The authors define a needs assessment, consider issues involved in conducting a problem-focused needs assessment, and outline practical considerations in conducting needs assessment for inservice training in regular education. (CL)

Discusses needs assessment as a problem-focusing strategy and examines several definitions of need. Considers five purposes for assessing needs, and presents six guiding principles for the work of a needs assessment team. (RC)

Presents needs assessment as a necessary part of program planning in student affairs. Questions (N=12) are suggested as a framework to guide needs assessment activities. When staff and students become responsible for assessing their own needs, the process becomes educational and goals are more likely to be met. (JAC)

Needs assessment is presented as a scanning process to identify if and where interventions are required in the educational setting and also to build and support successful implementation of those processes. Themes or perspectives, which provide a general framework for the work of a needs assessment team, are outlined. Within this framework, needs…