The report describes activities and findings of an 18-month project which surveyed day and other non-residential services provided to persons with mental retardation in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. An introductory section describes project purposes, followed by a description of project methods (sampling plan, questionnaire development,…

A formative evaluation of a pilot review and appeal process for the Maryland Writing Test (MWT) is described. The MWT is a large-scale direct assessment of writing. A three-year pilot phase was to culminate in the implementation of an operational procedure for the review and appeal of scores impacting a pass/fail decision for examinees. The MWT…

A 3-year study was undertaken to identify the salient features of verbal academic (math and science) language performance of third- and sixth-grade students. The investigation classified both native and nonnative English-speaking students as either effective communicators/responders or unsuccessful communicators/responders. The study examined…

This study examines the effects of recent statewide education reforms on small, rural schools in 13 Appalachian states. Education reform measures passed in the Appalachian states during 1982-1987 focused on improving schools through the following major approaches: (1) increased accountability through testing students and changing accreditation…

Rural Economics: Farmers in Transition (RE:FIT), the Dislocated Farmer Assistance Program in Ohio, was designed to help farm families assess their skills and interests in nonfarm employment. The processes used by agents in counseling families were evaluated. The program was designed by personnel of the Ohio Cooperative Extension Service (OCES) to…

The pre-kindergarten program in the San Antonio Independent School District was evaluated during the 1984-85 school year. The children's progress was measured informally by observation and was maintained individually on a checklist of skills. Interviews with principals and teachers revealed positive reactions to the program. Correlation existed…

This guide is intended for use in conducting a review of adult and community educational programs. The procedures explained in the manual are geared toward conducting a program evaluation that is intended to (1) serve as an educational tool that program practitioners can use in gaining a better understanding of the ways in which their program…

Of the empirical research on agency utilization, examinations on the usage of community based organizations (CBO's) such as Community Action Programs, Opportunities Industrialization Centers, and Urban Leagues, have been minute. This study of CBO's revealed significant relationships relative to the use of program services by 575 respondents…

This project identified over 500 critical incidents of successful and unsuccessful instruction in science and mathematics courses reported through interviews of 105 blind college students. The principal categories of effective teacher behavior included planned concrete learning experiences, creative use of learning materials, and detailed…

Offering instruction in performance appraisal (PA) skills as well as in selection interviewing contributes to business communication students' potential for finding the most appropriate job and keeping it. Students and faculty can benefit from the recognition that in appraisals of performance effective communication behavior is a key indicator of…

The general aim of this article is to explore South Asian music and culture in an educational context. The fieldwork on which it is based mainly consists of semi-structured interviews with pupils of South Asian origin (aged 11-18) who attend a secondary school in Ilford, Essex. The learning methods of South Asian musicians are considered and a…

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between school-wide gender equity efforts and seventh grade girls' and boys' educational outcomes and psychological functioning. In this paper, we detail the components of the study, which included documenting that this school did in fact have a gender equitable environment; measuring…

To support the integration of technology in the K-12 special and general education classroom, especially for students with disabilities, teachers must be experienced in the application of technology to curriculum. Professional development programs continue to provide opportunity, but often do not result in teacher proficiency in the integration of…

This study of black families examined the degree of congruence between family structure, family interaction, and attitudinal constellations in the home and the utilization of selected health, educational and social service agencies. Data were collected from parents of 150 children attending the Howard University Child Development Center and from 4…

Intended for use in teaching a senior high school writing course, this curriculum guide uses career related activities to help students clarify their career goals, practice some common adult writing experiences, and, in general, prepare for the future. Four areas from "real life" experiences are included and may be used separately as…