Concomitant with the increase in the number of paraprofessionals assisting students with disabilities is the emergence of legal issues pertaining to the need, selection, responsibilities, preparation, and supervision of those paraprofessionals. The purpose of this article is to provide a legal analysis of administrative and judicial decisions…

This "Packet of Information for Families" (PIF) was developed for parents whose children are identified as both gifted/ talented and on the autism spectrum, or twice-exceptional. Parents of twice-exceptional children often search for appropriate and challenging enrichment programs for their child, but the dearth of information available…

Involving state content standards in the development of individualized education programs (IEPs) for students with disabilities--a practice most often referred to as "standards-based IEPs"--is a growing area of interest in special education. The Access Center, a federally funded technical assistance resource, is dedicated to helping…

This article presents questions related to legal issues of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 2004 and the changes it has made with regard to local education agency (LEA) and the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process. The author's answers to these questions are presented. In answering the general question--to what…

This report discusses disciplining children with disabilities in schools, in the context of the legal requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Practical concepts are explained in terms of the school's responsibility to: (1) maintain a safe environment; (2) teach a code of discipline to all students; (3) use the…

This study examined the recording of special educational needs as required by the 1980 and 1981 Education Acts of Scotland, focusing on differing criteria for opening Records of Needs. The study conducted a national survey over 4 sample months of recording activity, interviewed key informants (usually a school's principal psychologist or education…

A 2-year study of 18 schools across Oregon was conducted to provide descriptive information about the effects of supported education on students with and without Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). Regular classroom teachers and their supporting special education staff volunteered to teach and score performance tasks in their supported…

This handbook for parents explains how Wisconsin schools must go about finding, evaluating, developing programs for, and placing children with exceptional educational needs (EEN). The first section covers identification of EEN children, including Child Find, screening, and referral. The next sections look at evaluation of children by a…

Related services include transportation and such developmental, corrective, and supportive services that enable a student with a disability to benefit from special education. Rural school districts have difficulty providing services comparable to those provided by urban districts. Special education directors of 11 of the 15 rural school districts…

This manual describes a Kansas program which is working toward full inclusion of students with deaf blindness through the MAPS approach (which stands for Making Action Plans or the McGill Action Planning System). An introduction stresses the value of integration and the focus of MAPS on the student's abilities and not his/her weaknesses. The MAPS…

The Early Recognition Intervention Network (ERIN) model provides a technology for observing special needs children, ages 2 to 7, and planning and implementing Individual Education Programs for them. The model is designed to work successfully whether the child is in a mainstream or a special setting, has mild or severe disabilities, comes from an…

This booklet provides an introduction to the special education process and supplies information about parents' rights and parents' role in obtaining services for children with disabilities in North Dakota. Section I discusses Public Law 94-142 and its amendments, focusing on eligibility for services and step-by-step procedures for determining…

This guide, intended for parents and families in Arkansas who have school-age children with disabilities, shows parents ways to work with schools to assure provision of needed technologies. The guide is divided into five sections, each using a question and answer format. After defining "assistive technology and services," the first…

This book provides teachers and other practitioners with a variety of procedures and materials to help students with disabilities become involved in their transition planning to the maximum extent possible. Chapters include: (1) "Student Involvement in Education Planning, Decision Making, and Instruction: An Idea Whose Time Has Arrived" (Michael…

This paper examines issues relating to suspension and expulsion of students with disabilities in Iowa and presents procedures and best practices which satisfy legal requirements and are based on judicial rulings. The following issues are considered concerning suspension: suspension of a special education student for more than 10 consecutive school…