While it is important for an educator to get to know a child through direct experience, it is necessary to get some background information from parents and others who have worked with the child, both to provide continuity and to gain a deeper understanding of the child's accomplishments, strengths and needs. Special educators and classroom teachers must likewise communicate in developing a transition plan for a student. For example,

The shift toward standardized testing has failed to result in a meaningful reduction of high school dropout rates, and students with disabilities continue to be marginalized by the culture of testing in public education (Dynarski et al., 2008). With that said, the needs of students with specific educational challenges are diverse and complex, and the solutions to their needs are not revealed in the results of standardized testing (Crawford &

Several assessment tools are available, often using data collection sheets that include items such as direct observation and interviews with adults who closely interact with the student. In Justin's case, this group could include Carrie, the paraprofessional who works directly with Justin, in addition to the special education teacher, the speech and language specialist, other teachers who regularly interact with Justin (e.g., art, physical education, music and media), and

Serving students with a full range of abilities and disabilities in the general education class room with appropriate in-class support is how Roach (1995) defines inclusion using this practice. Friend & Bursuck (1996) noted that children with disabilities are considered as full members of the classroom learning community in such setting with their special needs met there. Students with disabilities are helped to establish and maintain social networks and opportunities

Kenny, L., Hattersley, C., Molins, B., Buckley, C., Povey, C., & Pellicano, E. (2015). Which terms should be used to describe autism? Perspectives from the UK autism community. Autism, 20(4), 442–462. doi:10.1177/1362361315588200 Autism spectrum disorders are diverse, as are the populations affected by them. Cultural diversity and additional factors like socioeconomic class can confound approaches to autism in special education programs. One of the most important issues when working in special

Remove or Replace: Header Is Not Doc TitleIndividual Planning and Transition FormFor this assignment, read through the Individual Planning and Postsecondary Transitions assignment instructions in the courseroom, as well as the scoring guide, to ensure you have a good understanding of the requirements. You will use the information gathered from the Blooming Park: Individual Planning and Transition activity (linked in Resources) to complete this form.For each of the students introduced