Special education has changed over the years since its inception due to advocacy, litigation, legislation, trends, and research investigations. While it can be somewhat controversial depending on the disability the child might have or professionals involved in the process of instructing and planning his/her future education, it is a field that has…

In higher education systems, equal importance must be given to differently abled students. However, not all educational institutions have infrastructure and facilities to admit these students even though accessibility and support for these students is growing. There are many schemes, facilities, services, and financial assistance available to…

Inclusive teacher preparation varies greatly in format and practice, yet programs grapple with the same underlying challenges: which practices work and where do they work. As children with disabilities are increasingly being included in schools, it is essential that guidance is put into place on how best to adapt inclusive practices into the…

Having a disability can be one of the most marginalizing factors in a child's life. In education, finding ways to meet the learning needs of children with disabilities can be challenging, especially in schools, districts, regions, and countries with severely limited resources. Inclusive education--which fully engages all children in quality…

Rehabilitation professionals working with students with disabilities and the families of those students face unique challenges in providing inclusive services to special education student populations. There needs to be a focus on adaptive teaching methods that provide quality experience for students with varying disabilities to promote student…

Learning disabilities are among the most common disabilities experienced in childhood and adulthood. Although identifying learning disabilities in a school setting is a complex process, it is particularly challenging in low- and middle-income countries that lack the appropriate resources, tools, and supports. This guide provides an introduction to…

This special education reopening guidance has been developed as a companion resource to "Reopening Washington Schools 2020: District Planning Guide" (ED606044) to provide information and resources for supporting students with disabilities throughout the school reopening process. The intent of this document is to offer guidance for all…

There are plenty of products out there for making information accessible to all users, but how can administrators and managers determine which are the most practical and economical for their particular library? Mates, former director of the Ohio Library for the Blind and Physically Disabled, strips away the technical jargon and introduces dozens…

This article reports findings of a mail survey of 519 managers in blindness services on their preferences for management training seminars. Preferences vary somewhat according to management level; there is little or no variation by region, public versus private auspices, education versus rehabilitation, or time in present position. (Author/PB)

The director of an agency for the blind and visually impaired examines the service-delivery dilemma of funding versus placement decisions. Three program areas demonstrate this dilemma: (1) Social Security Disability Insurance disincentives to competitive placement; (2) the private agency's role when the educational system falls short; and (3)…

Guidelines are offered for recruiting and hiring personnel in the field of visual impairment. These include start looking early; visit universities; offer incentives; emphasize the community, not just the position; plan the interview; evaluate the applicant (application form, letters of recommendation, resumes, and transcripts); and make the…

This national study reviews national and state policies and guidelines, as well as surveys and focus groups of administrators and teachers, on the implementation of policies for students with low vision to gain visual access to the general education curriculum. The findings demonstrate that few states provide the necessary services to enable…

Alberta Education provides programming support and funding to school authorities to develop and implement special education programming for ECS children and students in grades 1 to 12. "Special Education Coding Criteria 2009/2010" outlines criteria within specific categories to help school authorities identify those children and students…

The paper addresses the need to define terms used in vision training before successful programs can be formulated. Critical behaviors in three categories (visual attending, visual examining, and visually guided motor) are considered as are program alternatives focusing on visual environment management, visual skills training, and visually…

The efforts of Sight Savers, a service program of the Royal Commonwealth for the Blind, to stem the outward flow of hard currency from developing countries are described. Sight Savers furthers program sustainability by emphasizing local manpower development, selecting equipment that requires less and cheaper maintenance, and using local currency…