This project came about after discussions with the general manager of the Wellington Region Free Kindergarten Association and Jeanette Clarkin-Phillips (University of Waikato) about setting up a research partnership to support the teachers at Taitoko Kindergarten in Levin. The teachers were establishing an integrated community centre (the whanau…

More than 10 million children from birth through age six in the US live in low-income families. Although large investments in early childhood intervention programs are evident, is the field fully exploiting its potential to address the diverse needs of children and families? One means of addressing this question is to focus on the efficacy of…

This paper examines the impact of a distance education program offered by the University of Pretoria, South Africa, on the professional practice of teachers. A pilot study was conducted using a combination of surveys and focus group interviews. Findings reveal that the program was beneficial to graduates' personal development, professional…

This paper reports on the re-design of the Advanced Certificate in Education (ACE) programme, which is offered by the University of Pretoria through distance education (DE) to teachers in rural South Africa. In 2007, a team re-designed the programme with the goal of promoting access, quality, and student support. The team included an independent…

This paper addresses the question: how can e-learning be embedded in traditional universities so that it contributes to the transformation of the university? The paper examines e-learning strategies in higher education, locating the institutional context within the broader framework of national and international policy drivers which link…

The authors present a checklist designed to help preschool and kindergarten administrators and teachers build confidence in their ability to be inclusive and to increase their awareness of the needs of children with disabilities. Teachers can use the checklist to prepare for the inclusion of a child with a disability. "Identifying potential…

Architectural barriers deny many members of society convenient access to indoor and outdoor recreational environments and facilities. Individuals with different handicapping conditions are often hindered in getting from one place to another by such barriers. This publication is designed to serve as a beginning reference and resource about…

Based on a presentation given at the 1974 National Conference on Commercial Recreation for Disabled People, the paper examines the role of commercial recreation in the lives of the handicapped. Examples of commercial recreation enterprises are listed for equipment, goods and products; recreation centers, services, and schools; entertainment;…

Intended for special educators and architectural designers, the book provides specifications and lists of resource materials on facility design for handicapped children and adults. In an overview, R. Vosbeck discusses the need for cooperation between architects and educators and relates his experiences in planning facilities for exceptional…

Reviewed in the interim report on revision of the existing American National Standards Institute provision is current literature on barrier free design for disabled individuals. The report addresses the following topics: the history of access as a civil right; demographic aspects (including information on task dysfunctions of disabled persons…

Intended for college and university students, the booklet contains ideas for school and community projects to help eradicate the attitudinal and architectural barriers that encumber handicapped individuals. One such project, "Handicap Awareness Week", is described in terms of definition, rationale, objective, and general considerations.…

Three major barriers blocking the delivery of cultural appreciation and participation opportunities to the disabled are lack of trained personnel, architectural barriers, and negative attitudes toward the handicapped. (JD)

Defines handicapped persons according to recent legislation, estimates the incidence of handicaps in the United States' population by disability area, and discusses the opportunities needed and the barriers to be removed in order to best facilitate the participation of handicapped persons in the labor market and in society. (BM)

Guidelines and modifications which have proved helpful when working with handicapped students in industrial arts programs are presented based on the experience of the Human Resources Center (New York), a private nonprofit organization which has offered vocational training to numerous severely handicapped students for fifteen years. (BM)