Academic success methods belong to the philosophy and practice of good schooling, and have been under continuous revision as the needs of society have changed. The revisions are also due to inefficient usage, dated information, and lack of results. Seven current academic success methods are inclusive schooling, differentiated instruction,…

The public education of students with disabilities in the United States is governed by federal policies that promote school improvement, protect students from discrimination, and provide those who need it with special education and related services to meet their individual needs. This article explains the legal aspects of teaching students with…

One of the important tasks of supervisors and educators in the human service fields is to provide their fieldwork students with models of appropriate ethical behavior and decision-making. The ethical training that educators provide to students in the helping professions will greatly influence how prepared students feel to navigate through…

With the growing use of technology in today's schools, electronic IEP programs are being adopted by many school districts around the nation as part of special education service delivery. These programs provide a useful technology that can facilitate compliance with IDEA requirements in IEP development while concurrently lessening teacher paperwork…

Parent/teacher relationships are fraught with potential for perilous misunderstandings amid what often are construed as conflicting interests. Perhaps that is nowhere more true than in parent/teacher relationships regarding children with disabilities. The authors report on a program at St. John Fisher College where teams of preservice teachers…

Many authors in the self-determination literature purport that students must be given every opportunity to be part of decision-making that impacts on their lives. Students with high support needs are often not afforded this opportunity. This article describes a student-centred educational planning strategy called the 3EPlan. The 3 E's of the…

Most schools have crisis plans to support student safety, but few plans address the complex needs of students with disabilities. School supports should include analysis of school plans and student strengths and needs to ensure that students with disabilities have the best opportunity to be safe in school crises. Recommendations include developing…

This article highlights three significant advances in schoolwide inclusive school reform and suggests three next steps to improve educational outcomes for "all" students, particularly for students for whom typical instruction is not effective. Significant advances are as follows: (a) a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) with embedded…

A nationwide discussion that is currently taking place related to student loan debt; a number of presidential candidates are discussing ideas for student loan forgiveness. Some states have offered free community college as a possible solution. Free community college would allow students to save money for two years before transferring to a…

This National Head Start Services Snapshot summarizes key data on demographics and services for preschool-age children served by Head Start programs. The data in this Snapshot is a subset of the annual Program Information Report (PIR) submission to the Office of Head Start. Data categories include: (1) Funded Enrollment; (2) Funded Enrollment by…

Students in recreation programs are often introduced to laws that apply to therapeutic or community recreation services. Several of these laws have to do with policy regarding people who experience a disability. One important law is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). In order for students to better understand the law and its…

Since 2004, U.S. states have collected information from former students with disabilities about their employment and further education activities in the first year after leaving high school. About one year after they leave school, young adults who had Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) are asked some very important questions: Are they…

From August 2009 to January 2010, fourteen educational leaders in B.C.'s School district #64 chose to participate in an individualized educational leadership coaching initiative. These participants were coached to develop and focus on specific goals and objectives of their own choosing, often related to school goals or, in some cases, personal…

Most students with disabilities participate in state assessments with or without accommodations [based on each student's Individualized Education Program (IEP)]. A small number of students with the most severe or profound intellectual disabilities participate in an alternate assessment based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS). Until…

A number of initiatives in special education have occurred in the United States over the years, some mandated by amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Having a working knowledge of these initiatives allows music educators to have informed discussions with colleagues and parents and participate more fully in Individualized…