This paper describes a one-year small-scale action-research project to identify the skills required by pupils (and teachers) to participate in individual program planning in a school for children with severe learning difficulties. A procedure was developed for the assessment of pupil readiness for full involvement in the target- setting process.…

This study evaluated the effects of teaching four high school students with moderate mental retardation a modified version of "Self- Directed IEP," a multi-media package designed to teach the skills needed to manage their own individualized education program (IEP) meetings. Results indicated a functional relationship between the information taught…

Interviews with 29 incarcerated youth revealed significant differences in their knowledge of their Individualized Education Program transition plans. Those who took career classes had more knowledge about job searching, application, and interviewing. (Contains 19 references.) (SK)

The Roeper School is a pre-kindergarten through grade 12, co-educational day school for gifted children that was founded in 1941. Admission criteria include parent and student interviews, student observation, and individual testing by a psychologist. The current emphasis on accountability and outcome measurements may be more about what governments…

A collaborative team of a teacher-consultant, state education agency associate, and university faculty member facilitated a workshop and monthly inquiry group meetings to support teachers' implementation of student-led Individual Education Programs (IEPs). Through participant-observation and grounded theory analytic methods, we examined issues…

It is common practice for music educators to be responsible for teaching students with special learning needs who have been included in the general education classroom. But how do music teachers know if they are providing meaningful instructional experiences for these children? This article suggests methods to guide music educators toward…

This article describes a process to encourage student-led Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings and student ownership for their own education. Sections address preparing for the IEP meeting and research results on students' involvement. Insets summarize three levels of student involvement, relevant sections of the Individuals with…

Federal legislation requires that all students, including students with disabilities, be included in all state and district-level accountability systems. Many students can take the regular assessment with or without accommodations, but some students with disabilities need alternate ways to access assessments. For the past several years, states…

Giangreco helps teachers answer one of the hardest questions in including students with disabilities in mainstream classes: How can teachers include students who function substantially below grade level? Giangreco describes a teacher who must help a boy working at kindergarten level participate in the academic work of her 5th grade class. He…

Benchmarks and standards have become an important part of the teachers' instructional focus since the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. As educators they all recognize the importance of having high expectations of their students. Standards help schools articulate these expectations clearly to students, their parents, and the community. Yet, there…

The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 (Public Law 105-220) marked a major reform in the nation's job training system. It consolidated more then 60 federal training programs into three block grants to states: (1) adult employment and training; (2) disadvantaged youth employment and training; and (3) adult education and family literacy…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to demonstrate and evaluate the incorporation of teambuilding training into a graduate course on transition. A total of 33 students in two different sections of the course participated in six exercises focusing on group development and teambuilding and a group simulation. Students provided input about…

The number of students with disabilities pursuing higher education is increasing; therefore, faculty and administrators have a growing need to understand their responsibilities in preventing discrimination against this population (Gamble, 2000). The purpose of this article is to articulate disability legislation mandates and applications to…

In this investigation we examined the relation of children's reported feelings about school during kindergarten or first grade to their academic achievement at the end of fifth grade. Participants were children (N=103) who lived in poverty during early childhood and who were placed on individualized education programs (IEPs) during their…

The present study examined how public school administrators negotiate discipline policies that are intended to protect the common good and the educational rights of students with disabilities. We investigated the political nature of these decisions and the strategies used in reaching them through interviews with administrators in 9 public high…