This article describes the activities of a national group of assistive technology professionals known as the Quality Indicators for Assistive Technology Services (QIAT) Consortium. The work of the Consortium is discussed and the current set of indicators is included. Processes used in the development of the indicators are described. (Contains…

A study involving 114 educators of students with profound and multiple learning difficulties, interviews with 20 head teachers, and observation in four British schools, found student assessment was largely informal, Individualized Education Programs were often lacking in detail, and about one-third of teachers had no special education…

This article examines the contextual, conceptual, and empirical foundations of functional behavioral assessment (FBA) in general educational settings. The need for schools to design effective responses to increases in individual problem behavior and the need to be compliant with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act are discussed.…

Family-professional partnerships have been recognized through research and supported through legislation as critical components contributing to the positive development of children with disabilities, yet current practices and services need significant improvement. In practice, families and service providers often experience difficulty in…

Successful inclusion of very young children with disabilities in natural environments requires professionals to have specialized skills including: collaboration with the child's parents and caregivers and other professionals, ecologically valid assessment of the child within the context of his or her natural environment, and the design of an…

Assistive Technology (AT) devices and services have been legally mandated for several years. However, the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Act Amendments P.L. 105-17 (IDEA1997), which states that every student with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) must be considered for AT, had enormous implications impacting approximately six…

Prepared for State University of New York/Buffalo researchers participating in a state-sponsored educational financing project, this background paper focuses on the vocational education "program effects" of changing financial aid formulas and/or the rationale for organizing school districts and regional services. It scrutinizes the role of Boards…

This Australian study examined the emergence of collaborative processes when introducing co-teaching a unit of work into classroom practice. Six teams of regular and special educators at three primary schools (students aged 6 to 12 years) volunteered to systematically reflect on their co-teaching activities to design, implement, and evaluate a…

This paper deals with the way the vision of including children with special educational needs into their home school, constituted for instance in UNESCO's "The Salamanca Statement and Framework on Special Needs Education", has merged with other contemporary discourses (ideas and practices) in Icelandic education. In particular, the paper…

This special report is a supplement to a series of special education primers created to inform state officials, authorizers and charter school operators about special education in the charter sector. The primer series also provides tools to help these stakeholders build charter school capacity to provide special education and related services. In…

The transition to adult life for students with reading and writing challenges is an area that is not often addressed. The purpose of this article is to relate the informal assessment process to the broader context of high stakes assessment, high school exit exams, diploma options, and transition planning; identify the competencies needed for a…

Designed for use by parents and professionals, this guide provides assistance in finding appropriate financial resources and services for children with special needs in Iowa. Divided into six chapters, the guide presents programs related to education, health, human services, insurance, social security, and other support services. After a brief…

This brief informational flyer presents practical information on the transition from school to work for students who are deaf-blind or have other severe disabilities. After defining transition, the flyer offers guidelines on: the age at which transition services should be started, areas that should be considered in a coordinated transition plan,…

This study seeks to determine whether first-year special educators use their knowledge of differentiated teaching strategies in their classrooms. It also seeks to understand what conditions within school systems support or hinder attempts by special educators to implement these strategies. Participants in the study included four first-year special…

This report reviews and compares the legal rights of students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The first and second sections detail the statutory framework of the laws and legal requirements pertaining to eligibility, identification, and local and…