Jennifer Kurth

Students with complex support needs are at high risk for exclusion from general education and frequently require communication supports, assistive technology, and services from a variety of related service providers. Pre- and in-service educators need guidance on how to develop IEPs for this population. Organized around a process chart and covering each section in the IEP document, this book guides educators to create legally and ethically defensible IEPs that are also person-centered, useful, and meaningful.

In this inaugural book in their Inclusive Education for Students with Disabilities series, Michael L. Wehmeyer and Jennifer A. Kurth explore central, defining questions for the field of special and inclusive education: who, what and where do we teach; what works in inclusive education; and where does inclusive education go now? Arguing that the concept of disability for the past fifty years has emphasised students as incapable and incompetent, the authors propose instead to build on a growing understanding that students with disabilities can be successful and meet high expectations, and that educators have the knowledge and skills to achieve this. From this strength-based perspective, the presumption is that disability is part of, and not apart from, typical human functioning. Using this lens, Wehmeyer and Kurth describe effective practices to guide instruction in inclusive settings—practices that begin with a consideration of each student’s strengths and capacities, rather than with a diagnosis.

Zetin, Hoepner, and Kurth explain the causes of depression, how to recognize and diagnose the different iterations of depression, and the wide variety of psychotherapeutic and psychopharmacological treatment options available. Even more important, they show patients how to best work with their clinicians and clinicians how to best help their patients. The book is liberally sprinkled with case discussions, which demystify the treatment protocols and show the various ways that clients respond to treatment. In this book, medical professionals have a go-to desk reference for their questions about depression, and consumers have a friendly, accessible introduction to an otherwise intimidating disorder.