This manual is designed to help child care providers develop, implement, and evaluate a family development plan for at-risk families. The plan's five components are designed to: (1) identify family strengths; (2) identify family needs; (3) identify community resources; (4) develop and implement a family action plan; and (5) monitor family…

Outdoor playgrounds can be exciting places where children explore their environment and develop motor and social skills; however, they can also pose serious safety hazards. With the exception of California, no mandatory state or federal standards currently exist regarding manufacture or installation of playground equipment or surfaces. The…

This guide was developed as part of a project to standardize California's statewide culinary arts curriculum based on industry guidelines and standards. It details a process that California community colleges can use to plan a hospitality symposium that will accomplish the following objectives: provide students with a forum to demonstrate their…

This action research project evaluated the impact of a 16-week intervention to improve primary school children's conflict resolution skills and to enhance their self-esteem. The targeted population consisted of one kindergarten class, one first-grade class, and one third-grade class at three different elementary schools in the same suburban…

This report provides an overview of the use of functional assessment in the evaluation of individuals with psychiatric disabilities. It begins by discussing the difficulties with traditional forms of assessment and the development of functional assessment, particularly in the field of psychiatric rehabilitation. The need to not rely on any single…

This study was designed to determine which parent involvement strategies are used in Mississippi and which strategies are perceived as important by the states' parents, administrators, and teachers. Fifty school districts were randomly selected for the study. Questionnaires were distributed to parents, teachers, and one elementary and one…

This handbook is designed to assist managers of ACTION grantee programs in evaluating the degree to which the needs of persons with disabilities are incorporated into their programs for physical accessibility of buildings and facilities. After a general discussion of self-evaluation principles and accessibility guidelines, a checklist is provided…

This practicum sought to address the need for increased opportunities for prospective adoptive parents to gain introductory knowledge regarding adoption issues and processes in a rural state in the northeastern United States. A multimedia educational unit containing a 45-minute videotaped presentation and various written materials were developed…

This handbook, which was developed to assist individuals serving as applied communication (AC) trainers to English, business, and vocational education teachers throughout Pennsylvania, contains presentation materials, suggested activities, and selected resources to structure and facilitate inservice training to AC teachers. Part 1 contains…

This practicum attempted to provide five teachers in a preschool special education program with improved strategies for systematic and consistent instructional planning. The objectives included improvement of classroom environments, improved planning for small and large group interactions, and development of methods of individualizing instruction.…

Part 1 of this document summarizes the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. Part 2 reviews the act's provisions that prohibit discrimination against disabled individuals in employment. Topics addressed are: (1) individuals protected under the act; (2) the essential functions of jobs; (3) prohibited discrimination; (4) requirements for…

This document consists of four separate handouts all related to the appraisal of audiovisual (AV) materials: "How to Work with an Appraiser of AV Media: A Convenient Check List for Clients and Their Advisors," helps a client prepare for an appraisal, explaining what is necessary before the appraisal, the appraisal process and its costs,…

This handbook provides direct, detailed instructions for involving a variety of adults (teachers, teacher aides, volunteers, and parents) in team teaching young children. The handbook describes specific ways to promote positive relationships among children and among the adult team members, and how to avoid common mistakes when giving feedback.…

This guide is organized around a list of skills that all students should know and be able to do at each grade level from kindergarten through sixth grade. It provides parents, teachers, and students with knowledge of what is being taught in a logical scope and sequence by grade level. The purpose of this guide is to help build a basis for…

The director of a church-owned child care center implemented and evaluated a 10-week practicum intervention designed to decrease the number of playground accidents, maintain insurance coverage, and provide age-appropriate, safe playground equipment. Due to several accidents that had taken place on the center's playground in the past, the insurer…