Communicative competence for people who use augmentative and alternative communication consists of four interrelated domains: linguistic, strategic, social, and operational. Ongoing assessment and progress monitoring within these domains are crucial to (a) providing information to teach targeted skills in a manner contextualized within the…

Roles of special education-related service professionals have changed since the passage of P.L. 94-142. Many children are spending a majority of their day in the general education classroom, however services can be delivered in a variety of settings ranging from the general education classroom to a one-on-one setting. Professionals deliver…

Educators and employers are working together to promote students diagnosed with autism by developing skills related to the STEM fields. Students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are showing high levels of interest in STEM fields. This paper will review STEM and ASD literature and offer methods for improving student access to…

This article offers a variety of strategies for pre-service and beginning teachers to utilize in order to create positive and effective relationships with families that are built on clear communication and trust. It is crucial for new and veteran teachers to understand the importance of successful communication with parents and families of…

Educational reform is constantly changing the ways teachers teach their students according to mandated reforms. Some teachers are in favor of reform and embrace it fully; some do not. Some reforms in education improve teaching and learning; some do not. Presently, there is a desperate need for reform in the area of special education concerning…

The purpose of this paper is to support school professionals in their work with parents as they meet IDEA (2004) requirements during IEP meetings. The authors share tools to help recognize when IDEA principles are violated and provide alternative responses that school professionals and parents can offer. Definitions and brief explanations of the…

Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA, 2004) mandates that each student with a disability has an individualized education program (IEP). The IEP serves as the curriculum roadmap for special education services. In order to generate a clear roadmap, full team communication is necessary. The purpose of this paper is to…

In spite of theoretical validation and legal mandates in special education for parent participation, many studies have indicated that parents' roles in the Individualized Education Programs (IEP) process are still not noticeable and influential and that too often they are not being treated as an equal partner with school professionals. In…

According to the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA), school systems must ensure that the individualized education program (IEP) team includes the parent of the child with a disability. Teachers often report the challenges of getting parents to attend IEP meetings often assuming parents' lack of interest with involvement…

Parents of children with disabilities usually receive little or no training in communication and partnership skills. These skills are very helpful in Individualized Education Program (IEP) planning. This guidebook offers parents of children with disabilities a variety of practical ideas to improve effective interaction between parents and school…

The key to a well-written, well-reasoned Individualized Education Program (IEP) is clearly identifying and writing measurable goals and objectives. The single most important part of that process is identifying and understanding a student's needs. This essential first step is the best way to prepare for the search that will produce the most…

Children with autism present unique challenges related to communication, behavior, and social skills. Each child with an autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibits individual characteristics of the disorder. Early identification of autistic spectrum disorder has been shown to improve the child's benefit from educational interventions. There may be…

A study evaluated the effectiveness of a residential program, based on the TEACCH model, in improving the program quality and adaptation of 32 adolescents and adults with autism and severe disabilities. Participants experienced an increase in structure and individualized programming in several areas, and the families were significantly more…

To help special education planning teams reach agreements, several State Education Agencies (SEAs) provide the option of facilitated Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings. The use of externally facilitated IEP meetings is growing nationally. When relationships between parents and schools are strained, facilitated meetings may be…

The article describes a pilot program to encourage independent communication in seven nonverbal children (ages 6-8) with orthopedic and/or neurological involvement or cerebral palsy. Transdisciplinary team members included the classroom teacher, speech clinician, instructional aide, computer resource person, occupational therapist, physical…