This 5-volume directory describes more than 1,000 discretionary grants and contracts supported by the Research to Practice Division of the Office of Special Education Programs. The projects are grouped into sections representing the seven program areas of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments (1997), Part D. This…

This revised digest presents basic information on mental retardation for educators and others. First, definitions from the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR) are presented. The fact sheet then analyzes how the new AAMR definition differs from earlier ones noting the new…

This question and answer sheet describes the legislative background of current accountability requirements for English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) programs, the issues involved in testing level gain, and critical questions whose answers can lead the field forward. It focuses on the following: what the legislation requires; how states are meeting…

The paper examines current judicial interpretations of selected policy and implementation issues concerning P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. Court cases are analyzed according to the following six principles of the legislation (sample subtopics in parentheses): zero reject--the right of handicapped children to be…

This digest compares the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as amended in 1997, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Comparisons are provided which look at: (1) the type/purpose of each Act; (2) eligibility for services under each Act; (3) whether the Act requires the…

Couselor credentialing is a way to symbolize professionalism and high standards to the public. Its purpose is to identify counselors who are at least minimally qualified to provide counseling services. This special digest collection on credentialing counselors covers many aspects of legislation, methods, and special concerns about credentialing.…

Focusing on the time period since the 1974 Supreme Court Lau v. Nichols decision, this paper reviews Federal policy regarding bilingual education, discusses the current sociopolitical context of bilingual education, discusses evaluations of bilingual programming done to date, and examines the implications of these factors for schools and…

This book is the first of four volumes in a directory of more than 1,000 discretionary grants and contracts supported by the Research to Practice Division of the Office of Special Education Programs. This volume focuses on projects concerned with research, innovation, and evaluation divided into two broad discretionary programs: "Research and…

This book is a directory of about 1,100 discretionary projects supported by the Office of Special Education Programs and focuses on projects concerned with research, innovation, and evaluation. This first volume of four presents projects categorized in the following two discretionary programs: "Research and Innovation To Improve Services and…

This digest discusses the new requirement under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act that Individualized Education Program teams conduct a functional behavioral assessment (FBA) and implement behavior intervention plans that include positive behavioral interventions and supports for students with disabilities. It describes the purpose…

This brief paper presents a comparative overview of three major federal laws affecting people with disabilities: the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Presented in chart form, the three pieces of legislation are compared for the…

"The ERIC Review" announces research results, publications, and new programs relevant to each issue's theme topic. This second issue contains three principal articles: "Issues in Adult Literacy Education," by JoAnn Crandall and Susan Imel; "Emergent Literacy: An Early Reading and Writing Concept," by Carl B. Smith;…

This guide reviews the testing and accountability requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). It discusses: subjects on which students will be tested and when (all states must test math and reading achievement annually in grades 3-8 and at least once during grades 10-12 by 2005-06); whether children with disabilities or limited…

The major legal issues pertaining to academic employment are examined. Four areas affecting higher education are analyzed in depth: employment practices, equal pay, developing issues under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; and financial exigency. In addition, guidelines for evaluating current institutional academic employment practices…

This ERIC digest provides highlights of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997 (P.L. 105-17). Changes to general provisions of the law are explained, as well as changes in other areas, such as outcomes and standards, evaluations and curriculum, procedural safeguards, discipline, early intervention, and teacher training…