This brief paper summarizes a roundtable discussion on the relative lack of use by special education researchers of a variety of qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Discussion addressed: (1) the types of knowledge that could be generated by using a wider range of research methods (e.g., structural equation modeling and associated methods…

Strategic planning can assist a rural school district to determine its future, rather than allowing others to determine it. Strategic planning is a discipline and a process that produces a results-based, action-oriented plan for the next 3-5 years. Organizations either ascend or decline, and strategic planning can help an organization create a new…

The Alliance Library System (ALS) is one of 12 regional library systems in Illinois, providing a full spectrum of support services for 300 member libraries of all types (public, school, academic, and special) located in west central Illinois. This paper describes the process by which ALS implemented a voice/video/data network connecting their four…

This feature issue of "Impact" focuses on person-centered planning with youth and adults who have developmental disabilities. Featured articles include: (1) "Centering on People: A Quiet Revolution" (Judith A. Snow); (2) "Look-and Understand-before You Leap" (Brian Abery and Marijo McBride), which describes the basic principles and values…

This collection of papers discusses homophobia in the field of education and challenges established practices and theories. Chapters are: (1) "Constructing Knowledge: Educational Research and Gay and Lesbian Studies" (W. G. Tierney, P. Dilley); (2) "A Generational and Theoretical Analysis of Culture and Male (Homo)sexuality" (J. T. Sears); (3)…

The Latin School, a private K-12 school in Chicago, is integrating technology into the school environment and teaching its ethical use. Recognizing that children and families need assistance in adjusting to current rapid technological change, the school developed the Parent Education Initiative, which attempts to get parents involved in the…

Addressed to British companies doing business overseas, this briefing paper offers recommendations on practical steps to combat exploitative child labor while explaining why action without the provision of alternative incomes could drive children into higher risk areas of the informal economy. The paper explains that if sufficient resources are…

This site-visit report describes Common Ground, a program located in New Hampshire that supports 52 people with developmental disabilities, including some with severe and multiple impairments, in a broad range of individualized, integrated daytime activities, including supported and competitive employment, self-employment, volunteer work, and the…

This practicum project implemented and evaluated an 8-month program designed to reduce negative behaviors among first- through fifth-grade students. Counseling referrals, student interviews, and faculty surveys indicated that the negative behaviors of gossip, name calling, and exclusion of fellow students from class and play activities were…

Collaborations between universities and schools can yield many benefits for both partners, but even in the best collaborations, some problems cannot be resolved easily. This paper describes the experiences over several years of one university-school collaboration, exploring the nature of collaborations that attempt to both restructure schools and…

In efforts to upgrade the quality of education, many schools are finding ways to use community resources by forming partnerships with local businesses and other organizations. Businesses can help provide enrichment experiences, school to work preparation, incentives/equal educational opportunities, and assistance to school staff and administration…

In 1984 the State of New York mandated participation in the Comprehensive School Improvement Program (CSIP) for elementary schools that ranked in the bottom 9 percent on statewide student competency exams. To discern the overall effectiveness of the program and identify why it appeared to succeed in some schools and fail in others, the changes in…

Based on the assertion that significant school restructuring depends on the maximization of student cognitive development, this paper examines emerging patterns of change in restructuring schools at the school and classroom levels. The first part defines school restructuring and explains the premise of student cognitive development. The second…

Educational reform efforts have increasingly focused on students at risk of school failure. Educational reform in the 1990s shows a trend toward large-scale restructuring of schools. This document explores the relationship between reform-restructuring schools, and improving educational outcomes for students at risk. Two main questions are posed:…

This report presents a summary status of the National War College's implementation of 41 selected recommendations contained in the April 1989 report of the Panel on Military Education. These recommendations are designed to assist the Department of Defense in improving its officer professional military education programs. It reports that of the…