This article provides guidance for including students with disabilities (SWDs) in online learning. Federal special education law and research are currently outpaced by practice as students with disabilities participate in K-12 online learning in increasing numbers. While online learning has the flexibility to present content in multiple ways and…

Due to systemic barriers, Spanish-speaking (versus English-speaking) parents of children with disabilities are less likely to participate in educational decision-making. However, little research has directly compared special education experiences between both populations. The purpose of this study was to explore the differences and similarities…

Youth with special education-related disabilities are drastically overrepresented in the juvenile justice system. However, the education services needed to support these students are often inadequate in detention and correctional facilities. Issues pertaining to communication between agencies, access to student records, and collaboration among…

To help families navigate these processes, this tool is intended to introduce students and families to their rights in common scenarios, promote educational equity for students with disabilities, describe potential recourse or remedies for educational discrimination, and provide resources to enhance equity within schools. Families' rights and…

Developed for California's local education agencies, this resource identifies six components an infrastructure needs to have in place to operate a well-functioning special education program. The publication also provides a tool for examining the degree to which these components are in place in your system. The results of that examination can help…

Educational policy in the United States is increasingly focused on the need for individuals to be academically ready for postsecondary education experiences. The focus of these initiatives, however, centers primarily on individuals and their competencies and characteristics, and not on the capacities of postsecondary institutions to serve them.…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore how the principles of universal design can be implemented by faculty and course designers to help give all learners access to equivalent information. It describes how information communication technologies can create barriers to information access, particularly when course content is rich in…

In response to federal requirements for general curriculum access and participation in large-scale academic assessments, states have shifted curriculum for students with significant cognitive disabilities from a primarily functional model to one that includes academics. What does academic instruction look like for students with significant…

Children with disabilities have a right to a free appropriate public education (FAPE). Children differ in mental abilities, sensory development, physical traits, emotional or social behaviors, or communication skills. Some may require modification to their school program or special education and related services in order to benefit from their…

Autism presents parents and families with many challenges under normal circumstances. Autism in a military family magnifies many of those challenges and adds a few more that are unique to the demands of military life and service, further complicating an already complex neurobiological disorder. Military sources indicate that more than 13,000…

This guide to help parents work in collaboration with the school team to enhance the education of their children with emotional or behavioral disorders considers special education and related services, special education evaluation, the Individualized Education Program (IEP), school rules and policies, day treatment, residential placement,…

Since the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1997, schools have been committed to working toward inclusion of students with physical, mental, sensory, and emotional challenges in the classroom. Yet even with the best of intentions, barriers to learning science have emerged. These barriers include inadequate…

This handbook provides a guide to assist African American parents of children with learning disabilities to become advocates for their children and raise awareness about learning differences. An introductory section notes the disproportionate risk of African American boys for being labeled mentally retarded and placed in special education. The…

This report discusses the current nature, extent, and outcomes of accommodations for adults with disabilities in adult education programs. Information was gathered through a national survey of adult education programs, statewide interviews of adult education instructors, statewide interviews of adult learners with disabilities, literature reviews,…

Special education is now an established part of public education in the United States--by law and by custom. However, it is still widely misunderstood and continues to be dogged by controversies related to such things as categorization, grouping, assessment, placement, funding, instruction, and a variety of legal issues. The purpose of this…