Historians of student activism have rarely focused on students with disabilities, while educational historians who study students with disabilities have focused on legal reforms, not activism. We present a philosophical argument for an inclusive definition of student activism that can take place within legal and bureaucratic processes in which…

Since 1975 active parent participation in all aspects of educational programming for students receiving special education services has been legally mandated, initially with the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (PL 94-142), then in 1990 with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (PL 102-119), and most recently with the…

Parents (N=229) of young children with handicaps in 10 states evaluated the Family Needs Survey, one instrument sometimes used to develop Individualized Family Service Plans. Overall, parents felt the survey to be useful in communicating useful information to professionals. The survey was equally acceptable to minority and low income parents.…

A questionnaire was designed to determine parent perceptions of and degree of satisfaction with the services provided by Philadelphia's Prescriptive Educational Approach to Children with Handicaps (Project PEACH). Project PEACH provided diagnostic, referral, and prescriptive educational services for preschool children. Five areas were covered by…

A national survey of parents (n=240) newly referred to Parent to Parent programs was conducted. These programs match an experienced parent of a special needs child in a one-to-one relationship with a newly referred parent. Newly referred parents preferred a wide range of supports, with the child's age and severity of disability affecting the need…

The available data suggest that both students and adults with disabilities sustain injuries and are victims of crimes at high levels. Despite these alarming data, several researchers have suggested that safety skills instruction has largely been ignored as a curricular domain. Further, although parents can serve a critical function in educational…

This qualitative study evaluated the belief systems and professional practice of program graduates of an early childhood special education teacher preparation program regarding collaboration with families of children with disabilities. Eleven graduates were interviewed over the course of a school year to identify perceived challenges to their…

Replicating the Appalachia Educational Laboratory's (AEL) experience-based career education (EBCE) model, this project had as its objectives increasing students' basic, career awareness, and life skills; developing in students awareness of their abilities, interests, and aptitudes; developing positive student, parent, and community attitudes;…

The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) funds schools located on 63 reservations in 23 states across the nation. Of the 183 schools, 59 are Bureau operated and 124 are tribally controlled. One-hundred and sixteen schools provide instructional programs, 55 provide instructional as well as boarding services and 12 peripheral dormitories provide only…

Evaluations of the three years of the Fond du Lac public school system experience-based career education (EBCE) project are described in this three-part report. The two major sections of each evaluation are assessments of the achievement of student outcome objectives and of process objectives based on data collected through the use of standardized…

This analysis examines the demographics of the special needs population in public and private schools in Oklahoma and estimates the impact on school enrollments providing tax credit funded scholarship grants for special needs students. The author and his colleagues develop a model that shows how the expenditures of Oklahoma's school districts vary…

Observation of 26 initial placement/individual education plan (IEP) conferences for elementary age learning-disabled children found minimal parent participation during the conferences, but parents reported, in postconference interviews, satisfaction with the conferences. Results are related to the intent of P.L. 94-142, the Education for All…

A Georgia survey during the 1988 Individualized Education Program (IEP) review process examined the educational needs of parents of handicapped children. Returned surveys (N=990) indicated parents felt needs for help with the following: motivating children; having children take responsibility; and developing learning activities to support school…

An integrated home/school program model for training parents of young handicapped children was evaluated by 26 participating mothers. Parents reported a high level of satisfaction with each of the components of the program, which included videotaped practice teaching sessions by the parent and coordination of home and school efforts. (CL)

The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) of the U.S. Department of Education is working to provide the information needed to improve the transition and postschool outcomes of secondary school students with disabilities, in part through the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2). The findings of this 10-year study generalize to…