A study was conducted to improve the link between basic skill instruction and entry into various vocational training programs. Data were collected from the following sources: current professional literature; developers and publishers of adult basic education (ABE) instructional materials; consultations with experts in the fields of adult literacy,…

The proceedings include, after the keynote address by E.M. Childers and the conference agenda, the following papers: "An Additional Handicap: Visual Perceptual Learning Disabilities of Deaf Children" (Vivienne Ratner); "Minimum Competency Testing" (Carl Williams); "Transitional Planning for Hearing Impaired Students in the Mainstream" (Helen…

This collection of papers is a review of the adult literacy projects in Australia funded under the 1987-89 Adult Literacy Action Campaign (ALAC) of the National Policy on Languages. Fourteen authors describe various literacy projects and, often, their outcomes. The projects described are grouped in seven areas. On the subject of Literacy Training…

The Special Task Force for Economic Development Planning developed a long-term strategy to revitalize Mississippi's economy and help it become globally competitive. Input was gathered through regional conferences attended by more than 500 business and community leaders, a survey of approximately 8,000 Mississippi employers, and focus group…

A study was conducted in Illinois to determine the perceptions of "grassroots" personnel who have responsibility for administering programs authorized under both the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) and the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act. Questionnaires were mailed to regional delivery system directors, community college…

It was not until the end of the 1970s that public debate on the problem of functional illiteracy among adults began in the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG). Even afterward, Germans were reluctant to admit that illiteracy was a problem in their country. Literacy education efforts began at the local level, and the first national conference on adult…

Education throughout the world has become increasingly diversified, moving from the traditional education of children to increasingly more education of adults outside formal school settings. This case study on Hungary is one of a series of studies that were conducted to map out the different components of the diversified educational field and…

This paper explores the links between student achievement and parent involvement, the importance of continuity between home and school, three philosophies underlying parent programs, and effective practices in parent involvement. The three philosophies considered are those of school-to-home transmission, interactive learning, and partnership for…

This report of the Illinois Council on Vocational Education for 1987-88 is 1 in a series of 25 technical reports prepared to fulfill mandates of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act. It focuses on policies needed to strengthen vocational education programs, specifically the Illinois State Board of Education's education for employment…

This guide was developed to help Private Industry Council members and Job Training Partnership Act Service Delivery Area directors, planners, and program managers to develop new services by providing an introduction to the elements of effective basic skills programs. The guide is organized in three major parts. Part 1 reviews the research on the…

Seven papers are presented which illustrate model programs and research on providing vocational services to students with disabilities. "Project WorkAbility: California's Successful Transition Program for Secondary Students" (Deborah Henderson) describes locally controlled transition projects involving interagency collaboration and statewide…

This report, the third in a series of works dealing with improving vocational students' basic skill levels, uses a case study approach to examine the process at the local district level of selecting, planning, and implementing a basic skill delivery model. Presented first are an introductory discussion of the background and purpose of the report…

This study identified patterns among small schools in rural communities across a seven-state area. Perceptions of high school seniors, counselors, and graduates were gathered about their rural schools in districts with grade 7 to 12 enrollments of less than 500. Factual information about programs and local schools was obtained from school…

The historical background, principles, and practices of two major theories concerning student behavior are described. Theory A is religiously based and can be traced back to the biblical "Garden of Eden." It views human nature as fundamentally evil, the school as a means of both controlling and overcoming the child's innate propensities to…

This report analyzes the relationship between educational policymaking and educational practice in schools and classrooms by drawing lessons from recent attempts to reform schools with policy. Educational reform operates on the following loosely connected levels: (1) policy; (2) administration; and (3) practice. Policy can set the conditions for…