The identification of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) occurs in educational and health settings. Many children with autism will only receive a classification of autism in the educational setting (Esler et al., 2022, Pettygrove et al., 2013, Wiggins et al., 2020). There is significant overlap between the early intervention offered to children with…

Educational professionals (e.g., special educators, general educators, administrators, related service providers) play an important role in promoting engagement with parents during the development of individualized education programs (IEPs). For this study, we conducted semi-structured interviews to evaluate parents' (n = 16) perceptions of…

This study documented the experiences, challenges, and perspectives of special education teachers in New York State during the COVID-19 period of remote instruction in the spring of 2020 and during the 2020-21 school year. An invitation to complete an online survey about their experiences was sent to a random sample of special education teachers.…

This booklet has been developed in hopes that it may aid in keeping communication open and focused between families and schools. Building communication between parents and the school staff through letters offers a way of keeping records of ideas, concerns, and suggestions. This booklet provides general guidelines to writing letters as well as…

In light of COVID-19, school divisions across the country closed their doors and shifted to remote instruction. In Virginia, little guidance was provided to assist educators and teacher educators with making this transition, particularly for students with individualized education programs (IEPs). In May of 2020, researchers surveyed Virginia…

The Division for Early Childhood (DEC) lists 11 recommended practices for assessment, including "Practitioners report assessment results so they are understandable and useful to families" (DEC, 2014, p. 8). This article examines high-impact practices designed to make meaningful and understandable assessment reports to facilitate…

This booklet has been developed in hopes that it may aid in keeping communication open and focused between families and schools. Building communication between parents and the school staff through letters offers a way of keeping records of ideas, concerns, and suggestions. This booklet provides general guidelines to writing letters as well as…

Educators and employers are working together to promote students diagnosed with autism by developing skills related to the STEM fields. Students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are showing high levels of interest in STEM fields. This paper will review STEM and ASD literature and offer methods for improving student access to…

Educational reform is constantly changing the ways teachers teach their students according to mandated reforms. Some teachers are in favor of reform and embrace it fully; some do not. Some reforms in education improve teaching and learning; some do not. Presently, there is a desperate need for reform in the area of special education concerning…

In spite of theoretical validation and legal mandates in special education for parent participation, many studies have indicated that parents' roles in the Individualized Education Programs (IEP) process are still not noticeable and influential and that too often they are not being treated as an equal partner with school professionals. In…

The significant increase in the numbers of students with autism combined with the need for better trained teachers (National Research Council, 2001) call for research on the effectiveness of alternative methods, such as consultation, that have the potential to improve service delivery. Data from 2 randomized controlled single-blind trials indicate…

The key to a well-written, well-reasoned Individualized Education Program (IEP) is clearly identifying and writing measurable goals and objectives. The single most important part of that process is identifying and understanding a student's needs. This essential first step is the best way to prepare for the search that will produce the most…

Children with autism present unique challenges related to communication, behavior, and social skills. Each child with an autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibits individual characteristics of the disorder. Early identification of autistic spectrum disorder has been shown to improve the child's benefit from educational interventions. There may be…

Supporting children and young people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an endeavour associated with both reward and challenge. There are teams of people across New Zealand who provide this support daily, without fanfare or display--it is simply what they do. In 2003 and 2004 nine such teams stepped up and out by taking part in the national…

Presents criteria that should be considered in the educational placement of a child with hearing impairments and in the development of the child's individualized education program (IEP), including consideration of communication and socio-emotional needs. A list of tests normed on students with deafness is included. (CR)