Status of Inclusive Educational Placement for Students with Extensive and Pervasive Support Needs

Reauthorization of IDEA in 2004 established procedural mandates and accountability requirements ensuring all students with disabilities participate and progress in general education curriculum. Broadly speaking, improvements toward greater access have been found for many students with disabilities, however the extent to which this holds true for students with extensive and pervasive support needs is not evident. Past research associated with LRE for students with extensive and pervasive support needs was considered when replicating previous research using the cumulative placement rate to analyze LRE data for students with extensive and pervasive support needs (autism, intellectual disability, deaf blindness, and multiple disabilities). Results indicate that student with extensive and pervasive support needs have substantially less positive LRE placement trends over the past 15 years with most placed in separate classrooms and settings. Recommendations for transforming federal and state policies and procedures are shared

Tips for Transition

This is the publisher's version, also found here: http://cec.metapress.com/content/pg3503702q337226/?p=40fa3764544b4d9a800149bae1e15b89&pi=5The article focuses on the best practices solicited by the Division on Career Development & Transition (DCDT) for the student to adult life transition planning for youth with disabilities. The DCDT launched an effort to identify field-based transition practices used by practitioners, reviewed them, and confirmed their category based on the five broad areas of Kohler's Taxonomy for Transition Planning including student-focused planning, interagency collaboration, and family involvement. The tips include initiating a transition process with realistic goals not later than the ninth and tenth grade, organizing a peer monitoring group, and creating a discovery profile for each student

Inclusive Education National Research Advocacy Agenda: A Call to Action

The TASH Inclusive Education National Committee responded to Horner and Dunlap’s (2012) call to ensure that future research integrates inclusive values with strong science by developing an inclusive education (IE) national research agenda. Qualitative methods were implemented to answer three questions: (a) What is the state of IE research? (b) What research still must be done? and (c) What are recommendations for a national IE research advocacy agenda? The findings include 15 areas organized within three domains advocating for continued research across systems level capacity building and support, building and classroom capacity for inclusive education, and student learning and development. Implications for research and policy reform are discussed

The Adolescent Behavioral Index: Identifying Students at Risk for Disengagement in High School

In this study, we examined the relationship between self-reported adolescent perceptions of school climate and extant high school academic and behavioral data; specifically grade point average, attendance, tardies, and office discipline referrals, using a Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes (MIMIC) model on a sample of high school students (n = 5039) with and without disabilities. Findings show evidence of a robust Adolescent Behavioral Index when controlled for disability status as those with disabilities are expected to have lower index scores. Implications for research and practice are focused on the Adolescent Behavioral Index as a mechanism for systematic data collection that may underlie early warning systems in high schools specifically when designing college and career readiness interventions for adolescents and when identifying students who may be at risk for disengagement

The Persistence of Highly Restrictive Special Education Placements for Students with Low- Incidence Disabilities

The purpose of this study is to analyze the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) data that states and U.S. territories report from the Office of Special Education Programs and discuss the status of the most restrictive special education placement settings for students with disabilities. In this analysis, we found that (1) states do not set rigorous improvement goals to reduce restrictive placements; (2) that the percentage of students with disabilities (SWD) placed in restrictive placements have remained essentially unchanged over the past decade; and (3) that students with low-incidence (severe) disabilities are disproportionally placed in restrictive placements. These results suggest that segregated educational experiences continue for thousands of students with disabilities in spite of evidence that shows that opportunities to learn and develop are enhanced in more inclusive educational settings. Factors that contribute to student placement in restrictive settings are discussed

Examining National Trends in Educational Placements for Students with Significant Disabilities

Using the least restrictive environments (LRE) data from annual Reports to Congress, this study examined national trends in placement between 2000-2014 for school-aged students considered to have significant disabilities from among the categories of autism (ASD), intellectual disability (ID), multiple disabilities (MD), and deaf-blindness (DB). Educational placement trends were calculated using a log ratio index, and students with significant disabilities were compared to groups of students from the other disability groups. Results confirmed that access to general education settings is lacking for this group of students. Implications for policies and practices as well as suggested future research are provided

Strategies for Successfully Completing Online Professional Development

Recently, increasing demand for teacher professional development and significant advances in information and communication technologies has led to a proliferation of online professional development. In spite of online professional development's popularity and advantages, research indicates that there is a concern of considerably high dropout rates of online learners. Therefore, to reduce the dropout rates of the learners, this paper is designed to help teachers identify professional development opportunities that are tailored to their needs as well as successfully complete these learning experiences. To achieve the purpose of the study, the paper explores the considerations for evaluating the characteristics of online learners and online professional development. Using these evaluations, this paper provides practical strategies for helping elementary and secondary education teachers successfully complete online professional development without dropping out an online course

Using Successful Models of Student-Centered Transition Planning and Services for Adolescents with Disabilities

Morningstar et al examine the history of transition programs for adolescents with disabilities and the role that transition plays within current reform efforts. They discuss information regarding current best practices and provide strategies for infusing state of the art practices within school programs. The goal of facilitating student's self-determination thus becomes a standard for practice for professionals. Quality practices--planning with a focus on community outcomes, family involvement, interagency coordination, involvement of families and support networks, and involvement of students in person-centered planning--build and promote self-determination

A College and Career Readiness Framework for Secondary Students with Disabilities

In this qualitative study, a proposed organizing framework of college and career readiness for secondary students with disabilities was developed based on a synthesis of extant research articulating student success. The original proposed framework included six domains representing academic and nonacademic skills associated with college and career readiness: academic engagement, academic mind-sets, learning processes, critical thinking, social skills, and transition knowledge. Focus groups were conducted to examine perspectives among state-level stakeholders with knowledge and expertise regarding college and career readiness, drop-out prevention, and secondary transition. Through an iterative process, the focus group data were analyzed and the framework was refined based on findings. Implications for practice and suggestions for future research are discussed

The State of Personnel Preparation: Secondary Transition

Presentation at the CEC Division on Career Development and Transition (DCDT) Annual Conference