The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004 has placed a renewed emphasis on the importance of the regular classroom, the regular classroom teacher and the general curriculum as the primary focus of special education. This book contains over 100 topics that deal with real issues and concerns regarding the regular classroom and the special education process. These concerns range from requirements for referring a child for an individual evaluation, school discipline, classroom-based assessment, IEP meetings, inclusion and mainstreaming, and various legal requirements relating to IDEA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the No Child Left Behind act. It stresses the importance that every child with a disability must have goals to enable the child to be involved in and make progress in the general education curriculum.OCO Other issues interspersed within this text include classroom needs, the planning of individualized education programs, and participation in all aspects of the general curriculum. In order to achieve these goals, support for the regular classroom teacher must be provided so that children with disabilities can be involved in, and make progress in, the curriculum and participate in nonacademic activities."

"This guide addresses issues in a straightforward, supportive and practical way, focusing on the needs of the beginning teacher. Using case studies, activities and resources, it will equip you with skills and knowledge to support groups of pupils with SEN in different settings and phases." --Book Jacket.

This book offers practical guidance on such topics as roles and responsibilities, school environment and culture, classroom organization and management, collaboration with other professionals, and individual professional development.

′This is a most worthwhile book which contributes significantly to the general body of knowledge on managing pupils with special education needs. I found it interesting and informative. Schools cannot but benefit from the book′s scope, and from insights into the many and varied aspects on SEN provision′ - REACH `A particular strength of the book is the way in which individual chapters provided "self-contained" material which lends itself for use in school-based staff development activities. The book includes a lot of information that SENCOs, inclusion managers and members of school leadership teams should find useful′ - SENCO Update `The strongest point about this book is that it gives a good overview of the history of special educational needs policy in this country, including recent development on inclusion′ - TES Extra Special Needs ′It is a very practical account and should be a handbook for any newly appointed SENCO... [while] for experienced SENCOs and organisations where inclusion is not an issue, this book is a reminder of good practice′ - Special Written from a practitioner′s perspective, this book shows schools how to effectively implement and manage an inclusive school environment. Drawing from their experience in a range of schools, the authors highlight the problems encountered by professionals in both primary and secondary school settings and offer practical solutions and advice. The book offers guidance on: the role of the SENCO as a teacher and manager; government policy and legislation; self-evaluation, good practice and monitoring; how to relate SEN to school targets and development plans. Primary and secondary school teachers, headteachers, student teachers, SENCOs, LEA Advisers and professionals involved in the management of Special Educational Needs in schools will find the practical support offered in this book invaluable.

Disability law can be complex and intimidating, so how can concerned parents use it to ensure their child with a disability receives the appropriate education they are legally entitled to? A Guide to Special Education Advocacy gives strategies for advocating for better provision of special education in schools. Despite the many services and accommodations that have been made for students with disabilities, such as the use of Braille or providing specialized education in a regular or special classroom, many children with disabilities do not get the services they need and are not placed in appropriate programs or settings. Because of this, the perception of disability often remains unchanged. Matthew Cohen's insightful manual gives a practical vision of how a parent or a professional can become an advocate to achieve a more inclusive and rewarding education for the child with a disability. This book will provide parents, people with disabilities, professionals and clinicians thinking about special education advocacy with an overview of current disability law and how it works, identifying practical ways for building positive and effective relationships with schools.