past, present, and future needs are accounted for in their education. The author argues that persons responsible for I.E.P.s could profit from a developmental perspective. (MT)

Describes a model, based on the "levels of use" concept, for evaluating individualized education program (IEP) implementation under Public Law 94-142. The model includes three levels: awareness, implementation mechanics, and "evolution" or realization of goals. The model is applied to 30 IEPs in a Florida school district. (RW)

If chronological age appropriate and functional curricular content is to be developed, the basic components of an individualized education program (IEP) mandated by P.L. 94-142 (the Education for All Handicapped Children Act) must be supplemented, and instructionally defined for each severely handicapped adolescent or young adult student. (Author)

The article addresses issues in minimal competency testing for physically handicapped and learning disabled students. Adapting the competency test to the needs of the handicapped students, relating minimal standards to the individualized education program (IEP), and adopting different criteria for graduation are three options considered. (CL)

Presents a rationale for sex education for the handicapped and lists instructional concepts relating to sex education which the authors feel should be considered by those developing IEPs for handicapped students. (SJL)

This paper reports on a symposium of experts in child and family development and health care which met to discuss integrated systems of services. The symposium was part of the Carolina Policy Studies Program which is addressing policy implementation of Part H of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The paper notes IDEA's…

An article on graduate liberal studies (GLS) and descriptions of GLS programs are presented. In "The Concept of Graduate Liberal Studies," Allie M. Frazier considers GLS curricular offerings, characteristics of students pursuing these studies, and the future of GLS. GLS degree programs allow adults to pursue a liberal education, which is…

The paper discusses the expansion of the Individual Education Plan (IEP) to include home and community-based training activities by active two-party service contracting with handicapped students. Specific topics include a justification of homework, current status of the IEP process, current instructional problems, the viability of homework as a…