Parents (N=229) of young children with handicaps in 10 states evaluated the Family Needs Survey, one instrument sometimes used to develop Individualized Family Service Plans. Overall, parents felt the survey to be useful in communicating useful information to professionals. The survey was equally acceptable to minority and low income parents.…

This article presents case examples that illustrate strategies for promoting natural job supports for employees with disabilities. Strategies include, among others, collaborating with work-site personnel to develop modifications and providing general consultation on person-environment factors that promote the success of the supported employee and…

This article reviews the causes of underachievement in gifted students and discusses two successful intervention programs, a secondary program with individualized goals to meet the needs and interests of the students, and an elementary program which focused on active parental support and the services of a psychologist. Case studies of…

This article provides a framework for portfolio assessment in which common benchmarks and rubrics provide explicit and shared criteria for judging both the collection of work in the portfolio and individual performance samples. Also addressed are efforts to achieve validity and reliability in teacher, student, and parent judgments while…

The Multimethods Model organizes the learning activities of preschool classes for gifted children and assures a differentiated curriculum geared to the individual student. Model components include prescriptive instruction, acceleration of content, building self-direction, creative divergent problem solving, affective guidance, cultivation of…

Implications of implementing full integration of special needs students are considered, noting the goal's basis in the belief that every child is unique, valued, and can learn. Responsibilities of participants in inclusive programs are identified, and two methods (adaptations and modifications) for altering the educational programs of students…

Working in partnership with parents is a guiding principle of Great Britain's Children Act 1989. Requirements cover care plans and reviews for children looked after by the local authority. This article examines whether working in partnership with parents has been translated into practice, using findings from a major research evaluation of child…

This article describes the functional assessment (FA) strategies used in Project DATA (Developmentally Appropriate Treatment for Autism), a school-based model program for young children with autism. These strategies consist of five interrelated steps: (1) gathering information, (2) brainstorming, (3) making a plan, (4) implementing the plan, and…

Twelve-year-old Aaron Zibricky, a member of the Lucky Clovers 4-H Club, entered his prize sheep, Star, in the 2005 Will County Fair in Illinois. Zibricky, who is diagnosed with autism, had worked and strived for this moment, putting in long hours feeding, cleaning and shearing the sheep and learning showmanship skills. No one was more elated at…

This report presents Special Education Indicator Performance data tables for 174 Bureau of Indian Education schools. Indicators include: (1) Graduation Rate; (2) Dropouts; (3) Assessment Targets; (4) Assessment Targets--Reading; (5) Assessment Targets--Mathematics; (6) Suspensions and Expulsions--High School; (7) Suspensions and…

The goal of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is no longer simply to make services available to young children with disabilities and their families, but also to ensure that those services lead to enhanced outcomes for participating children and families. To that end, IDEA 2004 requires states to submit State Performance Plans…

The current paper reports on the outcome of an ongoing action research project at a school for higher-functioning students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Sweden. The overall aim of the study was to develop and evaluate a questionnaire that captures social and individual aspects of classroom learning suitable for use with students with ASD.…

Individualized learning plans (ILPs) are being implemented in high schools throughout the United States as strategic planning tools that help students align course plans with career aspirations and often include the development of postsecondary plans. Initial indications are that ILPs may be an important method for helping students achieve both…

This study examined the scores on a state standards-based Grade 5 Science assessment obtained by a group of students without learning disabilities who took the standard form of the test and by three groups of students with learning disabilities: one taking the standard form of the test without accommodations or modifications, a second taking the…

The purpose of this research was to determine the usefulness of Multiple Intelligence for educational planning for students in special education. More specifically, this study applied the Multiple Intelligences Developmental Assessment Scales (MIDAS) to a sample of students receiving special education services who had IEPs developed using…