The purpose of this study was to examine all states' participation guidelines for alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS) and to analyze these guidelines for common and contrasting themes. State alternate assessment participation guidelines were found for all 50 states. Participation guidelines were coded, and 12…

Background: Recent research in the USA and UK indicates that person-centred planning (PCP) can lead to improvements in lifestyle-related outcomes for people with intellectual disabilities (ID). It is clear, however, that the introduction of PCP does not have an equal impact for all participants. The aim of the present paper was to identify factors…

In 2008, Thailand passed legislation on the educational provisions for students with disabilities to mandate the implementation of inclusive education. This article provides a historical overview of special education in Thailand and the emergence of inclusive education as it moves from policy to practice. To further identify the challenges faced…

Research continues to document the lack of widespread classroom implementation of self-determination instruction. One reason given for why self-determination skills are not being taught is the lack of readily available and affordable instructional resources. The IEP process is one vehicle that all teachers can use to teach self-determination.…

Researchers and practitioners have emphasized the importance of teaching self-determination skills to students with disabilities for more than a decade. One major barrier to teaching self-determination in recent years has been teachers' not knowing how to focus on reading, writing, and mathematics and simultaneously teach self-determination…

Academic accommodations are intended to increase access to education for students with disabilities. Although the concept seems simple, implementation is challenging because of the ambiguous wording of some accommodations. This article reviews confusing aspects of frequently encountered accommodations. Research-based guidelines for writing…

The aim of this study was to gather information on the tools used by special education teachers for the assessment of severely intellectually disabled students (SID), preparing an individual education plan, and about the methodology used for monitoring their learning progress. The survey included all Finnish special education teachers working with…

"Bloom where you are planted" is sage advice that parents have passed down through the ages to their children. It is especially wise counsel for the military child who faces new environments on a regular basis. But in today's complicated, fast-moving world, filled with choices, opportunities, and myriad pathways from which students with…

The 2001 Code of Practice for Special Educational Needs (DfES, 2001) explicitly states that students with IEPs should have an active role in the writing and implementing of them. A research project was conducted in which 19 Year 8 students in three schools were interviewed, with the findings cross-referenced against an examination of their…

This research explores the mediating effects of severity of disability on the employment outcomes of participants with disabilities, taking into account their perception of interest--job match. Participants were 115 high school students with disabilities who took part in an intensive school-to-work transition program that explored occupational…

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…

This examination of individual transition plans (ITPs) for students with disabilities in New South Wales, Australia, looked at effectiveness of the system and procedures, and involvement of teachers in the development of the ITPs. It found that the numbers of written ITPs grew from 156 (56 percent of potential) in 1989 to 340 (74 percent) by June…

This inservice guide and six companion documents comprise a series developed for assisting disabled persons in their transition from secondary and postsecondary vocational education to work. The model is designed to prepare support teams of school-community persons. This guide is intended for use by the field coordinator, administrator, and/or any…

This checklist is intended to help communities evaluate their provision of Personal Assistance Services (PAS) for people with significant disabilities. Although PAS services are the key component of individualized supports for such persons, they should be considered in conjunction with other services. Essential qualities of effective PAS are: (1)…

An evaluation was conducted of the first year (1990-91) of Project HIRE (Hiring into Rewarding Employment). Project HIRE was a 3-year federally-funded project designed to assist students with disabilities to gain and retain meaningful employment by maintaining secondary support services until this transition is completed successfully. During the…