This study aimed to shed light on the attributes of parents who advocate fiercely for inclusion and how these attributes impact education placement. Questions guiding this study were: What are the distinctive attributes of parents of children with multiple support needs that equip them to advocate for inclusive education settings? How do parents…

The purpose of this study was to examine how communication between Latino parents and special education teachers influenced collaboration and involvement in the development of the Individualized Education Program in Southern California. The study used Ogbu's (1992) cultural ecological theory and Epstein's (1995) six steps types of parental…

This study explored the experiences of Head Start parents who were becoming involved in their pre-school-age children's Individualized Education Program (IEP) process. Seven participants from the rural Midwest engaged in focus group (n = 2) or interview (n = 1) format discussions regarding barriers to involvement in the IEP process and…

Family involvement is an essential component of the special education process for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). In addition to the legal requirement that parents should be equal partners in the decision-making of the student's individualized education program (IEP) program (IDEA, 2004), a bulk of empirical research…

This study examined the relational factors influencing school engagement for parents of high school youth with emotional/behavioral disorders. Fourteen parents of high school students (12 mothers, two fathers) who received special education services participated in semistructured interviews. Formal qualitative analyses of audiotaped phone…

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex group of disorders that present numerous challenges within the inclusive classroom setting. This book provides guidelines for meeting the level 1 support needs of the child with ASD in your class, from elementary to high school. Specifically, the guide contains information on: (1) Understanding common…

The Individual Education Plan (IEP) process plays a vital role in the instructional process of the individual with ELN (exceptional leaning needs). The IEP process helps to level the playing field for students with ELN against those students that do not have diagnosed learning problems. From the parents to the students to the IEP staff, they all…

The purpose of this guide is to help educators understand and be able to respond effectively to the needs of children with Asperger Syndrome in an inclusive classroom setting. This guide is meant to orient educators to the challenges and skills of students with Asperger Syndrome and outline strategies that can be easily implemented to meet their…

The manual is designed to provide educators, parents, and severely handicapped students in Santa Clara County (California) with a guide to a 4-year transition process. The process has four components: transition foundation (basic skill development from birth to age 21), transition process (planning and implementation of training and other services…

This guide for North Dakota parents provides an overview of the special education process and the rights of students with disabilities and their families. Section 1, "The Special Education Process," provides answers to questions on the following topics that parents might have about the special education process: special education…

The overall purpose of this Report is to present the findings of the "National Dispute Resolution Use and Effectiveness Study" conducted by the National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE), under subcontract with Consortium for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education (CADRE), regarding the use and…

A survey was sent to 1,153 Indiana special education teachers, special education directors, principals, and parents, and 447 usable responses were received. The purpose of the survey was to describe and assess current service delivery systems within Indiana for children with severe handicaps. Part One of the survey gathered data on: the types of…

This handbook provides guidelines to assist North Dakota educators who are developing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for students with disabilities. It is presented in four sections. The first section highlights the major changes brought about by the 1997 amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), including…

This practicum, which sought to improve parents' involvement in the development of educational goals for their children with disabilities, had three objectives: improved attendance by parents at Individual Education Plan (IEP) conferences, increased parent participation in the decision-making process during IEP development, and enhanced parent…

One of a series of materials developed by Project APT (Administrators, Parents, and Teachers/Assessment, Programing, and Training), a program designed to foster home/school coordination in educational planning and program implementation for severely mentally retarded and/or multiply handicapped students; the booklet provides five screening tools…