Limited ability students, reluctant to revise and edit written compositions, frequently produce final drafts that are below the minimum standards set by high school English departments. The use of the microcomputer and word processing may provide a means by which students can revise and improve their finished products. Programs are continuously…

The structure and functions of the National Laboratory on Early Childhood Education are discussed. The National Laboratory was designed to assume a leadership role by actually conducting a coordinated research and development (R&D) program and by continuously analyzing the field to identify problem areas and solutions. The National Laboratory…

In the first of four symposium papers, Clark reviews the research on learning from media and uses his argument that media comparison studies show no differences in learning attributable to any one medium over another to dispute recent research on computer-assisted instruction. He also takes the position that the media attribute argument (i.e.,…

This exploration of the future of research in special education identifies components of "good research" and reasons for the existence of poor quality research. It cites the difficulty in identifying links between research findings and innovations in practice. Factors that will influence the future of research in special education are noted, such…

The paper reviews findings, many of them unexpected, of college institutional research offices and other educational researchers listed under the following headings: the working student, the academic load, economic background, cooperation, cultural literacy, retention, and outcomes assessment. Noted findings include: the student who holds a…

This paper focuses on the challenge raised by the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic regarding the need to improve the effectiveness of health communication or education campaigns. The paper discusses the behaviors underlying health information processing and particularly what is called the "knowledge but not behavior-change…

The 1954 "Brown v. Board of Education" decision laid the basis for dismantling "de jure" racial segregation of schools. "Brown" represented a significant shift in the national attitude toward blacks and was an important advance in intergroup relations. However, in the last decade the proportion of black students…

Literature on mastery learning (ML) is reviewed from the perspectives of past efforts, current approaches, and future directions. To date, approaches in managing the ML literature have been in four major areas: (1) the "typing" of ML efforts in the context of a comprehensive literature review; (2) the compilation of state-of-the-art bibliographies…

This paper describes the development and current state of videodisk technology in Canada. The first section focuses on the technology itself, i.e., the disks, disk players, and the possibilities they offer for interaction between learner and machine. The current costs of the technology and the probable effect of these costs on the market are also…

This paper describes a study by the American Council on Rural Special Education (ACRES) to determine its membership's opinions on priorities and expertise regarding the dropout problem. ACRES members, primarily rural special-education teachers, parents, and collateral service workers, were surveyed about the dropout problem and what research they…

This research summary identifies major factors affecting the validity of language assessments in bilingual students. The four factors include: (1) determining which language is dominant and in which language the child should be tested; (2) recognizing that bilingual children may use language in a way that is qualitatively different from that of…

Although the physical environment of schools seems to affect the attitude and behavior of students and teachers, there is little scientific proof to support this belief. Two substantial studies have attempted to synthesize available research on the topic. First, an effort by Carol Weinstein has gathered significant data concerning spatial behavior…

The paper addresses issues concerning the future of special education with a focus on the mildly handicapped (MH). After an initial section presenting the particular frame of reference and philosophical biases underlying this presentation, recommendations are made for a possible agenda which addresses seven key areas in the field. Among…

While much has been done in the application of communicative principles to second language instruction, their application to language testing has been less fruitful. Experience with language testing projects in England and other countries suggests that communicative language test design should be based on the following issues and considerations:…

National attention has been placed on the need for the improvement of education, and teachers must become aware of the capabilities of computers for improving classroom instruction, choose appropriate software, and have a sufficient number of computers to support the software. The quality of educational computing depends on the quality of software…