Presents basic guidelines to help school districts comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in making their schools accessible to disabled students. A brief overview of the ADA is provided as well as a list of where to get help for advise prior to new school construction or renovation. (GR)

Describes one school's approach to school renovation that supported the seven ways in which students are smart as advocated by Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences (MI) theory. It includes a highlighted section on MI that covers its framework, descriptions of each intelligences, and five entry points to the MI framework. (GR)

Construction in and around a school building can be disruptive. With planning, communication, and a willingness to be creative, a school can run smoothly and construction can also be used as a learning opportunity for students. (MLF)

Describes the Ohio School Facilities Commission, whose mission is to provide funding, management oversight, and technical assistance to Ohio's 612 school districts for the construction and renovation of school facilities. Discusses the commission's actions at various stages of the construction process. (EV)

Describes this South Carolina higher education building, including the educational context and design goals. Includes information on the architects, manufacturers/suppliers, and construction team; a general building description; and a case study of construction costs and specifications. Also includes the floor plan and photographs. (EV)

Discusses design elements of a 21st century school library, including space, books and shelving, seats, tables, technology (computers, scanners, projectors), building materials (wood, metal, plastic, paint, glass, fibers), and light and color. A sidebar describes the L!BRARY initiative to creatively design, professionally staff, and…

Discusses incorporating green design into school construction, asserting that schools can improve their impact on the environment and reduce their operating costs while educating people about the value of sustainable design. Addresses energy reduction (including daylighting), site design for low environmental impact, flexible design, indoor air…

Demographic changes and the obsolescence of many existing school buildings have led to an all-time high in the construction of educational facilities in 1989. Case studies discuss the different needs and design solutions of four communities. (MLF)

Advice from a Kansas board of education president and an architect on how to balance the elements of good design and procedures with political realities when building new school facilities or renovating old ones. (MLF)

The study compared the motor activities and environmental interactions of sighted and visually impaired children (N=36), ages 7-13. Analysis suggested that some developmental delays in visually impaired children may result from lack of gross motor interactions with the environment. Implications for the design of play environments and personnel…

All international endeavors of major size and duration have been conducted under the concept of construction program management. Examples in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Brazil, and Guyana illustrate the constancy and coordination that international construction program management provides. (MLF)

Excerpts from an architect's return to Virginia school almost 12 years after completion of the design and construction project. Originally designed for open-space education in 1975, the school was subsequently partitioned to form traditional classroom spaces. (MLF)

Describes the development of a computer lab for freshman high school students. Questions to consider when planning a computer environment are suggested; software and hardware selection is discussed; room arrangements are considered; issues related to buying and installing software are described, including site licensing; and the computer…

Faced with the challenge of replacing a Milwaukee (Wisconsin) school for the physically handicapped, a new facility was designed to accommodate a substantial number of exceptional and regular students. The diverse student population consists of 400 regular and 200 exceptional students in grades pre-K-8. Photographs and a floor plan illustrate the…

Answers the question of whether educational facilities funded under the Community Education Facility Act are being used by the community. The 19 funded projects surveyed addressed issues pertaining to kinds of projects, daily operation responsibilities, evaluation provisions, degree of community use, cooperation promotion, and compliance of state…