Models of support for students with disability and learning difficulties in mainstream classes in Australia rely extensively on teacher assistants (TAs). Current models, however, inadvertently perpetuate low expectations because providing TA support can be one of the most restrictive supports offered in a school [Giangreco, M. F. 2010a.…

Inclusion of students with disabilities when appropriate is an important goal of special education for students with special needs. Full inclusion, meaning no education for any child in a separate setting, is held to be desirable by some, and Italy is likely the nation with an education system most closely approximating full inclusion on the…

As the country quickly builds its efforts to enhance quality in early education and care classrooms, states are implementing Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) to recognize and improve the quality of programs. QRIS also provides technical support and increased financial benefits for participating programs to attain higher levels of…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and determine how special education teachers perceived the effectiveness and impact of NCLB and IDEA on the academic achievement of high school students with disabilities. The purpose of the "No Child Left Behind Act" (NCLB) and the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act" (IDEA)…

At the celebration of the 35th anniversary of P.L. 94-142 this year, significant national progress has been made in ensuring the civil rights and providing equal access to education for all children with disabilities. During the 2007-08 school year, "IDEA"-mandated programs and services were provided to more than 6 million children and…

This brief summarizes the findings of the larger study, "Just Learning: The Imperative to Transform Juvenile Justice Systems into Effective Educational Systems. A Study of Juvenile Justice Schools in the South and the Nation." With awareness growing that schools are disciplining and suspending minority students at alarming rates, the…

With awareness growing that schools are disciplining and suspending minority students at alarming rates, the report provides powerful evidence that young people placed in the juvenile justice system-predominately minority males incarcerated for minor offenses-are receiving a substandard education. The report, "Just Learning: The Imperative to…

If we truly believe in the heart of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act-individualization for children with disabilities, then we cannot align the goals of No Child Left Behind with it. This article addresses why school personnel today are struggling with the impossible task of trying to align IDEA and NCLB. It also addresses the…

This digest contains three articles which consider ways to enhance the effectiveness of special education programs. The first article offers guidelines for more fully including special education in the school community, in the context of broader educational reform and restructuring efforts. First the need for reform is addressed. Next, indicators…

The monograph summarizes findings of effective schools research, information on the characteristics of effective classrooms, and descriptions of the methodological and conceptual issues related to school improvement projects. The impact of the school effectiveness literature on classroom instruction is discussed, and implications for the…

This document reports on the background, purpose and proceedings of a policy forum entitled, "High Quality Inclusion Opportunities for Preschool-Age Children with Disabilities," held on December 13-15, 2004. Project Forum at the National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) convened this policy forum as part of its…