The topic of special education can be confusing and frightening for parents who suspect their child has a disability or has difficulty learning. Parents in this situation want to know how to get help for their child. This guide is intended as a reference for people who have questions about special education for a child. It summarizes the basic…

The reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, December 3, 2004, (IDEA '04) and its implementing federal regulations, October 13, 2006, prompted the need to revise Virginia's special education regulations. Input was received from a Stakeholders Group that included school personnel, parents, consumers,…

States and local school districts are required by federal law to educate preschool age children with disabilities in typical early childhood programs alongside children who do not have disabilities to the maximum extent appropriate. This policy brief provides an overview of the law and sets forth a list of policy recommendations that can help…

Responses to a survey of state special education directors (n=51) revealed that fewer than half of the states have developed policies and/or guidelines on Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which ensures specific educational rights for children with disabilities. Highlights of available policies are presented, focusing on compliance…

This report, the second in a series of independent analyses by The National Council on Disability on federal enforcement of civil rights laws looks at more than two decades of federal monitoring and enforcement of compliance with Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Separate parts of the report address: (1) development…

This handbook provides state legal regulations for Washington State special education services and programs for students with disabilities. It includes requirements that address the following areas: (1) general authority and purpose of the requirements; (2) students' rights; (3) general definitions; (4) child find; (5) evaluation procedures; (6)…

This book of resources for autistic children in New Jersey is designed to be used by parents and professionals alike. The first section describes autism and provides a fact sheet, a chart illustrating signs and an explanation of diagnostic criteria. The second section describes the state's service system, with names of written service plans,…

This report from a blue ribbon panel of experts convened by Disability Rights Advocates, Inc. and the Oregon Department of Education addresses the interplay between standardized examinations and students with learning disabilities. The report describes in detail the accommodations, alternate assessments, appeals procedures, and other safeguards…

This booklet provides an introduction to assistive technology services for children and adults with disabilities in North Carolina. Key terms such as "self-advocacy" and "assistive technology" are explained, as are provisions of major state and federal legislation and Social Security Income for the families of children with…

This Alaskan state plan details services to be provided to preschool, elementary, and secondary students for Fiscal Years 1995, 1996, and 1997 under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The state plan discusses compliance and services under IDEA provisions that address: (1) the right to education; (2) full educational…

Intended for parents of handicapped children, the booklet provides information on the basic rights the child is entitled to, how the special education system works in Iowa, how the parent can become involved in education, and how to assure that the child's rights are protected. Chapter 1 addresses the right to an education with sections on what…

The packet is designed to aid State Directors of Special Education in the Southwest Region in the development, initiation, implementation, or refinement of procedural safeguards for parents and children, with a specific focus on communication between parents of special needs children and state or local education agencies. A matrix outlines…

The document reports on a study to design a model to meet the impact of the Pennsylvania Right to Education Consent Decree (particularly as it relates to the mentally retarded) through the following steps--a review of the literature, a review of existing information, a survey to determine the amount of impact in selected areas, and construction of…

The report examines the impact of the Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children (PARC) on handicapped children's rights to appropriate education in the state of Pennsylvania. An introductory section looks at such problems as the misclassification of children, disproportionate racial representation in the mildly handicapped population, and the…

The 1982 Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees equal protection and equal benefit of the law to all individuals without discrimination "and, in particular, without discrimination based on...mental or physical handicap." This report identifies and clarifies policy-making questions and issues that are arising as educators…