Self-advocacy and self-determination include the abilities to select personal goals, plan steps toward goals, assess one's progress, make choices, and self-monitor and self-evaluate one's behaviors. These are important skills in both current and future environments. Unfortunately, youth with significant intellectual and developmental disabilities…

As teachers, administrators, and members of intervention teams use student performance data to inform instructional decisions and monitor implementation of tiered instruction in a Response to Intervention (RTI) model, assuring fidelity of implementation or treatment integrity continues to be a challenge. This article describes how one school…

Bill and Karen are special education teachers who have entirely different knowledge and skill profiles. Bill is a special educator with 20 years of experience. He teaches reading to third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade students in a high-poverty elementary school resource classroom. His school is currently engaging in a schoolwide Reading First effort…

Three brief articles which look at approaches to preventing discipline problems in inner-city special education programs are titled as follows: "Characteristics of Successful School Principals" (M. Fafard); "Practical Suggestions for Administrators" (P. Harris); and "Developing a Healthy School Climate" (A.R.…

Among 17 suggestions for supervisors trying to prevent discipline related teacher stress and burnout are developing clear, decisive guidelines for disciplinary action; making memos meaningful; following up on staff requests; permitting the teacher to control the class; providing demonstration teaching; and organizing a meaningful staff development…

This article focuses on special education's responsibility in planning and implementing suicide prevention programs in the schools. It discusses which students are at risk for suicide, the association between depression and suicidal behavior, guidelines issued by Minneapolis Public Schools, emotional first aid, and features of effective suicide…

This article describes procedures and materials developed for substitute teachers working in a learning disabilities resource room, including: policy information; schedules; specific student information; classroom procedures; daily plans; and additional or alternative activities. (CB)

Parents of 25 infants/toddlers with handicaps were surveyed to gain perspectives on easing the transition from home-based infant programs to preschool programs. Analysis of the results led to 4 major recommendations and a series of steps that infant program staff can follow to facilitate transition to preschool program options. (JDD)

Services of two school districts to exceptional students in transition are reviewed. The Great Falls (Montana) model involves a five-year individualized education program, maximum integration, and three phases of paid employment. The Natrona County (Wyoming) program is based on such crucial services as vocational evaluation, community living…

This article reports the experiences of one school district as it moved from serving students with severe disabilities in segregated programs to a full inclusion model. Year one focused on getting started, planning, and beginning integration efforts and year two on implementation of a structured peer integration program. Applicability of the full…

An interagency team approach to planning and implementing successful school-to-work programs for students with disabilities is recommended. Roles of special educators, vocational rehabilitators, vocational educators, parents, and students are identified. Specific ways to counter such local obstacles as lack of transportation, lack of funding, and…

The article describes how a Virginia urban school system implemented an outcome-oriented work transition process with approximately 230 trainable or severely/profoundly handicapped students (ages 16-21). The article describes the system, students, and staff; developing a formal transition process; the individualized transition plan; and the job…

This article considers legal aspects of conflicts between schools wishing to exclude a child perceived as dangerous and parents, in the context of the procedural safeguards and "stay put" provision of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act as interpreted in the Honig versus Doe court case. Methods of obtaining preliminary…

Describes Kentucky's inclusion of all students in its educational assessment and accountability system. Describes how this system operates at three elementary schools to drive high expectations for all students and include students with disabilities in the general education curriculum. Students participate in either the standard assessment or…

This article addresses program planning for successful inclusion of students with mild disabilities in rural schools. It discusses preplanning with staff and peers, developing a communication system, structuring collaborative planning time, dealing with resistant teachers, gaining administrative support, involving parents, designing a grading…