Storybook reading interactions are an important strategy to support and enhance the development of communication and literacy skills. In order to reap the benefits of these interactions, students must be active participants. Unfortunately, for students with special needs, more specifically those with complex communication needs, they encounter…

Self-advocacy, self-management, self-regulation, and self-knowledge are complex terms, often considered forms of self-determination. Whatever term you may use, helping young adults with intellectual disability (ID) make authentic decisions about their own goals and behaviors often results in passive agreement. Even though advancing…

Describes alternative form of evaluation that enables the teacher to assign a grade to students problem-solving skills as they participate in a discussion to solve a problem. Discusses room arrangement, the role of the audience, grading, and secondary benefits of the method. (MDH)

The purpose of this article was to clarify the seemingly contrary philosophies of learner centered and teacher centered teaching approaches. First, the benefits of both approaches are described. Examples of ways in which teacher centered classes using thoughtful questioning techniques or focused lectures enhance learning are presented. The…

The workshops presented in this training manual identify methods and strategies that can be used by parents and professionals to improve the process of transition to public school for children with special needs and their families. Workshop participants develop the following competencies: (1) identify critical transitions for families with young…