This article addresses assumptions that currently guide personnel training and technical assistance in organizations providing services to people with disabilities. Implications of a quality improvement perspective are then considered as they apply to new perspectives on roles, on decision-making processes, and on evaluation. (DB)

The development of comprehensive, coordinated, multidisciplinary services for young handicapped children is required by Public Law 99-457. The article presents a definition of technical assistance, a description of developmental levels in service provision, suggestions for designing such services, and a discussion of major needs of states…

This brief report provides an analysis of survey data collected from 45 states and territories about policies, procedures, and guidelines related to Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA), plans to develop or revise policy in this area, and technical assistance needs related to FBA, especially for students who exhibit behavior that interferes with…

This paper assesses federal legislation and programs affecting education for children with disabilities. The enactment of Public Law 94-142 sought to ensure that every handicapped child aged 5-18, and later 3-21, receive appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. Studies support the importance of early intervention programs…

These two commentaries on the article "Head Start: Challenges and Training Needs" (Leah Buscemi and others) discuss the role of technical assistance providers in helping grantees work with community institutions, especially local education agencies; the need for formal written interagency agreements; the necessity for creating parent…

Approaches to early intervention services for rural families with young children with disabilities are considered, including service delivery models and strategies for interagency collaboration. Proposals concern increasing access to services in rural areas, personnel training and utilization, and developing an infrastructure through regional and…

This report describes visits of two Americans to Bratislava, (Slovakia) and Prague (Czech Republic) as part of a larger project providing technical assistance to improve the care and services for children with special needs in these countries. A summary of the Bratislava visit lists people met and places visited (with a brief description of each…

Based on the findings of a 1998 conference on the new assessment and accountability requirements in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), this report discusses critical issues that surround the assessment provisions included in the 1997 IDEA amendments and contains recommendations related to state and district-wide assessments…

The goal of this conference was to assist early childhood professionals in their efforts to provide training to parents and family-focused, community-based transitions between preschool and school. The conference was also designed to assure children access to a high quality, developmentally appropriate preschool; adequate nutrition; and health…

This report of an 18-month planning study presents recommendations concerning the development and promotion of improved child care services for Texas children with and without disabilities. A mail survey of child care centers (588 programs surveyed) and a telephone survey of 495 family day care providers found a need for on-site training and…

The ADA Watch was established in 1991 to monitor implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). The ADA Watch covers all titles of the law, all regions of the country, and all sectors of the economy. This report summarizes major ADA Watch findings and recommendations from a study conducted from October 1991 to November 1992.…

This affirmative action and staff diversity plan was developed to specify strategies and assign responsibility for increasing the number of qualified minorities, women, disabled, and members of other underrepresented groups who staff California's community colleges. Introductory comments explain the rationale behind the plan, indicating that…

Inclusion is a way of providing a normalized educational experience for all children with disabilities. Educators differ, however, on the meaning of inclusion, from full-inclusion advocates to those who assert "inclusive" means that learning needs are met in a range of service delivery contexts. Three components of inclusionary schooling that are…

A federally sponsored project explored educational practices, originating in diverse communities, in which teachers used educational technology in innovative ways to meet the needs of children with disabilities. This booklet describes projects at 11 sites around the United States. It presents a model for technology integration, emphasizes the need…