We acknowledge that some students with severe disabilities are not being taught in general education. We do not agree that inclusion in general education is inherently better, nor do we think it is always appropriate, and we provide some reasons that a full continuum of alternative placements is not only legally mandated but appropriate. We are…

Special education consists of specially designed services available for students with disabilities, and should be available across placements. Students with the most significant disabilities continue to be taught in restrictive settings, despite accumulating evidence suggesting their special education services can be delivered effectively in…

The number of youth with serious emotional disorders has increased tremendously; unfortunately, meeting the needs of such children has been a challenge. In an effort to deal with the challenging behaviour exhibited by children and youths, expensive out-of-home placements such as juvenile justice centres and clinical and psychiatric…

The manual discusses legal and procedural guidelines established by North Carolina regarding educational services for severely handicapped students. Covered in separate sections are the following topics (sample subtopics in parentheses): definition; placement procedures (referral, screening, school-based committee, assessment, placement, and exit…

Presented is a programed manual designed to instruct special educators in the development of individualized educational programs (IEPs) for students with exceptional needs. An introductory section covers the program description, objectives of the program, purpose and rationale, and information on how to use the program. Section II is an overview…

Fourteen sites attempting to integrate 245 severely handicapped students (aged 3-22) with non-handicapped children were examined. Trained observers recorded social interaction between handicapped and non-handicapped students, incorporating macroscopic and microscopic views. Adaptive behavior of each S was also measured, as was teacher and school…

The article summarizes the following factors identified in service provision for severely and multiply handicapped students: programmatic considerations; administrative considerations; service delivery models; assessment; educational placement; individual educational programs; and program documentation. (CL)

The individualized education programs (IEPs) of 22 students with severe disabilities were analyzed during students' placement in special classes and general education classes. No difference was found in the curriculum content of the IEPs written for students attending a special versus a general education class; however, IEP objectives' quality was…

Delivering appropriate education to severely handicapped students poses unique legal problems for schools. Legal issues involved in actual court cases are reviewed and show that concern over potential liability may be unwarranted if the following areas are understood: what is appropriate education and when is a teacher liable? (MD)

Arguing that only 13 percent of children with severe emotional disturbances are receiving adequate special education services in the least restrictive environment, this article presents strategies for parents to ensure appropriate responsiveness from placement and Individual Education Planning teams as well as advice regarding yearly reviews,…

A descriptive study reports on attitudes of 24 special day class teachers toward mainstreaming of learning handicapped students and toward practices used to implement mainstreaming. Questionnaires were completed concerning factual, attitudinal, and process information for placement and monitoring in the least restrictive environment (LRE).…

Questionnaires completed by families and teachers of 1,009 students with severe disabilities were analyzed in terms of 4 conceptual models of integrated student placement: a programs/facilities model, a socioeconomic model, an advocacy model, and a combined model. Teacher advocacy and Individualized Education Program characteristics were most…

The document contains the final report of a model project to provide a therapeutically based educational program for severely handicapped, orthopedically impaired children (6 to 21 years old) utilizing the skills of teachers, aides, therapists, and a nurse to provide individualized hands on services. Section I contains an overview of the…

The four-volume study compared the costs and characteristics of public and nonpublic special education programs serving moderately and severely handicapped students in Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools (MCPS). Data are discussed according to five research questions. First, demographic characteristics are presented, and it is recommended…

This article discusses a comprehensive program for gifted students with learning disabilities in Maryland's Montgomery Country Public Schools (MCPS). MCPS has developed special self-contained classes for gifted students with severe learning disabilities while those with moderate and mild disabilities receive gifted instruction and services in…