Discusses a conceptual model for understanding the participation of families from culturally diverse backgrounds in the Individualized Education Program/Individualized Family Service Plan process. Predisposing family factors, perceptions of disability, enabling factors, family-professional collaboration, and systemic support are explored, and…

Details delivery of Individual Education Program objectives to K-3 students with low-incidence disabilities. Presents data on which teachers were present in the classroom and who delivered the teaching opportunities, frequency of IEP instruction, and instructional context of the lesson. Discusses the low level of IEP-related instruction in terms…

The Hawai'i State Assessment is an annual testing program that measures student progress on Hawai'i's reading, writing, and mathematics standards. This handbook provides all Department of Education personnel at the school, complex area, and state levels with information about participation in the Hawai'i State Reading and Mathematics Assessment…

The purpose of this booklet is to introduce parents of students with disabilities to the "big ideas" contained in school improvement efforts under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and to provide them with the information they need to help ensure that their children…

When Congress passed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1997, it authorized an evaluation to track progress at the state and local levels on the legislative goals of IDEA. The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) commissioned a national longitudinal study, the Study of State and Local…

This textbook emphasizes practical guidelines and approaches that work with special students mainstreamed into regular classrooms. The background of the mainstream and inclusion movements and labeling practices is considered, along with specific exceptionalities and methods effective in teaching children who have learning disabilities, mental…

This booklet for parents of young children with special needs provides a variety of child-rearing suggestions as well as a listing of resources. After an introduction which defines special needs and summarizes basic principles, the following chapters address: (1) the family as the child's most important support; (2) the evaluation process; (3)…

This newsletter includes six articles related to the Regional Resource and Federal Centers for Special Education Network and its efforts in the area of standards and accountability. In "Teacher Training and Skills: Necessary Ingredients for Standards and Accountability," John Copenhaver discusses ways in which the Regional Resource and…

This paper provides the text of a Congressional presentation outlining the position of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) concerning reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The CEC believes that the fundamental rights and protections for children and their families, as well as the basic fiscal and…

Noting that Head Start has become the largest community-based preschool program providing services to children with disabilities, this guide is intended to build the skills of Head Start staff in effectively using the Individualized Education Program (IEP) to accommodate children with disabilities. Following an introductory section, the guide…

This book presents, in a question-and-answer format, a comprehensive guide to special education law, especially the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Following a table of questions and suggestions on using the book, individual chapters cover law on the following topics: (1) eligibility (e.g., under IDEA and other laws, specific…

This document was developed to provide a comprehensive, single source of information about the rights and responsibilities of parents of handicapped children and the resources available to them. The first section focuses on why parents should be involved in their children's education and lists seven major reasons for parental participation. The…

Intended for parents of Head Start children with special needs, this manual explains parental rights and the White Mountain Apache (Arizona) Head Start program for special needs children. Sections discuss and define: mainstreaming; special education; screening, testing, and diagnosis; the role of specialists (pediatrician, speech-language…

A special education teacher's views on the 10 years since enactment of P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, and thoughts about the future of special education are offered. Characteristics of the first years following P.L. 94-142 included an exuberant pioneer spirit among teachers, informal curricula, and lack of rigor in…

This booklet describes administrative rules (revised in 1984) regarding the delivery of special education services in Michigan. Presented in a question answer format, the guide explains current rules regarding: the Individualized Educational Planning Committee Process; Independent Educational Evaluation at public expense; vocational evaluation;…