The implementation of a transition model, the flexible integration model, was investigated in a school in Sydney, Australia, using an exploratory single case study design (Rowley, 2002). It is a person-centred model designed to assist students in transitioning from a special school for students with emotional and behavioural disabilities to…

The increasing number of children on the autism spectrum entering mainstream schools requires classroom teachers with the knowledge and skills to create supportive and inclusive environments in which these students can thrive. This paper reports the perspectives offered by 33 teachers who volunteered to trial an Early Years Model of Practice…

Australian mainstream school teachers report a severe shortage of accessible autism-focused resources, strategies, and professional development (PD). This 2-part mixed methods study investigated the effect of using a web-based model of practice (MoP) for PD. The MoP contains evidence-based, autism-specific educational practices and resources…

In a world of ever-changing educational trends, it is essential for educators to provide a continuum of services to meet the needs of all students. Therefore, employing an inclusive structure or environment is imperative to the implementation of Special Education laws, according to Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Every Student…

If classroom teachers are among the greatest determinant of student learning, then teacher preparation programs have a role to play improving educational outcomes for struggling learners. There are currently three established teacher preparation program models: (1) "discrete"; (2) "integrated"; and (3) "merged." In the "discrete" model, which is…

Dr. Stephen R. Pickard is currently serving as an adjunct professor at Gardner-Webb University located in Boiling Springs North Carolina. He is a retired educator having served 21 years as a classroom teacher at both the middle and elementary levels. In addition to his service as a classroom teacher, Dr. Pickard served as a public school…

The paper describes a 5-year longitudinal study of a Texas school district's implementation of an individualized mainstream special education program. "Plan A" program activities and outcomes are reported for five phases (sample subtopics in parentheses): initiation in one high school, one junior high school and eight elementary schools…

The paper is a product of the 3-year project, "Functional Mainstreaming for Success," designed to develop a model for instructional mainstreaming of handicapped children (3-6 years old) in community settings. The paper reviews the literature defining "mainstreaming," notes that mainstreaming is not the wholesale return of exceptional students from…

This directory offers a sampling of 74 programs that offer alternatives to traditional special education models for children with disabilities and at-risk children. The programs are classified into nine broad categories of program designs and emphases: (1) alternative curriculum/instructional strategies; (2) instructional management systems; (3)…

The Inclusive Education Project was a collaborative demonstration project between the Division of Special Education and Rehabilitation at Syracuse University and the Syracuse City School District, in New York. It was designed to meet special problems of children with severe handicaps in regular education settings. Project goals included: (1)…

The report describes the first 3 years of the Homecoming Project, which was designed to return disabled students in regional special education programs to regular classes in 26 local Vermont schools. Fifty-eight such students (of whom 45% were moderately or severely handicapped) were transitioned into regular classes and 19 other students at risk…

The document on program design and development, is the second book in a multimedia program, "Educating the Gifted and Talented," a series designed to provide background information, supplementary materials, workshop activities, and discussion questions for individuals and teachers working with or preparing to work with gifted students. Chapter 1…

Project STIP (Supported Transition to Integrated Preschools) implemented a teacher consulting model to increase integration opportunities for preschool children with disabilities being served in self-contained public school classrooms. Parents and preschool regular educators evaluated the model positively and indicated that collaboration with the…

The Vocational Education to Work model is a system of communication and support between vocational and special educators, designed to train students with disabilities in mainstreamed vocational education. The model's four sequential components include active recruitment, guided placement, continuing support, and job placement followup.…

The article describes a databased approach to cooperative planning with learning disabled students. The conditions for establishing a working relationship for planning are discussed; steps in conducting a curriculum based assessment are outlined; and a framework for instructional planning is presented; and features of ongoing monitoring and…