This phenomenological study used in-depth interviews to mold and create participant narratives to document the lived experiences of special education social workers who work in the inclusive environment through a critical disability lens. Special education social workers primary focus of work is to provide direct and supportive Services to…

Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings are an important component of special education; however, few students actually attend and meaningfully participate in their meetings. Using a large-scale national survey, this study examined student attendance and participation at IEP meetings and the predictors of these outcomes. Respondents were…

In recent years, many psycho-educational technologies were studied to address the school-related difficulties encountered by students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, most of them remain individual-centered and do not consider the social environment. To fill this gap, this study reports on the user-centered design of a web-based…

There is a process within the special education program that directly links a child's educational program with their plans for the future. It is called a Transition Plan and is part of the Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Transition services are a coordinated set of activities for a child with a disability designed to be used within a…

As required by 20 U.S.C. 1407 and 34 C.F.R. § 300.199, the Ohio Department of Education is identifying in writing to local educational agencies and the United States Department of Education the state-imposed special education rules, regulations, and policies adopted by the State Board of Education that are not required by Part B of the Individuals…

Background/Context: Policies featuring individualized learning plans (ILPs) have become increasingly popular among states seeking to improve college and career readiness through early postsecondary planning. Although ILPs are featured in legislation for more than 35 states, limited work has been done on measuring their effectiveness to ensure that…

The closure of school buildings due to the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a particular hardship for many students with disabilities and their families. School buildings were closed effective March 18, 2020 through the end of the 2019-20 school year, and only some schools started the 2020-21 school year with traditional in-person classroom…

The audit objective for this report was to determine whether the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PA Education) and selected Pennsylvania local educational agencies have sufficient internal controls to ensure that individualized education programs (IEP) are developed in accordance with Federal and State requirements for children with…

The closure of school buildings due to the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a particular hardship for many students with disabilities and their families. School buildings were closed effective March 18, 2020 through the end of the 2019-20 school year, and only some schools have started the 2020-21 school year with traditional in-person classroom…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how parents of students with intellectual disabilities (ID) perceive the significance of LRE in IEPs and inclusion models at the elementary level in six school districts in northern Colorado. The sample included 13 parents of children with ID in grades K-5. The theory of…

The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine the effects of standards-based Individualized Education Programs (SB IEPs) on student achievement. Educators are required to develop IEPs for students with educational disabilities. The purpose of an IEP is to outline the goals and services to be provided to the student in order for the student…

This study investigated interactions between self-efficacy and IEP quality. Pre-service teachers in two similar student cohorts completed self-efficacy surveys for multi-tiered interventions and wrote IEPs using data for a child with severe disabilities. Researchers scored IEP quality using the "IEP Quality Inventory," rating quality of…

Down syndrome is acknowledged to be the most common neurogenetic cause for intellectual disability. It is a multisystem disorder which results in multiple lifelong health problems. At present, students with Down syndrome can receive education in inclusive mainstream education settings. However, this is not without its accompanying challenges. The…

Gifted students with learning disabilities have exceptional capabilities and can perform well, but their disability may impede their academic success. Being gifted and learning disabled seems paradoxical. The most misjudged, misunderstood and ignored students and community members are gifted students with learning disabilities. Research about…

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) have difficulties in transitioning to postschool environments. Research has documented that postsecondary outcomes for students with EBD in the areas of education, employment, and community participation continue to be limited and, therefore, in need of improvement. Some of the outcomes relate…