Making the Grade

Dr. Nicholas D. Young has worked in diverse educational roles for more than 28 years, serving as a principal, special education director, graduate professor, graduate program director, graduate dean, and longtime superintendent of schools. He was named the Massachusetts Superintendent of the Year; and he completed a distinguished Fulbright program focused on the Japanese educational system through the collegiate level. Kristen Bonanno-Sotiropoulos has worked in education at various levels for more than a dozen years. Her professional career within K12 public education included roles as a special education teacher and special education administrator at the elementary and middle school levels. After her tenure in K12, she transitioned to higher education to teach undergraduate and graduate courses as an Assistant Professor of Special Education at Springfield College located in Springfield, Massachusetts.Jennifer A. Smolinski has worked in education for more than three years. Her role within higher education includes the creation and directing of the Center for Disability Services and Academic Accommodations at American International College located in Springfield, Massachusetts. She has also taught criminal justice and legal research and writing classes within the field of higher education. Prior to her work at the collegiate level, Attorney Smolinski worked as a solo-practitioner conducting education and disability advocacy as well as representing clients in real estate and business matters.

Making the Grade: Promoting Positive Outcomes for Students with Learning Disabilities navigates the reader through the world of special education. The book contains a compilation of best practices in special education, some of which educators may not know or be unsure of, while others are good reminders. The authors provide the reader with the knowledge, skills, and determination to produce positive outcomes for students with learning disabilities.

• DedicationPrefaceAcknowledgementLegal Responsibilities and Our Students: A Close Examination of the Laws and the Students They ProtectAdvocacy and Collaboration: The Foundation for Student SuccessThe Pre-Referral Process: Response to InterventionWriting Effective Individual Education PlansCreating Safe Learning Communities: Addressing the Social and Emotional Needs of Students with Learning DisabilitiesEvidence-based Instructional Strategies: Meeting the Needs of Students with Learning DisabilitiesThe Promise of Universal Design for Learning and Assistive TechnologyWorking with Paraprofessionals: Best Practices for Supporting and Training Providing Educator Support Through Professional DevelopmentPost-Secondary Education: How to Support a Smooth Transitionfrom Secondary to Higher Education for Students with DisabilitiesReferencesAbout the Authors