It is no question that preparing teachers to work with the many facets involved in special education is a daunting task. Upon entering the classroom on the first day, special education teachers are expected to be prepared (Sayeski, 2015) when presented with numerous responsibilities (Collins, Sweigart, Landrum, & Cook, (2017), including parent…

All parents can and should participate meaningfully in their children's education, including those whose children receive special education services. The value of parent participation has been recognized under law since 1975, most recently as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (Coots, 2007). Many scholars and professionals…

Collaboration between special educators and transition coordinators is important to lower recidivism rates among juvenile offenders with disabilities. This column provides best practice transition guidelines and urges special education teachers, special education coordinators, and transition coordinators in juvenile correctional facilities to…

Collaboration in education is seen as a legal mandate, best practice in teacher practice, and necessary for the inclusion of children with special needs. Over the years, there have been a number of evolutionary incarnations of the collaborative model, each possessing various ingredients identified as important, if not essential, components of a…

Including students in the general education classroom successfully requires multiprofessional coordination. However, given the well-documented barriers to successful collaboration, special educators in the inclusive model face a task that can be overwhelming. Research has shown that effective communication is one of the biggest hurdles in the…

Transition into college for students with disabilities has been written about extensively over the past decade, due in part to legislative mandates implemented at the secondary level. With significant increases in the number of these students in the college population, a focus on their transition through college is imperative to improve retention…

The recently adopted NASP "Model for Comprehensive and Integrated School Psychological Services" consists of 10 domains of practice that describe the competencies of school psychologists to effectively support the positive educational, behavioral, and mental health outcomes of all students. Anastasia Skalski (2010), NASP Director of…

Assessment and identification of children with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) is complex and involves multiple techniques, levels, and participants. While federal law sets the general parameters for identification in school settings, these criteria are vague and may lead to inconsistencies in selection and interpretation of assessment…