Much of recent research in postsecondary developmental education leaves the distinct impression that most remedial courses in community colleges are unsuccessful in helping students and that they should be entirely overhauled. Legislators and administrators are now taking these recommendations very seriously and are ready to cut programs that are…

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often struggle with features of adult life, including obtaining and maintaining gainful employment. Many factors seem to contribute to this issue, such as: (a) access to financial resources, (b) interaction between the unique characteristics of ASD and employment settings, and (c) curriculum and…

Prevailing policy and practice in the field of transition emphasizes the importance of designing services and supports based on research-based practices. We reviewed every article published across the 35-year history of "Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals" (CDTEI) to document methodological trends in research…

Dr. Jill Biden, Vice President Joe Biden's wife, has been teaching in community colleges for the past 18 years. Dr. Biden believes that community colleges are "…uniquely American institutions where anyone who walks through the door is one step closer to realizing the American dream." This is an inspiring sentiment. However, of all the…

This article addresses conflicting perspectives regarding research in developmental education. Subsequent to examining opinions regarding the rigor of research in the field to date, recommendations for a research agenda are proposed. The study's review of research strengths and weaknesses suggests multiple types of evidence, potentially pointing…

The authors first explore the changing European society and its impact on higher education. This forms a background to the main focus of the paper--the effectiveness of remedial or developmental education. The paper then provides an overview of the core elements of successful remedial or developmental courses and summarizes developments in online…

As community-based instruction has been recognized as a variable leading to postschool success for all students with disabilities, early transition planning has become vital in students' preparation for adulthood. Based upon the need and importance of students receiving community-based instruction, this literature review examined 23 transition…

For developmental education students, rates of developmental math course completion and persistence into required college-level math courses are particularly low. This literature review examines the evidence base on one potential means for improving the course completion and learning outcomes of developmental mathematics students: reforming…

This paper asks whether high school leadership activities play an important role in explaining the Hispanic college-completion gap. The analysis in this paper considers the role that English language fluency plays in a Hispanic student's leadership probability and in the student's future educational success. The main results in this paper are:…

Students' high school experiences often do not prepare them adequately for postsecondary education and the world of work. Special attention should be paid to increasing the rigor, relevance, and engagement of the high school curriculum, including for students who have traditionally faced barriers to successful postsecondary transitions. This Issue…

Reviews the literature on the benefits of mentor relationships for both the protege and the mentor. Suggests that experienced developmental educators mentor colleagues new to the field and that developmental students be encouraged to find and cultivate mentoring relationships. (DMM)

One of the greatest challenges that community colleges face in their efforts to increase graduation rates is improving the success of students in their developmental, or remedial, education programs--the courses that students without adequate academic preparation must take before they can enroll in courses for college credit. Emphasizing results…

Meaning and knowledge are separate constructs. Meaning is an idiosyncratic, cognitive construct; knowledge is a social construct built upon various shared meanings that are reconstructed and judged to be accurate or probable by a particular community. Language is the medium through which both meaning and knowledge are formed. Instructors can…

States that initial impressions form student perception of the classroom environment and instructor's communication style. Uses the "Individualized Classroom Environment Questionnaire" (ICEQ) and the "Components of Communicative Competence Scale" (CCCS) to understand how students perceive their own communication abilities and…

This examination of remedial instruction in institutions of higher education provides an analysis of the functions and purposes of remediation; a discussion of the types of remediation, who participates, and how well it serves them; an examination of the financial costs of remediation; an appraisal of the economic and social consequences of not…