This ERIC digest provides highlights of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997 (P.L. 105-17). Changes to general provisions of the law are explained, as well as changes in other areas, such as outcomes and standards, evaluations and curriculum, procedural safeguards, discipline, early intervention, and teacher training…

This Digest summarizes requirements for individualized education programs (IEPs) under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as amended in 1997. In addition to specific information the IEP must contain, it notes that the amendments require IEP teams to consider the child's strengths, the parents' concerns, and the results of the…

This set of six videotapes provides a comprehensive guide to meetings to develop Individualized Education Programs (IEP) for students who are blind. The tapes include reenactments of IEP meetings, conferences with experts, and the views of a variety of participants. Emphasis is on requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act…

Designed for special and regular education teachers, principals, directors, and others, this text provides information on special education law and children with disabilities who are of public school age. It provides a conceptual foundation for the explosion over the past 25 years of federal laws affecting children with disabilities and is…

This paper discusses provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 (IDEA) and suggests strategies for maximizing existing resources in rural settings to meet the requirements of the law. The purposes of this paper are to: (1) discuss personnel preparation data relevant to ensuring that all individuals possess the necessary…

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 study evaluated the transition components of the individualized education programs (IEPs) of 94 high school students with disabilities between the ages of 18 and 21. Results indicated that although most of the transition components complied with mandates of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, they lacked many of the essential…

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 manuscript offers a general examination of special education in Ontario from its inception to the current system, including references to developments outside the province that have impacted its development. A brief summary of the historical milestones of special education is followed by a look at recent special education legislation. Details…

Data from the West Virginia Department of Education reveals that from September 1991 to January 1992, school districts reported 18,915 out-of-school suspensions involving 12,997 students. In 1995, the West Virginia State Legislature enacted the Safe Schools Act, which specifically mandates suspension for no less than 12 consecutive months for…

This issue of "Transition Summary" was developed to assist Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams in planning for successful transitions from high school into independent adulthood by students with disabilities. Definitions of transition services within federal law are first explored and legal implications for the IEP team are…

This guide for parents explains implications of the 1997 amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which requires the participation of students with disabilities in statewide and districtwide assessments, leading to greater accountability by the educational system for educational results for all students. The guide notes that…

This digest summarizes the reauthorized Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997 (IDEA 97) with emphasis on changes in the new law. First, it highlights principal changes in the law. These changes include participation of children and youth with disabilities in state and districtwide assessment programs; the way in which…

This resource manual provides guidelines for development, management, and evaluation of Florida school district programs for students with visual impairments. In each section rules are presented first and are in script type. General rules are followed by rules specific to programs for the visually impaired. Following the rules, recommended best…

This Digest discusses provisions in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that require functional behavioral assessments (FBAs) and behavioral intervention plans (BIPs) to be conducted prior to a change in placement or suspension for more than 10 days, based on inappropriate behaviors for students with disabilities. It presents…