In December 2004, Congress reauthorized the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and in doing so, established the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) in the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). On July 1, 2005, NCSER began its operation and held its first set of research grant competitions, which included the…

This book is just what many educators have been looking for: (1) A product that provides teachers with practical and sensible solutions for students' problems with inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity; (2) A resource for teachers, behavior specialists, psychologists, counselors, and administrators who must document interventions; (3) A tool…

This article profiles Amanda Valentin, a 22-year-old woman with cerebral palsy who is a quadriplegic and nonverbal, who uses assistive technology to improve her life. The author was Amanda's assistive technology specialist who trained her to utilize software and hardware efficiently. She describes the steps she took to ensure that the assistive…

A popular term in contemporary special education circles is "empowerment," but what does it actually mean to be an empowered individual? Although many definitions exist in the literature and include such terms such as self-determination and self-advocacy, at the core of empowerment is the understanding that an individual is truly empowered the…

The topic of how best to serve English language learners (ELLs) with disabilities is an important one. The total population of ELLs, including those with disabilities, is rapidly increasing in schools. ELLs with disabilities can be found in rural, suburban, and urban districts. Some of the challenges of appropriately instructing these students may…

As every school administrator knows, the IEP is an integral part of meeting the needs of students with disabilities (Wright & Wright, 1999). It is the primary device through which communication takes place among parents, students, administrators, teachers, and other related service personnel regarding how the school plans to meet the requirements…

This article discusses teaching social skills and assertiveness to students with disabilities. The National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) content standards for physical education emphasize teaching responsible personal and social behaviors to students of all abilities, to help them develop an understanding of and respect for…

This fact sheet describes provisions under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) that prohibit the discriminatory assignment of students with disabilities to segregated classes or facilities. In elementary and secondary schools, students with disabilities may be assigned to…

This summary on transition planning provides ideas and information on how students, families, school personnel, service providers, and others can work together to help students with a disability make a smooth transition after leaving high school. It focuses on creative transition planning and services that use all the resources that exist in…

This final report describes activities and achievements of a project that examined issues in development of coordinated services systems as encouraged by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) amendments of 1997. It identifies and discusses 27 coordinated services policy and implementation considerations within nine areas. Examples…

This document describes the Virginia Department of Correctional Education's (DCE) Transition Program, which assists juvenile offenders in making the transition from one school program to another. The student is moved from the community to a detention home school, then to the Department of Youth and Family Services Reception and Diagnostic Center,…

This paper describes the early childhood special educator's use of the Five P's (Parent/Professional Preschool Performance Profile), a new assessment tool by Judith Bloch, developed by the Variety Preschooler's Workshop (Syosset, New York) for use with children with emotional and developmental disorders functioning on a preschool level. The Five…

The booklet explains the features of the STAGE Program (System for Talent and Gifted Education) in Trinity County, California. The STAGE scope and sequence includes competencies for gifted students in grades K through 12 with a focus on developing thinking skills, creativity, productivity, and communication skills. Competencies are briefly…

The Bellingham, Washington, Public Schools K-8 Chapter 1 Reading Program attempts to develop an enthusiastic and growing interest in reading, and to help each child work toward his or her potential through effective reading. The program is described in terms of the following: (1) district information; (2) program and project information; (3) goals…

The problem of dropouts among special education students is summarized. After a brief overview of the problem, various studies are cited indicating a substantially higher incidence of dropping out of high school prior to program completion for handicapped than for non-handicapped students. Implications and recommendations for educational policy…