The Individual Education Plan (IEP) process plays a vital role in the instructional process of the individual with ELN (exceptional leaning needs). The IEP process helps to level the playing field for students with ELN against those students that do not have diagnosed learning problems. From the parents to the students to the IEP staff, they all…

The characteristics of a state's accommodations policy may affect a state's decision about whether to develop an alternate assessment based on modified achievement standards (AA-MAS). A very restrictive accommodations policy may make it more difficult for some students to participate in the state's regular assessment used for accountability…

As a result of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA; 1990), public school districts are required to provide appropriate services to preschool students who are at risk or who are experiencing developmental delays. These services are frequently offered in preschool programs for children with disabilities (PPCDs). PPCDs are generally…

Poor science achievement has been an educational issue for a number of years. Students with disabilities have traditionally fared worse. Research suggests that students with disabilities may respond better to instruction using an inquiry-based approach vs. traditional textbook instruction when measuring science achievement on standardized…

Based on interactions with general education teachers, observations of special education students in inclusion classrooms, and general education teachers' input during the Response to Intervention (RTI) process, a resource teacher found that many teachers were ill prepared to meet the diverse needs of special education students in the inclusion…

This article describes comprehensive, high-quality writing instruction for students with developmental disabilities. The Enriched Writers' Workshop combines differentiated writing process instruction with social communication instruction and cognitive strategy instruction for students with complex writing needs across a wide range of ages. It…

Preparing teachers for special education in the United States is a reflection that is not merely another attempt to reinvent the wheel. Rather, it is an investigation to learn from the past, use applications today in order to secure concrete and measurable goals in the diversified future of special education in America. Several historical figures…

States and school districts receive funding through ESEA, IDEA, and national school meals programs. Some requirements for these programs are intended to help ensure program integrity and transparency, among other purposes, but questions have been raised about whether some federal requirements place an undue burden on states and school districts.…

Legislators mandated transition education for students with disabilities to improve their post-school outcomes. Each student with an IEP should have an annual transition plan at or before his or her 16th birthday. IDEA mandated the utilization of age appropriate transition assessment to develop students' post-secondary transition goals based on…

Although the importance of safety skills instruction is well acknowledged and available data suggest individuals with varying disabilities sustain injuries from accidents at a rate that is comparable to or may exceed the normative population, many students do not receive systematic safety skills instruction. Findings on the extent to which…

While the rest of the (neurotypical) parenting world breathlessly awaits the first day of school, some parents are hauling out 62 lbs. of Individualized Education Plan (IEP) paperwork--and wondering what to do with it this year. The progress reports. The evaluations. The standardized tests. The work samples. And finally, the 18-page,…

In this article, the author identifies and answers questions related to IDEA eligibility issues and the Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) regulation. The author's answers to several questions concerning legal issues are presented.

The purpose of this document is to provide a historical perspective of the evolution of special education in Iowa through the voices of the people who created the system of support for individuals with disabilities. In addition to the interviews, extensive historical literature reviews were conducted. One hundred and thirty individuals were…

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…