The Identification, Placement, and Review Committee (IPRC) process has been long established within Ontario special education practice and provincial legislation. Borne out of advocacy for advancing the right to education for children with disabilities, the IPRC process is now being critically explored as to whether the process itself creates an…

The 1968 Spainhower Commission planned extensive changes in the organization of public education in Missouri, proposing larger, comprehensive districts throughout the state. Intended to increase efficiency and reduce inequities, its reform proposals spurred widespread opposition from both rural and suburban communities. In the suburbs hostility…

A pre-placement questionnaire was completed by a cohort of 30 students participating in the Erasmus exchange programmes from the University of Salamanca, placed in British universities, and by a group of 25 Nottingham Trent University students hosted by diverse Spanish universities. The questionnaire was then analysed with the aim of providing a…

Recognizes the benefits of mediation for easing special education conflicts, but addresses the inconsistencies and ambiguities created by the 1997 amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Recommends that state and local education agencies use mediators certified in sophisticated mediation techniques, schooled in…

A review of special-education court cases found that, while school district wins exceeded parent wins in due process hearings and appeals, the margin narrowed through litigation. The most predominant issue in dispute was placement in terms of parents seeking more restrictive settings. The Supreme Court's language in Board of Education v. Rowley…

Urban educators often find themselves in conflict with parents of educationally handicapped students over program placement and services. Easily understood strategies for preventing these differences are presented. The dynamics of parent anger are discussed. School personnel are provided with a framework and practical strategies for constructively…

This case highlights family and educator conflict about special education placement using the case of Jerry, a student with behavior disorders. Aspiring administrators are invited to consider Jerry's needs, the desires of his family, the concerns of local and alternative school faculty, the safety of students and staff, and the provisions of the…

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…

Analyzes the history, values, and legal issues involved in the inclusion controversy. Opponents of full inclusion of all students with disabilities in the classroom contend that it is a simplistic answer to complex problems. The Community Engagement Dialogic Model is an approach for dealing with judicial intervention in many special-education…

This paper reviews the 45 due process hearings and court cases between 1993 and 1998 concerning parental requests for school districts to provide and/or fund the Lovaas treatment program for their young children with autism. It reviews previous legislative and legal definitions of a free appropriate public education and considers implications of…