Stresses that music teachers must address the Individual Education Plans (IEPs) for each of the children with disabilities in order to have successful experiences with inclusion. Maintains that inclusion helps to change the attitudes about students with disabilities, promotes teamwork among teachers and staff, and enhances the education of all the…

Examines principles, procedures, and research of the British Special Education Needs (SEN) "Code of Practice" in the context of requirements for implementation of a revised code by 2002. Considers code administration, paperwork, Individualized Education Program requirements, assessment criteria, transition planning, parent role, and…

A survey of 26 secondary school special educational needs coordinators found that 21 felt that instead of writing Individual Education Plans (IEPs), it would be more efficient to describe flexible systems that were in place. Twenty-four believed time spent writing and administering the IEP would be better spent on direct pupil support. (Contains…

Traces an autistic boy's steps through the school day and examines the impact of the federal inclusion mandate on children with disabilities. States that the first step toward implementing inclusion properly is to improve the training of teachers, and that the goals and effectiveness of inclusion must be determined by each child's individual…

In December 2004, Congress reauthorized the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and in doing so, established the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) in the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). On July 1, 2005, NCSER began its operation and held its first set of research grant competitions, which included the…

A popular term in contemporary special education circles is "empowerment," but what does it actually mean to be an empowered individual? Although many definitions exist in the literature and include such terms such as self-determination and self-advocacy, at the core of empowerment is the understanding that an individual is truly empowered the…

The topic of how best to serve English language learners (ELLs) with disabilities is an important one. The total population of ELLs, including those with disabilities, is rapidly increasing in schools. ELLs with disabilities can be found in rural, suburban, and urban districts. Some of the challenges of appropriately instructing these students may…

As every school administrator knows, the IEP is an integral part of meeting the needs of students with disabilities (Wright & Wright, 1999). It is the primary device through which communication takes place among parents, students, administrators, teachers, and other related service personnel regarding how the school plans to meet the requirements…

This article discusses teaching social skills and assertiveness to students with disabilities. The National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) content standards for physical education emphasize teaching responsible personal and social behaviors to students of all abilities, to help them develop an understanding of and respect for…

Current research and legislation show a need for special education instruction to be more closely aligned with general education curriculum and develop strategies that support the development of self determination skills in students with disabilities. The present study embeds self-determination skills of writing annual goals and objectives in the…

This resource manual contains conceptual and practical information about Iowa's Individualized Education Program (IEP) process and document. The resource manual's aim is greater consistency and higher quality in the implementation of the IEP process across Iowa. The manual is organized around the Iowa IEP prototype form, which consists of 10 pages…

This resource guide provides a rationale for collaboration among social agencies and answers some of the questions about cooperation and collaboration between Head Start programs and local school districts. Steps in the process in developing interagency agreements are outlined to assist local education agencies and Head Start programs in…

This document, designed to support Arizona's special education state plan, establishes minimum standards for Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), provides a measurement tool for determining compliance with federal and state requirements, and establishes criteria for determining appropriate placement in the least restrictive environment. The…

This manual on curriculum adaptation for inclusive classrooms was developed as part of the PEERS (Providing Education for Everyone in Regular Schools) Project, a 5-year collaborative systems change project in California to facilitate the integration of students with severe disabilities previously at special centers into services at regular school…

This manual is designed to assist members of Michigan Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams to be in compliance with state and federal laws relating to programs and services for students with disabilities. It begins by briefly explaining changes in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act relating to the IEP and parent participation.…