Entering school is an emotional time for all children and parents, but for children with learning disabilities and autistic spectrum disorders and their parents, it is an especially difficult and crucial time. The authors have laid out a systematic approach for helping parents, children, and teachers prepare for school entrance and success while coping with the learning disabilities presented.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between societal attitudes and policies about people with disabilities and how they impact the ability of people with disabilities to participate fully in society. The author presents a short historic overview and a full model of integration with support services.

Over the past 25 years, the United States of America has incorporated early intervention services for young children birth to three years of age into mandated special education programs. This article discusses three key elements of the mandated regulations that highlight the importance of family-centered services incorporated into Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The three elements include the Individual Family Service Plan, Service Coordination and eligibility requirements.

Entering school is an emotional time for all children and parents, but for children with learning disabilities and autistic spectrum disorders and their parents, it is an especially difficult and crucial time. The authors have laid out a systematic approach for helping parents, children, and teachers prepare for school entrance and success while coping with the learning disabilities presented.

The authors are educators with over thirty years experience in the field of special education. Here they share their insights, achievements, and innovations which made their school one of the best in reaching out for every ‘special” child and making a difference in his/her life.

Natalya Borisova’s article provides the reader with a fascinating description of the possibilities available for every child in a school that is truly child centered. Parents, teachers, specialists, medical educators working together provide a unique opportunity for each child in The Kovcheg School. The school itself appears to be acting as a compass guiding the City of Moscow’s introduction of children with special needs into the schools of their community. Formerly isolated in special institutions, children with learning disabilities are now able to join society.

Self-determination is a key concept in transition; however, many students with disabilities are completing high school and entering adult life without being able to make their own choices or determine the course of their lives. Since transition is now a critical component and mandated by law, teaching students with disabilities how to be self-determined is now of paramount importance.

This article focuses on one high school’s journey to include high school students with mild/moderate disabilities in all general education classes. Professional development, student and teacher schedules, and modification of course content will be addressed which will hopefully lead to successful inclusion experiences for all students.

The author, a school district administrator and a doctoral student, is describing challenges which teachers and administrators face in the field of special education. The article clarifies some common used but still ambiguous terms, such as placement and location. Written in the form of a dialogue with the readers, this paper raises a number of important issues and provokes a discussion.

Natalya Kitsul introduces the reader to The Rehabilitation Center for Children and Young Adults with Limited Abilities of Kurchatov, Russia, and to the parents’ organization, “Assistance.” She outlines the development of The Center, its functions, and problems and invites the reader to read the following three articles written by her colleagues about their experiences working with young people with limited abilities.

The concept of training limited abilities students in tasks that will help them make their way in the world while also developing their self-esteem and confidence is explored. In Russia, this model provides an option until the government takes the necessary steps to create a more sophisticated approach to the education and vocational training of persons with limited abilities of a psycho-neurological nature.

Adaptive touring contributes to a healthy life style for limited abilities young adults. The contact with nature, physical activity, teamwork, and specific skill development which touring provides enables the individual student to make tremendous strides in self-esteem and self-reliance growth. Participation in the Special Olympics competitions helps team members to set goals, systematically develop preparatory skills, and provide rewarding recognition for achievement.

Socio-cultural rehabilitation of young people with limited abilities should focus on a variety of areas that can provide necessary developmental skills that will be very useful in life. These areas include living in a society that has folk, religious, family, and national traditions. Preparation for the future can be facilitated with the help of knowledgeable educators and family members through such activities as role playing, drama, games, drawing, movement development classes, music, and religious education. All of these activities combined with field trips and pilgrimages can support the limited abilities students’ preparation for a successful and happy life in their society in Russia.

This paper is an examination of teachers’ responses regarding the implementation of a person-centered planning tool for individuals with disabilities. Thirty-seven special education teachers in a graduate course on collaboration, with emphasis on applied models and actual practice with families, responded to a survey on the strengths and challenges of this process, and the likelihood of its future implementation. Results show that teachers’ perceptions were positive because they had the opportunity to interact with and learn more about their students and their families.

This article focuses on one high school’s journey to include high school students with mild/moderate disabilities in all general education classes. Professional development, student and teacher schedules, and modification of course content will be addressed which will hopefully lead to successful inclusion experiences for all students.