Can spiraling special education costs explain why educational achievement remained stagnant over the past three decades while real education spending more than doubled? Policy makers, education researchers, and school district officials often make this claim. Special education students--goes the argument--are draining resources away from regular…

The guide describes Project IMPACT (Implementing Mainstreaming Programs through Active Cooperative Training), an approach involving teachers, parents, and support personnel in Mainstreaming Planning Committees (MPCs) to consider general issues and procedures. Based on experiences over a 2-year period (September 1, 1979-February 28, 1982) of pilot…

Child care programs serving children with disabilities should balance high quality care for children, affordable fees to parents, and fair wages for staff. A chart detailing child-to-staff ratios in day care centers and number of children allowed in family day care by state is included. (DB)

Rising energy costs and staff reductions pose problems for those who direct aquatic programs for the disabled. At the same time, aquatics programs for the disabled are increasing in number, broadening in scope, and offering new opportunities for research and development of materials. (PP)

Intended for use by education, health, and child care specialists, the manual describes the development of an interdisciplinary community-based screening program for infants and toddlers. Part I examines four basic planning considerations: needs assessment, personnel, instrumentation, and parents' needs. Part II focuses on aspects of program…

A study was conducted to develop a comprehensive program costing model for vocational education. This model produced a comparison between the cost of operating a given vocational program and the average aggregate cost of operating all basic education programs. The model is applicable for both the secondary and postsecondary level programs and can…

Describes a report on New Mexico's public school services for three- and four-year-old handicapped children, focusing on features of special interest to rural educators. Topics are curriculum selection, program models, and program delivery system alternatives. (JHZ)

Few studies have addressed the effects of teacher education generally, no less the specific program elements necessary to prepare competent and caring teachers. As a result, to address teacher shortages in science, mathematics, and special education, alternatives to traditional preparation have been proposed, and their development has proceeded…

The 1988-89 annual report presents fourth year activities and findings of 17 longitudinal studies (begun in 1986) on the effects and costs of early intervention with handicapped children. Major activities of this year focused on management of individual studies, recruitment of sites, and development of procedural refinements. For each of the…

This paper provides a national perspective on special education finance and related reform issues and proposals, with emphasis on those of particular relevance for the state of New York. It also looks specifically at the current New York funding system as it pertains to students with disabilities and concludes with several observations. First, the…

Six papers prepared for presentations at the 10th Mary E. Switzer Memorial Seminar focus on topics related to transition from school to work and independence for disabled youth. Each paper concludes with excerpts of reviews and comments, followed by recommendations which are presented to further stimulate thinking, discussion, and action. The…

"Success for All" is described as a program in which instructional services are relentlessly applied until all children with disabilities succeed. The program's goal is to prevent learning deficits from developing in the first place and to intervene early and intensively when they do occur. Costs of the program are briefly discussed.…

This report presents final (fifth year) results of 17 longitudinal studies on the costs and effects of providing alternative types of early intervention services to handicapped children. Part I summarizes activities undertaken by the project and outlines the contextual, theoretical, and historical factors underlying the conceptualization, design,…

A questionnaire was designed to solicit Canadian provincial/territorial information on the costs of special education and the funding mechanisms used. Provincial and territorial representatives were also asked their opinions concerning recent and future trends in special education and the resulting impact on costs. In this resulting report, each…

Narrative descriptions of activities in 10 areas of Project FAITH (Family Assistance for Infants and Toddlers with Handicaps) and results of the 1977-1978 project year evaluation are presented. Cost figures, strategy activities, significant findings, recommendations, personnel responsible, product development information, and continuation plans…