School districts are on safer legal ground if they recommend appropriate educational services for each special-needs child, convene parents and school personnel for Individual Education Plan meetings, make placement decisions based on individualized, thorough evaluations; document alternative options; develop behavior-management programs, and use…

Evaluations of the three years of the Fond du Lac public school system experience-based career education (EBCE) project are described in this three-part report. The two major sections of each evaluation are assessments of the achievement of student outcome objectives and of process objectives based on data collected through the use of standardized…

This guidebook is intended to assist parents of children with disabilities who will be returning to the state of Maryland because of Senate Bill 588, which strongly discourages out-of-state placements of individuals with disabilities or other special needs. The first section is on "getting ready" and provides a summary of Senate Bill…

The manual sets forth New York state guidelines for referring and evaluating children suspected of having a learning disability (LD). Definitional issues comprise the first section, followed by sample characteristics of students with learning disabilities. Procedures for referrals are outlined. Placement decisions and decisions about services are…

Effects of participatory planning on internal consistency within the special education referral, planning and placement process and the Individualized Education Programs (IEP) were investigated. A stratified representative sampling procedure was used to select 114 handicapped students enrolled in one district's special education program. Referral…

The handbook is designed to help parents and advocates understand their roles in the education of handicapped children. Topics covered in separate chapters are (sample subtopics in parentheses): family supports (other parents as support, advocacy, resources, parent group organizations, typical parents' feelings); screening (cautions, notification…

Discusses barriers to integration of handicapped youngsters into school systems: historical legacy of special education; community attitudes; lack of trained educators; disincentives in state funding formulas. Describes regional resource centers providing technical assistance to state agencies, grants for projects on transition from school to…

Observation of 26 initial placement/individual education plan (IEP) conferences for elementary age learning-disabled children found minimal parent participation during the conferences, but parents reported, in postconference interviews, satisfaction with the conferences. Results are related to the intent of P.L. 94-142, the Education for All…

The use of vocational evaluation recommendations for 71 disabled students in three public schools was studied. Predictive (placement-oriented) recommendations were implemented more frequently than prescriptive (preparation-oriented) recommendations, and prescriptive recommendations were rarely incorporated into individualized education programs.…

This article addresses whether or not the assumptions upon which the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) is based remain valid as we approach the 21st century. Eligibility and labeling, free and appropriate public education, the individualized education program, and the least restrictive environment requirements are examined, and…

On December 3, 2004, President Bush signed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA 2004) into law. This law reauthorized and amended the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). On August 3, 2006, the U.S. Department of Education issued the regulations implementing the IDEIA 2004. The changes in the IDEIA 2004…

Children with disabilities have a right to a free appropriate public education (FAPE). Children differ in mental abilities, sensory development, physical traits, emotional or social behaviors, or communication skills. Some may require modification to their school program or special education and related services in order to benefit from their…

Proceedings from the September 1985 hearing focus on the implementation of P.L. 94-142, The Education for All Handicapped Children Act, as it relates to learning handicapped delinquents in the District of Columbia (D.C.). Statements are presented from officials of the general accounting office, D.C. public school officials, administrators of D.C.…

Guidelines address California's procedures for the operation of programs for handicapped infants and preschool children. Legal requirements of P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, and the California State Plan are reviewed. Program guidelines focus on eligibility, child assessment, placement in the least restrictive…

This is the seventh analysis of the percentages of pupils aged 5 to 15 in special schools and the percentages of pupils aged 5 to 15 with statements in special schools. The analysis is based on the official Department for Education and Skills data of indicators for England. Findings indicate the national percentage of 5- to 15-year-old pupils in…