This study examined two areas. First, the authors looked at whether secondary individualized education program (IEP) teams who used the "Transition Planning Inventory" (TPI) in conjunction with a structured IEP meeting that based discussions and decisions on TPI data as a planning intervention generated significantly more…

Too often, parents of children with disabilities come with negative expectations about the intentions of the teachers and administrators who are proposing an education plan for their son or daughter. In preparation, they arm themselves with advocates, lawyers, and a myriad of outside evaluations in preparation for the "battle" ahead. In…

Parents of children with disabilities usually receive little or no training in communication and partnership skills. These skills are very helpful in Individualized Education Program (IEP) planning. This guidebook offers parents of children with disabilities a variety of practical ideas to improve effective interaction between parents and school…

The author investigated the level of participation and experiences of 5 Chinese parents of children with disabilities in individualized education program (IEP) meetings through observations and interviews. Results of the study suggested that the Chinese parents were dissatisfied with 12 of 15 observed IEP meetings. The level of parental…

This study examined parent perceptions of the paraeducator's role. Observations of paraeducators and students with disabilities were conducted in inclusive classrooms. Some para-educators worked as general classroom assistants, while others worked one-on-one with students with special needs. Each parent of a child with special needs was shown…

This paper presents some suggestions parents should consider when planning their child's Individualized Education Program (IEP). Suggestions are organized according to these sections: (1) Before the IEP team meeting; (2) At the IEP team meeting; and (3) After the IEP team meeting.

IDEA is the nation's special education law. Under IDEA if a child is found to be a "child with a disability," he or she is eligible for special education and related services. If your child has a disability, under IDEA, a team of people will gather to talk about what special instruction and services your child needs. This team includes…