The purpose of this study was to examine all states' participation guidelines for alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS) and to analyze these guidelines for common and contrasting themes. State alternate assessment participation guidelines were found for all 50 states. Participation guidelines were coded, and 12…

The operation of Medicaid, a joint federal-state program to fund medical services for disabled and indigent persons, over the last 20 years is reviewed with emphasis on evolving policies and practices in Massachusetts. Stressed is the trend toward integration of Medicaid clients into the medical care mainstream. (DB)

Examined how interest group struggles affect the formulation and implementation of a statewide long-term care system by using California's experience to illustrate the competition that can develop between senior citizens and disabled groups. (Author)

The mission of New York's Office of Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID) is to provide educational, vocational, and counseling services to people whose disabilities impose barriers to employment; to increase the access of all people with disabilities to the full range of services offered within the State…

Results of a cost-effectiveness analysis of early intervention services in Massachusetts indicate that for a given investment, children demonstrate different levels of improvement in adaptive behavior and child-mother interaction depending on the severity of their disability and the age of entry into intervention. (SLD)

This National Council on Disability (NCD) report defines or describes financial incentives affecting people with disabilities and presents research findings in key areas of people's lives, such as education and health care. It also describes selected state-level innovations affecting asset development and wealth accumulation. In addition, the…

Years of categorical funding have led to fragmented service delivery systems related to children and families. States have had to devise mechanisms to coordinate the variety of funding streams which finance the array of children's programs. Creation of a single focal point for children's policy at the national level is recommended. Attempts to…

This report describes states' eligibility policies for developmentally delayed and at-risk children, aged birth to 3 years to be served under Part H of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The report is based on policy analysis of 49 states' eligibility policy documents. Results indicated that the wording in states' definitions…

Excerpts are printed from the "Tenth Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of The Education of the Handicapped Act." Described are legislative goals, number of students served, emphasis on the least restrictive environment, assistance for state/local agencies in educating handicapped children, employment of the disabled, and…

The "support not supplant" theory of family support services is explained, and results of a national study of trends in family support are analyzed. Current efforts, state legislation, funding levels, respite services, financial assistance, and emerging issues are discussed. A directory of state family support programs is appended. (PB)

This guidebook is offered as a "road map" for parents who wish to be involved in shaping public policy regarding early intervention for children with disabilities, by participating in state or local Interagency Coordinating Councils (ICCs). Parents who are current or former members of state ICCs share their stories, learning, and…

This practical manual provides useful, concrete ideas and suggestions to help public libraries make libraries more accessible to persons with disabilities. Most suggestions are for persons who have difficulty with mobility. Reviews of pertinent laws and regulations are followed by concrete, step-by step suggestions for planning for accessibility,…

This hearing, held in Brooklyn, New York, on the reauthorization of the early intervention and preschool programs of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, addresses the at-risk factors that prevent school readiness of young children and seeks to ascertain the extent to which at-risk children have been identified and served. A statement…

This paper offers a conceptual and technical framework for examining alternative approaches for funding special education. The paper discusses fundamental policy questions that guide the selection of an appropriate funding approach, presents criteria for evaluating funding formulas, and analyzes alternative approaches for their fiscal and…

This report on Colorado's efforts to develop early intervention services for infants and toddlers with special needs and their families begins with a planning matrix displaying the program's philosophical base, methods, and system components. The report points out that the statewide service system should be designed to ensure access for all…