Over the past decade, the federal investment in higher education has grown, the public demand for a postsecondary degree has risen, and skepticism about the value and meaning of the degree has increased. This confluence has prompted a more intense federal interest in having clear and comparable information about colleges and universities available…

This study surveyed 45 selected primary and secondary schools in Botswana which aimed to identify how parent and community involvement in the governance of schools affect teacher effectiveness and improvement of learner performance. The study started from January 2005 to December 2006. Literature review, administration of questionnaires, interview…

The development of effective community integration training programs for persons with severe handicaps is examined in terms of the human needs of severely disabled persons, the importance of comprehension and community-oriented training, emphasis on generalization, and consideration of individual preferences and interests. (CL)

Describes Ovation, an integrated software system with a common command environment of 26 English words which provides access to all of the system's capabilities and handles spreadsheet analysis, information management, word processing, graphics, and communications in the same workspace. Capabilities of Ovation's applications and features…

This qualitative study is based on in-depth interviews with 40 representatives from 12 community-based organizations (CBOs) working with the Steans Center for Community-based Service-Learning at DePaul University in Chicago. These CBOs see themselves as partners with the University in educating college students about the realities of racial and…

West Virginia Governor Arch Moore discusses past and present changes in the Appalachian Region and in West Virginia spurred by the Appalachian Regional Commission. Changes in West Virginia's tax structure, job creation, economic diversification, and public energy facilities are noted as efforts to prepare for the future. (NEC)

Discusses the systematic approach to training, how this approach increases training impact, and how it evolved and identifies the four components of this approach, describing three components in detail--pretraining briefing sessions, review of individual training objectives, and group followup. (MBR)

Business incubators can help fledgling firms get off the ground by providing business services and rental space, at below-market costs, for a business's first few years. The payoff for the community is more jobs. Concentrated until recently in urban areas, incubators are now succeeding in rural areas too. (JHZ)

Purpose: To report on findings from the evaluation of two innovative community-based prevention projects in the UK targeted at children disaffected from school, one involving football the other horticulture. Design/methodology/approach: Qualitative inquiry focusing on three areas: "theories of change" underpinning the projects; referral…

Discusses use of volunteers to augment local government services such as libraries, parks, paralegal aid, elderly care, data processing. Outlines requirements of successful programs and steps toward initiating volunteer programs. Presents case studies of volunteer programs in two Maryland communities and 41 examples of how local governments can…

Stores (n=120) in Chicago (Illinois) were targeted for enforcement of prohibitions on selling cigarettes to minors. Enforcement schedules of 2, 4, and 6 months were effective in reducing illegal sales, from 86% to 19%, 87% to 34%, and 87% to 42%, respectively, indicating the effectiveness of regular enforcement of civil penalties for tobacco sales…

This follow-up study examined the daily routines and activities of 85 young adults with severe/profound mental retardation 4 years after moving to community residential units from an institutional setting in Melbourne, Australia. A more normalized lifestyle, increased daily variation, more community interaction, and greater parental involvement…