There has been a recent initiative for students to be involved in their Individualized Education Plan [IEP]. The goal is for students to become self-advocates and learn to develop goals that pertain to their interests. The study examined this process of including students by addressing three questions. First, does student involvement in their IEP…

Parents of students with disabilities often receive support from special education advocates, who may be trained through a variety of programs. Using a web-based survey, this study examined the postgraduation advocacy activities of 83 graduates of one such volunteer advocacy training program. In the one to four years after program graduation,…

This article reviews the journey of special education in Spain by considering the legal frameworks. It examines the extent to which legislation has tapped into the feelings of society in general towards people with disabilities who wish to secure inclusion in both education and society. It tracks the evolution of legislation, originally based on a…

There is an established and still-growing evidence base that promoting self-determination has positive school and post-school benefits for students with disabilities, and yet efforts to do so remain sporadic, at best. This article examines the evidence that promoting self-determination is critically important for students with disabilities,…

Recent political, fiscal, and educational equity challenges require a renewed emphasis in our efforts to advocate for increased culturally and linguistically responsive education, making certain to further advance the accomplishments of the past four decades. The education of diverse exceptional learners is well established within the fields of…

Research across the board has focused predominately on postsecondary transition services as they occur, after students with disabilities have left high school and entered the postsecondary realm of education. There has yet to be a study to address the feasibility of combining the important early intervention strategies necessary for success within…

Background: Individuals with disabilities experience higher rates of abuse than the nondisabled. Few evidence-based prevention interventions have been published despite a need for such work. This study evaluated IMPACT:Ability, a safety and self-advocacy training for individuals with cognitive and/or physical disabilities. Methods: A…

The changes brought by the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) code of practice: 0 to 25 years, 2014, is an opportunity for educational psychologists (EPs) to reposition ourselves so that we can improve our contribution to the services for children and young people with special educational needs (SENs) or a disability. Underpinning…

The trend toward inclusive and interdisciplinary service delivery in early intervention and early childhood special education has propelled collaboration focused on aligning respective standards for personnel preparation across professional organizations (V. D. Stayton, 2015). Representing what a state deems to be the minimum parameters necessary…

Help all students reach their full potential. Make the right decisions! This unique book offers practical tools and strategies to help you become a strong advocate for every student in your school. With real world examples and situations, this book will help you: (1) Acquire skills to change your students' lives for the better--and also reach…

Special education teachers have a professional obligation to advocate for students with disabilities to ensure students receive a meaningful, individualized education. However, there are potential risks teachers may face when attempting to advocate. Given that effective strategies for advocacy are not always included in special education…

Early in 1992, Ruth Heitin embarked upon her career as a private special education consultant. As a special education advocate, she serves as an independent specialist, offering a second opinion on educational issues. In general, this type of advocate works for parents, either directly or through a nonprofit group, but their real clients are…

Previous research on the rewards found that teachers gain satisfaction in a sense of vocation, "making a difference", and the emotional rewards of "care" and "love", especially in whole-class teaching. The meaning of "making a difference" often remains unexplored however, and this article is an attempt to…

This is an oral interactive presentation supported by evidences that present the current status of inclusion of students with special needs in the Higher Education sector in the UAE. It looks at the related issues and challenges in a country that is certainly heading towards inclusion of all learners in regular education following the ratification…

Almost one in five pupils in England have been identified as having special educational needs and there are times when other children will also need some extra help and support with their learning. Many children with special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream schools do not make as much progress as they could. This is sometimes because of their…