The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of general education teachers who have had a student with severe disabilities in their class. Interviews of 19 general education teachers, kindergarten through Grade 9, as well as questionnaires completed by 18 teachers, were analyzed using categorical coding procedures to identify themes related to the teachers' experiences. Results showed that despite teachers' initial negative reactions to the placement of a child with severe disabilities in their classrooms, 17 teachers described transforming experiences of a more positive nature and related many benefits to the students with disabilities, their classmates, and the teachers themselves. Respondents also characterized what support services they found helpful and not helpful.

Quality of life has become a dominant theme in planning and evaluating services for people with disabilities. This article reviews definitions of quality of life, explores the concept from the perspective of the optimal theory of personal well-being, and surveys the research on the concept and its implications for planning and evaluating services. This article explores the subjective nature of life quality, particularly for people with disabilities, and relates the concept to both cultural norms and universal human values and needs. Each person experiences life, and disability, in unique ways. Practitioners need to consider quality-of-life issues as a context in planning and evaluating quality services.

conditioned room, participants wore long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and sweaters in order to stay warm. Outside, the 95degree mid-day temperature was coupled with high humidity. At noon, the people at the meeting left the comfort of the air-conditioned room and headed down the street to a nearby restaurant for lunch. As they strolled a few blocks down the street, most of the people they passed were wearing shorts and lightweight, short-sleeved shirts. As the people from the air-conditioned room continued on their way, they 288

Although educators and other professionals acknowledge the importance of involving parents in their childrens' education, few researchers have investigated parental perceptions of educational and related services. This qualitative study identified four major themes during interviews with 28 families whose children have dual sensory impairments. These concerns clustered around parental perceptions of a “good life” for their children, as well as their experiences with fear, frustration, and change. Implications from the analysis may assist teachers, related service professionals, and administrators working with families to understand more fully parental perspectives.

The content and social validity of an educational planning tool named COACH (Choosing Options and Accommodations for Children) were explored through two studies. Study 1 presents questionnaire feedback from six groups of experts (N = 78) in the field of deaf-blindness and multiple disabilities regarding the purpose, philosophy, content, process, and presentation of COACH. Study 2 presents social validation feedback from parents whose children are deaf-blind and have multiple disabilities regarding a set of valued life outcomes included in COACH. The combined results of these studies provide initial validation that COACH is congruent with exemplary practice and offer consumer-based suggestions for its potential improvement.