Describes a program adding a counseling component to a developmental writing course to address students' sense of isolation through sessions on group formation, goal setting, values clarification, and strength identification. Reports that program participants outperformed nonremedial students in subsequent composition courses. (PAA)

A study of community colleges found that they achieve high levels of participation from underrepresented groups and provide return-to-learning opportunities. However, many developmental studies students drop out. Retention improves when curriculum includes student experience and the educational culture appears to value students. (SK)

Asserts that the arts offer students in developmental education new ways to acquire creative and critical skills that are essential for becoming self-directed learners. States that the arts offer alternative forms of literacy and ways to construct meaning and sensitize students to other cultures. Contains 19 references. (VWC)

Analyzes the adjustments and changes that have evolved from the inception of a pilot portfolio program through the fifth semester of its implementation in a developmental English class. The program allows for authentic, performance-based assessment and challenges students to assume more control of their writing. Asserts that the final portfolio…

Investigates the impact of developmental coursework on student retention and grade point average. Describes a six-year longitudinal study of 625 students who tested into developmental courses in English, mathematics, and reading. Results indicated that developmental students can succeed in a community college setting, particularly if they take…

Reports on study designed to determine students' and instructors' comfort with asking for and providing accommodations for community college students with learning disabilities. Finds that students and faculty indicated neutral levels of comfort, but that further analyses of responses showed wide variability in the types of accommodations with…

Describes the High School Cooperative Agreement program, a partnership between Southeastern Louisiana University and area schools that seeks to reduce the number of students needing developmental mathematics and English courses by giving seniors the opportunity of satisfying the requirement while they are still in high school. The pilot program,…

Summarizes the literature on developmental reading and writing programs by discussing strategies for addressing remedial needs and obstacles to remediation. Presents the results of internal evaluations of developmental reading programs conducted at four colleges. Defines 16 strategies used by community colleges to implement effective remedial…

Compares the self-reported study behaviors of developmental students to those of regular admission students. The virtually identical self-reported study skills between the groups may be an artifact of using a Likert study skill measure. Discusses the rationale and evidence from other studies that substantiate the threat to validity posed by using…

Presents an action plan for the many developmental educators who have been enraged by the entry of private companies into the developmental education field. Asserts that developmental educators should combine the best that learning assistance has to offer with the best that the private companies have to offer, within a framework and language that…

Compares two approaches for preparing students to take standardized reading tests. Discusses study that used a pretest-posttest design with reading-comprehension passages and questions to assess improvement. Suggests that measurable gain in short-term developmental programs may require focusing on a more modest number of teaching objectives,…

Examines the dropout/stopout patterns of community college developmental education students. Finds that student success is associated with enrollment patterns, initial skill deficiencies, and age, and that community college students who enrolled for consecutive semesters outperformed students with other types of enrollment patterns. (Contains 26…

This paper draws on evidence from the evaluation of the piloting of the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) in England, to explore the extent to which a financial incentive to remain in full-time learning prevents young people entering the "not in education, employment or training" (NEET) group. Evidence from the evaluation would suggest that…

This is the story of a college professor with learning disabilities that were undiagnosed until age 17. Failing school, he was excluded from a college bound academic track in junior and senior high school. He eventually went on to earn a doctoral degree after first becoming a special education teacher, certified reading teacher, and school…

This spring marks the 50th anniversary (May 17, 1954-2004) of the Supreme Courts' decision to outlaw segregation by ruling unanimously in favor of the plaintiffs in Brown v. the Board of Education. Of course, segregation never really ended, as will be explained in this interview with Cheryl Brown Henderson, daughter of Oliver Brown, the 10th of…