This article discusses Ontario's new Special Education Grant that provides funding on the school board's total enrollment and on an identified student basis. This new approach to funding was designed to minimize administration, in that only the highest-need students are identified for funding purposes. Implementation issues are examined. (CR)

A study investigated the impact of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) on special education by collected data on all 176 school districts for 1989-90 through 1993-94. Findings indicate that KERA had a significant impact on the provision of, and allocation of resources to, special education five years after implementation. (Contains two…

A study examined the costs of different models of inclusion and traditional special education preschool programs in five local education agencies in five states. Results show lower costs associated with more inclusive models as compared to traditional forms of special education provision on an annual and per hour basis. (Contains references.)…

This article discusses factors that are creating fiscal stress in special education, including funding formulas which are inequitable, legal costs, limitations in funds allocated to hire instructional and administrative staff, costs for unending training needs, uncontrolled costs of nonpublic or private placements, specialized technology,…

A review of 197 articles on special education technology research and practice found a core set of four journals contributed 55 percent of the relevant articles. Analysis of the articles revealed several themes: augmentative and alternative communication, accessibility, assistive technology, implementation issues, Internet applications, preservice…

A study investigated spell check programs to determine how they differ in producing target words in the first position in the replacement list for misspellings generated by 111 students with learning disabilities in grades 3-8. Overall, the spell checkers were ineffective in producing target words first in the replacement list. (Contains…

Parents of 180 Swedish children (ages 3-19) with different types of disabilities attending Computer Play Centers evaluated the importance of computers for their children within ten different areas of development. Parents had high expectations of the computer and believed computers helped develop their child's self-confidence, coordination,…

This article elaborates on three universal design for learning principles that guide the process of selecting materials and methods according to individual differences and minimize barriers: provide multiple, flexible methods of presentation; provide multiple, flexible methods of expression and apprenticeship; and provide multiple, flexible…

This article reviews emerging technologies, imagines how they can be used to help learners with special needs, and recommends new special education program initiatives to help these students make a meaningful transition from school to work. Wearable computers, personal computing devices, DVD, HDTV, MP3, and personal digital assistants are…

This article discusses three trends and technologies that will have a significant impact on the lives of students with high-incidence disabilities: the development of computing devices, the delivery of information and instructional materials anytime and anyplace, and the development of instructional materials and practices that are based on…

This article suggests a future where accessibility and the universal design of the education environment is no longer an issue and the focus is on universal design for learning. The supports necessary to ensure progress will, from the very beginning, be built into the instructional methods and learning materials. (Contains 1 reference.) (Author/CR)

This article looks at ways technologies are likely to change education as a whole and then discusses what implications this has for students with disabilities. Five applications to watch are identified and include enhanced literacy education, conceptual math and science, scaffolding and universal design, online courses, and new dissemination…

This article explores how knowledge-discovery applications can empower educators with the information they need to provide anticipatory guidance for teaching and learning, forecast school and district needs, and find critical markers for making the best program decisions for children and youth with disabilities. Data mining for schools is…

This article presents an interview with Kirk Behnke, the Coordinator of Training Grants and Contracts for the Center on Disabilities at California State University, Northridge. He discusses his experiences with the Assistive Technology Application Certification Program and provides recommendations for those interested in pursuing such a…

This article discusses the U.S. Department of Education's Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers To Use Technology (PT3) program, an initiative that seeks to enhance the integration of technology across teacher preparation programs. The need for greater participation of special education teacher preparation programs in PT3 is stressed. (CR)