A new method for estimating the parameters of the normal ogive three-parameter model for multiple-choice test items--the normalized direct (NDIR) procedure--is examined. The procedure is compared to a more commonly used estimation procedure, Lord's LOGIST, using computer simulations. The NDIR procedure uses the normalized (mid-percentile)…

This paper aims to help service providers more accurately identify specific areas of need and effective accommodations for postsecondary students with learning disabilities, through interpretation of previously prepared diagnostic reports combined with informal interview and assessment techniques. The paper discusses the factors to consider in…

The methods used by E. L. Thorndike, L. L. Thurstone, and G. Rasch to address issues related to item-invariant measurement and the scoring of individual performance are compared. The analyses highlight the close connection among the three methods, and suggest that progress in measurement theory reflects the movement from essentially ad hoc methods…

An examination of the incidence of eight activities believed to be associated with gang membership indicates different patterns of gang involvement for urban Black and Hispanic males. The following activities are examined: (1) perceived advantage in gang membership; (2) hanging out where gang members hang out; (3) having friends identified as gang…

This paper presents information on the diagnostic criteria and management of disorders that may be wrongly identified as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or may coexist with ADHD thus complicating identification and treatment. The disorders discussed are: depression, mania, primary disorder of vigilance, narcolepsy, developmental…

This report examining at-risk youth uses information from a regional database to illustrate the prevalence of at-risk youth within and across the six northwest states (Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington). These analyses are presented to illustrate the use of a database to aid state level decision-makers in identifying the…

Two experiments investigated the role of ego-involvement in perceived media effects. Subjects, 34 pro-Israeli, 34 pro-Palestinian, and 34 neutral college students, viewed a specially constructed videotape of footage of the 1982 war between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) that portrayed both sides equally as aggressors and…

A risk assessment instrument for identifying potential dropouts at the middle and high school levels and an accompanying explanation of the instrument are provided in this document. The instrument provides a checklist of 21 criteria; the more criteria the student meets, the greater his risk of dropping out. Criteria include age in comparison to…

Puerto Rican males have been ranked among the top five groups in the world suffering from oral cancer. Since the typical victim is an elderly male, from the Puerto Rican rural and lower socioeconomic areas, who is chronically unemployed or underemployed, lives alone, and is a heavy drinker or smoker, social support network creation was considered…

This document contains guidelines developed by the Alberta Ministries of Social Services and Education to expedite the identification and treatment of child abuse. It contains discussions of child protection legislation, duty to report, the role of educators, and an integrated and cooperative approach to child abuse prevention. A section on…

The report updates aspects of the 1977 report on California's Master Plan for Special Education. Reasons are sought for the intense debate over state funding for special education, which has substantially increased over recent years while special education enrollments have increased only modestly. In visits to nearly 100 local education agencies,…

This discussion suggests ways to (1) improve parents' communication with their children; (2) provide students with the keys to freedom through self-discipline; (3) increase parents' involvement in their children's learning in the areas of reading, mathematics, science, social studies, creative arts, and health and physical education; (4) recognize…

This slide script, part of a series of slide scripts designed for use in vocational agriculture classes, deals with commercially important herbaceous ornamental plants. Included in the script are narrations for use with a total of 338 slides illustrating 150 different plants. Generally, two slides are used to illustrate each plant: one slide shows…

A study identified communication characteristics that indicate an individual's perceived ability to offer informal therapeutic relationships to people in a social network. Subjects, 93 male and 130 female students from 16 randomly selected sections of a required speech communication course at a major state university, were assigned to one of three…

This booklet is designed for public school therapists engaged in the treatment of stuttering in the elementary school. Over 50 questions are posed, regarding treatment of young stutterers in the school, and answers are provided by a panel of 10 leading authorities in the speech therapy field. Topics covered include: (1) differences between…