This paper describes an organization developed by and for people with physical disabilities in Malaysia, as a case study of self-help action in the southeast Asia region. The paper reviews the origin and growth of the organization, its program of activities, and the nature and future of disability self-help. (Author/JDD)

This special issue contains eight articles that examine the following: social justice, global employment issues, International Labor Organization (ILO) standards, social security, training, tripartism, the 1994 ILO conference, and labor standards--all from a global perspective. (JOW)

Nongovernmental organizations in developing countries tend to depoliticize citizens. They must change their perception of their role, stop portraying themselves as nonaccountable, stop creating community businesses that do not incorporate the market, and admit a role for private industry. (SK)

Sees aging and health care as emerging policy issues in Third World. Discusses rationale for principal features of emerging new international survey design which includes integration of younger and older families; reliance on retrospective data; intensive measurement of economic status, health outcomes, and utilization and intergenerational…

Children in a rural preschool in China were observed while they participated in group learning activities. Although many aspects of the preschool program did not meet standards used in developed countries, the ability of the teacher to plan and conduct large group activities was admirable, and the children displayed many positive behaviors. (BG)

Discusses the use of testimonials (edited oral narratives collected from people who by their circumstances cannot write about their experiences firsthand) in the English classroom. States that teaching testimonial narratives leads students to ask challenging questions about priorities in literature classes and their everyday experiences. (RS)

Reports findings from a study of the confidence expressed by ministry-level decision makers in five developing countries (i.e., Somalia, Botswana, Liberia, Yemen, and Nepal) about the quality of the national-level education data available to them and reasons for the perceived 16-40 percent error rate. (DMM)

Reports on a United Nations committee recommendation that the Security Council establish a universal register of arms. Suggests that such a register would limit the destabilizing influence of major arms sales on developing nations. Argues that visibility of arms sales may help reduce their number. (DK)

The use of language for political control, cultural preservation, or destruction between Southern Hemisphere countries and their former colonial masters is discussed. Linguistic and educational policy dilemmas in multiethnic, multilingual African countries suggest that linguistic dependency is leading to both technological dependency and…

After crisis conditions abated, directors of a U.S. Agency for International Development/University of Nebraska at Omaha joint project resolved to implement strategic planning for literacy education (including curriculum development, teacher education, and assessment) in Afghanistan. This article describes the rigors of educational planning in a…

To overcome isolation and disorganization of small urban producers, an experiment in Benin organized group-based networks to manage economic and financial services based on user needs and local culture. The feasibility and sustainability of these networks depend on recognition by existing institutions. (SK)

Laws regulating adoption are varied and complex in countries that offer children for international adoption (IA), while United States Immigration laws pose additional obstacles to Americans wishing to adopt foreign-born children. Declarations by the United Nations and the development of a convention on IA by the Hague Conference offer some hope…

Includes "Millions of Workers on the Move" (Stalker); "Migrants Working and Living in Europe Today" (Bohning); "The Attraction of the Gulf"; "Sri Lanka to Kuwait and Back: The Crisis of Domestic Workers" (Goodson); and "Alternatives to Migration" (Fromont). (JOW)

Five models of children's rights are described, with special emphasis on a model supporting the position that children's rights are a necessary condition for national development. The need to offer legislative protection for children and enable them to practice making responsible choices is discussed. (JDD)

"Agriculture of Developing Countries," a course offered to nonagricultural majors at Illinois State University, uses a demonstration plot at a university farm to show students 60 species or subspecies of crops from around the world. Plant culture and harvesting techniques can be observed by university as well as high school students. (SK)