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Research suggests that the academic achievement of deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) students is the result of a complex interplay of many factors. These factors include characteristics of the students (e.g., hearing thresholds, language fluencies, mode of communication, and communication functioning), characteristics of their family environments (e.g., parent education level, socioeconomic status), and experiences inside and outside school (e.g., school placement, having been retained at grade level). This paper examines the relative importance of such characteristics to U.S. DHH secondary students’ academic achievement as indicated by the Woodcock-Johnson III subtests in passage comprehension, mathematics calculation, science, and social studies. Data were obtained for approximately 500 DHH secondary students who had attended regular secondary schools or state-sponsored special schools designed for DHH students. Across all subject areas, having attended regular secondary schools and having better spoken language were associated with higher test scores. Significant negative predictors of achievement varied by type of subtest but included having an additional diagnosis of a learning disability, having a mild hearing loss, and being African American or Hispanic. The findings have important implications for policy and practice in educating DHH students as well for interpreting previous research. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) represents the most significant federal education policy initiative in a generation. The perceptions of key personnel from four states and eight school districts on the opportunities and challenges of meeting Annual Yearly Progress requirements for students with disabilities reveal a complex situation. The success of students with disabilities on NCLB mandates is dependent on myriad factors, including access to the general education curriculum and the capacity of educators to teach diverse learners. Findings from a qualitative analysis, part of a larger 5-year mixed method study, reveal that although participants recognized the challenges ahead, most seemed willing to tackle these challenges to the best of their abilities. Moreover, participants from both general and special education systems recognized that students with disabilities are a vital part of the current education reform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While 25 to 30 percent of U. S. children attend schools in rural areas, there is little research into how teachers in these schools are responding to the challenges of including students with disabilities in standards-based reform. In response to this concern, we identified 13 high-poverty, high-pertorming rural elementary schools in Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania that were also effective for students with disabilities. We conducted classroom observations and in-depth interviews. Our analyses of these data revealed four school-level characteristics of effective, low-income rural elementary schools. Finally, we present recommendations that principals and school improvement teams at the elementary level can use to better understand how to engage in continuous improvement of special education services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is the second in a 2-part synthesis of an international comparative seminar on the classification of children with disabilities. In this article, the authors discuss classification frameworks used in identifying children for the purpose of providing special education and related services. The authors summarize 7 papers that addressed aspects of disability classification in educational systems in the United States and the United Kingdom. They discuss current policies for determining which children receive special education services, the origins and evolution of these policies, and current dilemmas and challenges associated with classification schemes and the provision of special education. The authors also describe emerging data and possible models and practices that might be used in educational systems. They conclude with the recognition that both formal and informal educational classification systems will continue to be required within a system that must address the competing priorities of individual needs and the broader social and community goals of education. However, as was argued in the previous article, by understanding the mix of intentions that underpin these policies, as well as periodically reviewing the norms that underlie them, it may be possible to move classification to descriptors that can be used to efficiently and effectively define educational needs and distribute resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Outcome data from the 21st Annual Report to Congress and the National Longitudinal Transition Study related to youths with visual impairments indicate that postsecondary education does not translate into increased employment opportunities for these youths. The literature on the best transition practices for students with visual impairments is reviewed, and specific recommendations are made in each area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]