In This Issue
Including Students With Disabilities
Emerging Approaches
Views from the Field
State-Wide Efforts
Contacts & Resources
 ERIC
Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education
ERIC/OSEP Special Project Page
CEC Home Page
Including Students with
Disabilities
The newly enacted Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments
of 1997 (IDEA) requires that students with disabilities participate
in large-scale assessments. The law states:
- As a condition of eligibility, states must have policies and procedures
to ensure that children with disabilities are included in general
state- and district-wide assessment programs, with appropriate accommodations
where necessary.
- Effective July 1, 1998, individualized education programs (IEPs)
must include a statement of any individual modifications in the administration
of state or district-wide assessments of student achievement that
are needed in order for the child to participate in such assessments;
and if the IEP team determines that the child will not participate
in a particular state- or district-wide assessment of student achievement
(or part of such assessment), the IEP must include a statement of
why that assessment is not appropriate for the child; and how the
child will be assessed.
- For the students whose IEPs specify that they should be excluded
from regular assessments, the state must ensure development of guidelines
for their participation in alternate assessments, and develop and
conduct alternate assessments no later than July 1, 2000.
- States must have recording policies and procedures in place that
ensure proper reporting of information regarding the performance of
students with disabilities on large-scale assessments.
Most districts and states are in the early stages of developing and
implementing assessment models that include all students. A large number
are already using testing accommodations and a few are developing alternate
assessments. But for the majority of state and local district practitioners,
this new mandate is raising many questions and concerns. Beginning in
Emerging Approaches, we'll take a look at how special education
researchers are informing the discussion.
Next: Emerging Approaches
Back
to this Issue's Contents
ERIC
Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education
ERIC/OSEP Special Project Page
CEC Home Page
Research Connections is a biannual review of research
on topics in special education, focusing on research sponsored by the
U.S. Office of Special Education Programs.
Kathleen McLane, Associate Director, the ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities
and Gifted Education
Jane Burnette, Publications Manager, ERIC/OSEP Special Project
Raymond Orkwis, Production Coordinator, ERIC/OSEP Special Project
Developed by Warger, Eavy & Associates for the ERIC/OSEP Special
Project.
The ERIC/OSEP Special Project is operated by The Council for Exceptional
Children through the ERIC Clearinghouse for Disabilities and Gifted
Education.
Research Connections was prepared with funding form the
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs,
under contract no. RR93002005. It is in the public domain and may be
freely reproduced and disseminated. The opinions expressed here do not
necessarily reflect the positions or policies of OSEP or the Department
of Education.
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