A software program, AIMSTAR, was designed to enhance the process of making decision rules about when and how an instructional program should be changed. Examples are given of the program's use in teaching a mentally retarded adolescent to identify utensils by name. (CL)

Thirty-four papers from a 1983 conference on the use of microcomputers in special education focus on specific applications of the new technology. An overview section, section 1, includes papers on computer literacy and daily living skills, considerations for marketing software, and the role of special educators in the information age. Section 2…

The paper examines the application of IMS--Instruction Management Systems--on classroom instruction with exceptional students. IMS, a computer-based material generation and record management software program which has been field tested in secondary school resource rooms in Utah and Idaho, is a unique model in that it includes aspects of both…

Increasingly, software is being developed for special education administrative purposes, including Individualized Education Program development and documentation, database management for reporting and monitoring instructional programs for federal accountability, statistical analysis for program monitoring, and creative uses. The widespread use of…

Educators interested in applying technology to individualized educational program (IEP) development for handicapped children need to first, understand and explicitly state the local context in which IEP development occurs and then weigh the options in relation to criteria specifying ease of use, data features, program capabilities, and costs.…

The paper describes a mainframe based, locally devised computer-based system that meets the needs of a medium sized district in managing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for handicapped students. The program produces and stores behaviorally based IEPs tailored to reflect the competency based regular education curriculum in use. The system…

Individualized educational programs (IEPs) written either by hand or by use of the "IEP Writer'" a specially designed word processing program, were compared. Results indicated that IEPs which were written using the program took less time and were of higher quality than were handwritten IEPs. (Author/DB)

This report presents results of a survey of 1,275 Individualized Education Program (IEP) managers in Minnesota concerning IEP team collaboration and communication, technology use, IEP manager tasks, and effects of IEP software, both networked and non-networked versions. Survey data were divided into five comparative groups: no use of software to…

The study reports on the costs and time associated with the preparation of special education individualized education programs (IEPs) with and without computer assistance. Data were gathered from nine agencies within California. In each agency special education administrators, teachers and parents were interviewed to determine the time and…

Ten information bulletins on the implementation of microcomputers in special education are presented. Topics covered include the following: (1) implementation issues (including a description of a study assessing microcomputer applications in 12 local school districts' special education programs); (2) implementation strategies (which focuses on…

Issues arising from a symposium on microcomputer applications for young handicapped children concerned identification of realistic applications, instructional management, and need for research on effects of technology use. Recommendations in the area of curriculum, software, management, and personnel preparation were made and future directions…

The report describes a project assessing the organizational issues surrounding microcomputers in special education, with special emphasis on software selection and use. Twelve districts were visited, and both administrative and instructional applications of microcomputers were observed. Two major types of software--applications and systems…

One of nine brief guides for special educators on using computer technology, this guide focuses on the selection of software for use in the special education classroom. Four types of software used for computer assisted instruction are briefly described: tutorials; drill and practice; educational games; and simulations. The increasing use of tool…

Proceedings from a June 1984 sympoisum on special education technology are presented in this document. A background paper on "Technology Trends in Special Education" (C. Blaschke) deals with microcomputer use, telecommunicaton systems, videodiscs communication aids and adaptive devices, and makes projections for instructional and…

The information is offered to acquaint teachers with the scope and nature of microcomputer applications in special education. A brief history of computers traces the changes in the past 40 years. Information on basic computer operations covers such aspects as data storage, the nature of application programs, disk drives, and floppy disks.…