Electronic communication, whether through Facebook, Twitter, text messages, or even e-mail, has become part of the lives of hundreds of millions of people in the last 10 years. However, there are still many teachers who are nervous about using social networking for educational purposes, and there are still many schools in which students must…

Parents need to be aware of the dangers and the opportunities the cyber world offers. Video games are being used in the classroom. Commerce is increasingly taking place online and computers are indispensable in the workplace. A cyber-oriented child possesses some great advantages. The author urges parents to become experts in the cyber world so…

One goal of 21st-century education is to develop mature citizens who can identify issues, solve problems, and communicate solutions. What better way for students to learn these skills than by participating in a science and engineering fair? Fair participants face the same challenges as professional scientists and engineers, even Nobel laureates.…

This article provides information on providing early intervention services virtually using distance communication technologies. It describes "tele-intervention," a new method of providing services to children and their families, and how it is used in a family with a deaf child. Tele-intervention has proven to be a viable service delivery model for…

COMPUPLAY, a program of the National Lekotek Center (Illinois) for handicapped children (ages 2-14) emphasizes the value of parent/child play activities using computers and provides computer support and resources to parents and professionals. (DB)

The National Special Education Alliance (a national network of local computer resource centers associated with Apple Computer, Inc.) consists, one year after formation, of 24 non-profit support centers staffed largely by volunteers. The NSEA now reaches more than 1000 disabled computer users each month and more growth in the future is expected.…

The independent Waterford School in Provo, Utah, opened in September 1981, with the goal of providing, through technology, all children with an excellent education. Additionally, it intended to demonstrate how computers could best be used as part of educational delivery. School administrators have found that computerized instruction is improved by…

The article describes the National Special Education Alliance, a network of parent-led organizations seeking to speed the delivery of computer technology to the disabled. Discussed are program origins, starting a local center, charter members of the alliance, benefits of Alliance membership, and the Alliance's relationship with Apple computer. (DB)

This article aims to help parents of gifted children plan children's experiences using home computers, select quality software, and decide when to expose children to more advanced computer training. Potential problems such as student feelings of isolation are discussed, as well as drawbacks of software emphasizing drill repetition over concept…

The article for parents and teachers of nonverbal children describes information sources identified by the Center for Special Education Technology including general print information as well as information on school and community services, technology use with specific disabilities, software and hardware, assistive devices, and funding sources. (DB)

Exposure to cell phones, DVD players, video games, computers, digital cameras, and iPods has made today's young people more technologically advanced than those of any previous generation. As a result, parents are now concerned that their children are spending too much time in front of the computer. In this article, the author focuses her…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) Striving Readers Act Introduced in the House: Act Mirrors Legislation Introduced in the Senate in March; (2) "Understanding…

The information in this volume was compiled in order to provide a guide to the technology-in-education programs of the federal government. The goal of this book is to provide important information about technological resources that will assist teachers, administrators, students, parents and others in achieving the goal of the United States being…

This guide on technology gives parents and community members an understanding of how information technology is an essential part of children's education in Vermont's schools. The first section provides an overview of technology, including: using technology to collect, share, and analyze information in ways that were impossible ten years ago:…

Computers and other forms of technology are revolutionizing many aspects of society. U.S. education has sought to enhance the technological revolution, and to make computers available to students at all levels. However, in spite of wider availability, not all students are attaining equal access to computers and other items. This report seeks to…