This article discusses provisions of Public Law 99-457 and suggests that this law sets the stage for the development of family-centered services for young children with disabilities. The approach presented emphasizes identification of families' strengths and needs as a basis for implementing community-based programs, with professionals serving as…

This article presents a model for communication among providers and families of children with disabilities about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). It discusses treatments for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and cerebral palsy, including the Feingold diet, herbal treatments, CranioSacral therapy, therapeutic…

An overview of South Asian and Southeast Asian Americans is discussed to aid teachers in understanding behaviors exhibited by Asian students. Culture influences in the following areas are explored: family relationships, respect for age, social interaction, communication style, family expectations, humility, school situations, decision making, and…

This book is designed to give special educators, regular educators, and parents the confidence and know-how to develop Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) that are both legally correct and educationally useful. Chapter 1 highlights the five main components of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): evaluation and…

Parents have a real opportunity to influence their child's education through participation in the Committee on the Handicapped process which includes referral, evaluation, Individualized Education Program (IEP) planning and review. Specific guidelines for parent participation in this process are discussed, including parent/teacher conferences,…

This brochure explains federal requirements for transition services for secondary students with disabilities, the importance of transition services, and transition planning in the Individualized Education Program (IEP). The roles and responsibilities of the student, special and regular education teachers, parents, adult service agency…

Secondary students with learning disabilities, behavior disorders, and health impairments (n=16) learned a self-advocacy strategy via an Interactive Hypermedia Program (IHP) or through live instruction. After instruction, each student ran his own Individualized Education Program conference. The IHP was as effective in teaching the students the…

Family responses to family-school conflicts may be manifested in family interaction and/or work performance and are influenced by numerous factors including socioeconomic status, child's grade level, family structure, cultural background, financial or structural stress, and rigidity of functioning. (Author/PB)

Teacher-parent collaborative consultation can be useful in planning appropriate vocational programs for adolescents with disabilities. Such consultation can involve informing parents of vocational opportunities, planning vocational assessment and collecting vocational information, developing vocational components of individualized education plans,…

This paper provides Indian parents of children with disabilities with information from the Education for Parents of Indian Children with Special Needs Project concerning communication between Indian parents and non-Indian service providers. Five basic strategies for effective communication are reviewed: (1) when you do not understand, ask for…

Presents the Verbal Interaction Analysis System (VIAS), a computer-based system designed to analyze verbal interactions, and describes application of the VIAS in analyzing family/professional interactions during the Individualized Family Service Plan process. The results of a pilot test of the VIAS found high interobserver reliability. (Author/CR)

This article presents a perspective for viewing mediation in resolving conflicts between parents and school personnel about the education of handicapped students. The appropriateness of mediation as well as its limitations are discussed, as are current uses of mediation in special education and legal problems and issues arising from its use.…

This article proposes criteria for selecting Spanish-speaking interpreters for communicating with families of students being considered for special education placement. It discusses responsibilities of interpreters, potential problems in using interpreters, and elements of a management system and training program for interpreters and school…

A survey of 904 special education teachers determined the nature and extent of parent-teacher interactions, by gathering data on number of parent contacts, time spent, communication format (written, telephone, or personal visit), nature of parent contacts in Individualized Education Plan (IEP) development, teachers' roles during IEP meetings, and…

This manual, accompanied by a 22-minute videotape recording, provides information for constructing an Individualized Transition Plan as a component of Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings for secondary students with disabilities. The video, based on an actual IEP meeting with a student and his parents, illustrates a meeting that focuses…