Surveying 15 states and 39,837 students, this study examined the extent to which students who took an alternate assessment based on alternate achievement standards in the 2010–2011 school year had access to regular education settings and the extent to which that access correlated with expressive communication, use of an augmentative or alternative communication (AAC) system, and reading and math skill levels. The vast majority (93%) of students were served in self-contained classrooms, separate schools, or home settings, whereas only 7% were served in regular education or resource room placements. There was a significant, positive correlation between expressive communication and reading and math skill levels with increasingly inclusive classroom settings and a significant, negative correlation between use of AAC and more inclusive settings. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Little research has precisely defined the population of students participating in alternate assessments based on alternate academic achievement standards (AA-AAAS). Therefore, the purpose of this article is twofold: (a) explicate the findings of a multistate study examining the characteristics of the population of students participating in AA-AAAS, and (b) discuss the implications of those findings for instruction and assessment that move us closer to understanding what these students know and can do. The article discusses the results of our study within and across these seven states, implications for practitioners, and future research directions that should be considered for both instruction and assessment.

An interactive, multimedia, virtual patient module was designed and developed on compact disc (CD-ROM) to address the need for student dentists to increase their competence and decrease their perception of difficulty in caring for children with developmental disabilities. A development team consisting of pediatric dentistry faculty members, parents of children with developmental disabilities, an individual with a developmental disability, and educational specialists developed an interactive virtual patient case. The case involved a ten-year-old child with Down syndrome presenting with a painful tooth. Student dentists were required to make decisions regarding proper interactions with the child, as well as appropriate clinical procedures throughout the case. Differences in perceived difficulty level and knowledge change were measured, as well as the student dentists' overall satisfaction with the learning experience. Significant results were obtained in both perceived difficulty level and knowledge-based measures for student dentists. Participants reported overall satisfaction with the modules. Preparing student dentists to provide sensitive and competent care for children with developmental disabilities is a critical need within dentistry. This study demonstrated that an interactive, multimedia (CD-ROM), virtual patient learning module for student dentists is potentially an effective tool in meeting this need.

Individuals with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD) usually develop a speech disorder characterized by reduced loudness, hoarse and breathy voice, monotony of pitch, short rushes of speech, and imprecise consonants. The inability to effectively communicate impairs their ability to function in society and quality of life. A successful program developed to improve speech in these individuals is the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT). A critical component of this treatment is intense daily therapy for 4 weeks, a regimen that is difficult for many elderly patients to complete. Treatment delivered through videophones placed in the homes of individuals with IPD offers an alternative and could improve accessibility of treatment if the results were the same. This study compared the outcomes of LSVT delivered via videophones to the outcomes of traditional treatment delivered face-to-face.

One of the keys to ensuring high expectations for all students is the requirement for inclusive measures of educational accountability. Recognizing this need, Congress enacted Title II, National Education Reform Leadership, Standards, and Assessments, calling for the development of state assessment systems that fully include all students, as a major component of the 1994 Goals 2000: Educate America Act. At present, Kentucky is the only state in the nation that fully includes all students within a statewide educational assessment and accountability system. Students with moderate and severe cognitive disabilities participate in Kentucky's assessment system via the Alternate Portfolio. This article describes the development of Kentucky's alternate assessment, including the content and scoring standards for the Alternate Portfolio. Specific examples of entries at each grade level (4th, 8th, and 12th) are given as well. Initial implementation data, including reliability, validity, and instructional impact measures, are presented. Finally, critical issues in the development of alternate statewide assessments are discussed, with recommendations for future research efforts in this area.

We conducted an online statewide survey of teachers of students with moderate and severe intellectual disabilities to determine the extent to which their students were included in school extracurricular and community recreation activities. For the 252 teacher respondents who indicated that their primary caseload consisted of students with significant intellectual disabilities, we report the numbers of students participating in school and community activities and the primary type of support students required to participate in each activity. Finally, we identify implications for practitioners who want to increase the participation of students with significant disabilities in school and community activities.

This study examined the learner characteristics of students in alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards in three geographically and demographically different states. On the basis of the results, it can be argued that students in alternate assessments fall into at least two distinct subgroups. The first set of learners have either symbolic or emerging symbolic levels of communication, evidence social engagement, and possess at least some level of functional reading and math skills. The second set of students have not yet acquired formal, symbolic communication systems; may not initiate, maintain, or respond to social interactions consistently; and have no awareness of print, Braille, or numbers. The authors provide implications and considerations of the findings of the Learner Characteristics Inventory for states and practitioners in developing alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards.

An interactive, virtual-patient module was produced on compact disc (CD-ROM) in response to the critical need to increase dental students' clinical exposure to patients with developmental disabilities. A content development team consisting of dental faculty members, parents of children with developmental disabilities, an individual with a developmental disability, and educational specialists developed the interactive, virtual-patient module. The module focused on a young man with congenital deafblindness presenting as a new patient with a painful molar. Students were required to make decisions regarding clinical interactions throughout the module. Differences in both comfort and knowledge level were measured pre- and post-module completion, as well as the dental students' overall satisfaction with the learning experience. Significant results were obtained in students' perceived comfort and knowledge base. Participants reported overall satisfaction using the modules. This study demonstrated that an interactive, multi-media (CD-ROM), virtual patient learning module for dental students could be an effective tool in providing students needed clinical exposure to patients with developmental disabilities.