Discusses current issues and concerns in grading students with disabilities in inclusive settings and presents a four-step decision model which results in teachers cooperatively determining grading practices for individual students within the context of district policies and guidelines. (DB)

Among six guidelines for portfolio assessment are (1) identify the goals of the portfolio; (2) determine type of portfolio to be used; and (3) establish procedures for organizing the portfolio. Insets explain performance-based assessment and use of portfolio assessment to comply with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of…

Offers guidelines and examples for the use of portfolios with early childhood and elementary age children with disabilities. Topics addressed include what a portfolio is and looks like, how a portfolio is organized, what is included in a portfolio, the selection process for deciding the portfolio contents, and portfolio evaluation and reporting.…

Describes the use of improvisational drama as a tool to develop reading comprehension skills. Discusses planning improvisational drama, implementing improvisational drama, overcoming obstacles and meeting challenges, and evaluating improvisational drama. An insert summarizes what the research says about effective reading instruction. Examples of…

Describes the work and educational approach of Theresa Santiago, a special education teacher and winner of the State Farm Good Neighbor Award in Brooklyn, New York. Emphasis is on ecologically-themed lessons in math, science, and language arts and field trips to enrich the learning of her disadvantaged students with a variety of disabilities. (DB)

Presents an annotated bibliography of 19 selected journal articles or documents on instructionally relevant assessment for students with disabilities. Items were originally published from 1992 through 1997. Each listing includes bibliographic data, a descriptive annotation and, for documents, an identification number for access through the ERIC…

A longitudinal study of 1,285 high school graduates and dropouts with disabilities, special education teachers, and parents investigated the kinds of school services that are needed and actually received by students with disabilities and the quality of life for the students' last year in high school. Helpful supports are identified. (CR)

Describes a technique that was used successfully to identify the changing roles and responsibilities of special educators as transition coordinators. The Developing a Curriculum (DACUM) model uses people who are currently working in the occupation to define job responsibilities. The duties of a transition coordinator are identified. (CR)

Describes a community-based curriculum used for children (ages 12-16) with disabilities in middle school. The program uses real materials, role playing, functional academic lessons, and in-school jobs to assimilate community skills into the school and then generalize them in the community. Curriculum-lesson areas and activities are identified. (CR)

Provides a set of guidelines for conducting successful community resource fairs to help students with disabilities and their family prepare for the future. A countdown of organizational activities, plus follow-up actions, is provided, and a checklist of 30 steps to use when organizing a community resource fair is included. (CR)

Discusses the development of self-advocacy in adolescents with learning disabilities and describes eight guidelines for creating collaborative communications among teachers, parents, and students. Guidelines stress the importance of using portfolios for monitoring progress, encouraging parents to volunteer, having students evaluate themselves, and…

Four children's books on learning disabilities are profiled: "Trouble with School: A Family Story about Learning Disabilities" (Kathryn and Allison Dunn); "The Don't Give-up Kid" (Jeanne Gehret); "Keeping a Head in School: A Student's Book about Learning Abilities and Learning Disorders" (Mel Levine); and "What Do You Mean I Have a Learning…

One school district's experience in moving to a more elaborate, expansive, and integrative gifted education program illustrates the new roles and responsibilities of gifted education specialists. These include providing instructional support for classroom teachers, direct educational services, coordination of out-of-school resources and programs,…

Discusses how early childhood programs can blend developmentally appropriate practices with early childhood special education recommended practices. The elements of an inclusive program and the guidelines to developmentally appropriate practice are explained, and strategies for implementing both practices within the same setting are described. (CR)

Describes how two teachers taught English Sign Language to 29 children (age 3) in a regular education preschool program which included 2 children with hearing impairments. When compared to 25 children who were not taught signing, the children who had been taught signing had significantly higher receptive vocabulary scores and were clearly superior…