Developed from the experiences of a fifth-grade inclusion project, a checklist is presented for successful implementation of inclusion programs. The checklist includes factors that educators should consider as they plan and implement inclusive classrooms and is divided into six sections, beginning with information about preparing for inclusion.…

This article describes how to develop a "job club" for students with disabilities, to assist them with the transition from school to work. The ability of job clubs to teach goal setting, self-determination skills, and interpersonal competence is discussed. Step-by-step instructions are included as well as a sample meeting agenda. (CR)

This article describes the one-week "rotational internship" program developed by the University of Washington and intended for practicing teachers, teaching assistants, and other early childhood program staff. It explains how the internship functions and illustrates how this approach can be merged with ongoing inservice activities.…

A program in which 12 seventh- and eighth-grade students with learning disabilities and/or culturally diverse backgrounds participated with nondisabled peers in service learning is described. The students improved their social skills and self-esteem through community service with younger students and senior citizens. The article offers a rationale…

The Family Support Services program of the Washtenaw Intermediate School District in Michigan encourages active collaboration between parents of children with special needs and professionals. This article addresses the history and philosophy of parent involvement; a district survey of family needs which identified information as the highest ranked…

This article addresses program planning for successful inclusion of students with mild disabilities in rural schools. It discusses preplanning with staff and peers, developing a communication system, structuring collaborative planning time, dealing with resistant teachers, gaining administrative support, involving parents, designing a grading…

This business/school partnership program uses adult volunteers from a local business to facilitate the personal and emotional development of students at high risk of dropping out of school. After a 30-minute training session, volunteers eat lunch with an assigned student partner once a week for 14 weeks. Benefits of the program are seen for both…

This article describes the Laptop Computer Initiative (LCI), a program in a Delaware school district to enhance referral-to-placement practices and to develop individualized education programs for special education students. The six steps in the program's development are recounted and positive results of the LCI, such as increased staff efficiency…

Steps for effective coteaching by special education and regular education teachers are identified. Examples of coteaching in elementary and junior high schools are given. The need for communication between teachers is emphasized as the key ingredient to successful coteaching. (CR)

This article describes a points-and-levels system to improve behavior of students with learning and behavioral disabilities in an upper-elementary special education setting. The four levels each involved specified responsibilities and privileges and students earned specified numbers of points to qualify for a "successful day" and eventual…

Despite many barriers, a group of Oregon educators began to discuss ideas about how they could provide information that would build skills to improve the entry and success rate for high school students with disabilities in postsecondary education. These educators included high school, community college, and university staff. The Postsecondary…

This article describes how educational professionals, community members, students and parents in Jessamine County, Kentucky, worked together to help students with moderate and severe disabilities transition after high school graduation. It discusses how elective coursework was successfully combined with functional, community-based, education…

This article describes a school-wide violence prevention program at one Oregon middle school. The school implemented the Second Step curriculum, which teaches students nonviolent alternatives to address conflict and concepts of empathy, impulse control, problem solving, and anger management. The process used to select, implement, and evaluate the…

This article describes Technology Option for At-Risk Readers (TOARR), a program that uses technology to help students with reading difficulties. The program uses specialized reading software plus a host of motivating reading activities to encourage reading. Steps in developing the TOARR needs assessment and implementing the program are discussed.…

A step-by-step guide is presented for developing and implementing a social interaction intervention based on a study of an inclusive preschool program. Steps include developing a data collection system, selecting observation time, collecting baseline data, identifying target children, developing social interaction skills intervention, monitoring…