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

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

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

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

A Systematic Literature Review of Video-Based Interventions to Improve Integrated Competitive Employment Skills among Youth and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

BACKGROUND: People with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have lower employment rates than their peers without disabilities or other disabilities. Clear evidence exists regarding video-based interventions (VBIs) for improving task performance and social communication skills for students with ASD. However, such interventions have rarely been applied in integrated employment settings. OBJECTIVE: This systematic literature review aims to examine the utilization and efficacy of video-based interventions in improving the skills required to secure and maintain a job for youth and adults with ASD. METHODS: A systematic literature review was conducted on peer-reviewed articles on VBIs and ASD from electronic databases (n.d. –2019), an ancestral search of retrieved studies, and a hand search of retrieved journals. RESULTS: Effective approaches were identified from among 19 studies that met the inclusion criteria. Sixteen of the studies focused on teaching job performance skills associated with specific job duties. Only three studies targeted the utility of VBIs to improve job search skills. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that VBIs produce positive results in improving job performance skills. These positive results suggest promising future studies using VBIs to help equip people with ASD with the skills necessary to find and obtain employment

Exploring Predictors of Community Participation Among Young Adults with Severe Disabilities

A secondary analysis of data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study–2 (NLTS2) was conducted to examine predictors associated with improved postschool community participation of young adults with severe disabilities. Multidimensional item response theory was used to establish criterion and predictor constructs and examine predictive relationships between these constructs. Results identified two outcome constructs (community involvement, social engagement) and four predictors (functional skills, classroom behaviors, participation in social networks, access to vocational programs) establishing good model fit. Participation in social networks while in school was a strong predictor of both community involvement and social engagement. Functional skills of young adults predicted postschool community involvement. Implications for future research and practice promoting and supporting community participation are discussed

Postschool Outcomes for Korean American Young Adults with Intellectual/developmental Disabilities, and Parental Perceptions of Transition Planning

In the literature on young adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD), little research has been conducted regarding the perspectives of Korean American young adults with disabilities and their families. This study investigated the postschool outcomes of Korean American young adults (aged 18–25 years) with IDD, and their parents\u27 perceptions of transition planning. The postsecondary employment outcomes of Korean American young adults with IDD were poorer than those of other groups of young adults with IDD. Korean American young adults with IDD were also less likely to be enrolled in higher education than were other young adults with IDD studied in past research. Many parents were dissatisfied with the transition planning for their children leaving high school. It is, therefore, important for professionals to ensure that Korean American parents are equipped with appropriate information related to their child\u27s transition planning