The article explores how schools can enhance the career and employment prospects of the handicapped by using the "real work" experiences of the school to foster the work task learning maturation process. (Author)

This guide examines the evolution of human services systems toward the recognition that individuals with handicaps can make consumer choices and should be included in decision-making sessions. Consumers with disabilities are seeking empowerment through their presence and participation in political processes and community events. Choices regarding…

Describes the Family-Centered Program Rating Scale (FamPRS), a 59-item instrument with parallel forms for family members and service providers to rate satisfaction with and importance of various early-intervention program characteristics. An example of using the instrument to improve family-centered practice is detailed. (DB)

This fact sheet offers suggestions for developing recruitment plans and retention strategies to entice and support providers of respite care services for individuals with disabilities and their families. Recruitment strategies include: tapping the program's current providers for referrals; focusing on reaching the greatest number of people in the…

This article provides guidelines and strategies that can be employed to examine the experiences and perceptions of cooperative teaching teams, to validate successful collaborative practices, and to identify practices in need of revision. It discusses interviews and surveys, use of best practices checklists, conducting teaching observations, and…

This article provides guidelines and strategies that educators can use to solicit feedback from students and their family members regarding their perceptions of their school's inclusion program. It also examines ways to address the concerns and issues raised by family members. A sample survey and questionnaire are included. (Contains references.)…

This manual presents an instrument (the Dakota Parent Satisfaction Survey) and procedures for evaluating parent satisfaction with early intervention programs. The survey procedures have been used to evaluate seven early intervention programs each year since 1985. Development of the Survey is discussed, including the identification of program…

This booklet offers guidance for increasing the dissemination and utilization of information (especially federally funded disability research) through development of user-friendly materials and alternate formats. Individual sections address: the distinction between alternate formats and accessibility, suggested policies to help define approaches…

This monograph examines stressors encountered by special educators, ways of coping with professional demands, and reasons why some teachers handle job stress better than others. It is intended to help special education teachers take a more objective look at what they do and identify strategies and techniques to alleviate some job-related stress…

Strategies for teacher retention are presented, including successful approaches and elements for operating a state system for personnel recruitment and retention in special education. Such initiatives as the Utah Mentor Teacher Academy; the Texas Teacher Recruitment, Retention and Assistance Program; and the Kansas Recruitment/Retention Project…

This document focuses on employer/employment services in vocational rehabilitation (VR) programs. Vocational rehabilitation is undergoing transformation in employment services to respond to redefined priorities, diverse populations, changing labor markets, state-of-the-art technologies, legislative mandates, and economic factors. Changes in…

This booklet is designed to be used in developing a system of indicators of educational outcomes for 3-year-old children, including those with disabilities. The document summarizes a conceptual model of educational outcomes, lists specific outcomes for the early childhood level, and matches indicators with each of the outcomes. It then focuses on…

The report presents six papers describing a Tennessee study to assess the status of the supported employment initiative, determine the importance and implementation of best practice elements, and ascertain perceptions of supported employment customers toward implementation. Major findings include the following: at the time of the study supported…

This booklet is designed as a resource in developing a system to document indicators of post-school educational outcomes for all students, including those with disabilities. The booklet briefly reviews the National Center on Educational Outcomes' conceptual model of domains, outcomes, and indicators for individuals at the post-school level. It…

It is estimated that one in every five people in the United States has problems performing daily activities without help, perhaps due to the aging of the population and to more and more children surviving severe birth defects. The importance of library services to the disabled cannot be overestimated; they have the same information needs as any…