Progress monitoring is essential to evaluating the appropriateness of a child's individualized education program (IEP), yet many IEP teams fail to develop or implement progress monitoring plans, improperly delegate such responsibilities, or use inappropriate measurements to determine student progress. Not all IEP teams plan or implement progress monitoring for behavior intervention plans. Those teams that do include progress monitoring often do not meet federal requirements, or their practices do not provide meaningful data. How can we improve IEP progress monitoring for students with disabilities?

Teacher reflection has been promoted as a necessary tool for educators to sustain responsive instructional practices. A variety of approaches for integrating inquiry into teaching and reflection in practice emerged from extensive and intensive efforts to reform teacher preparation programs. Based on those conceptualizations, a three-level model of reflection for preservice students was developed and is described. The scaffold levels include technical reflection involving a critique of lesson development and delivery, a deliberative level involving interactive journal writing and video-based analysis, and critical reflection involving topical discussion during seminars. Specific examples and discussion guides are presented, and recommendations for special education teacher preparation programs are offered.

This study examined the effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral training program in reducing aggressive behavior and increasing self-control in 30 behaviorally disordered adolescents. Measures were taken to determine (a) whether students participating in the training program exhibited fewer aggressive behaviors than students not involved in the training program, and (b) whether the addition of an incentive (i.e., externally controlled positive consequence) would increase the effectiveness of the training program. Participating students were observed to have significantly fewer aggressive behaviors and were rated as having significantly more self-control than those students not participating. The addition of an incentive for implementing the training strategies did not appear to increase the effectiveness of the training program. These findings are discussed with reference to future training programs and applied research.

Developing appropriate programs for students with autism has been an increasingly complex task for parents, schools, and other stakeholders. Parents of students with autism have challenged the appropriateness of proposed school district programs, and these disputes represent the fastest growing and most expensive area of litigation in special education. In this article, 68 hearings and cases were reviewed. The article discusses the outcomes of administrative and judicial decisions related to appropriate programs for children with autism. Three primary factors were identified: Individualized education program (IEP) goals must be matched to evaluation data, IEP team members must be qualified to develop programs, and the methodology selected must be able to assist the students in achieving identified IEP goals. Implications for school teams are discussed.

IDEIA) encourages the use of problem-solving prereferral approaches and permits local education agencies to use 15% of federal funds for early intervention services for students who have not been identified as needing special education but who need additional academic and behavioral support to succeed in a general education environment. There is limited knowledge about the process prereferral teams use in a problem-solving approach and about desirable team practices. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the factors influencing the interpersonal dynamics of a prereferral process nominated as exemplary by district administrators. An awareness of the factors affecting the interpersonal interactions of prereferral teams may guide states in developing the early intervention services envisioned by the IDEIA. Implications for school psychologists and directions for future research are also discussed.