A literature review of seven articles published from 1980 to 1996 on the effects of parental participation in the intervention program for children with cerebral palsy found that most of the studies reported positive results, especially for child-related outcomes. Effects on parents were related to parental involvement in goal setting. (Author/CR)

Programmed identity-matching training was given to five participants with severe mental retardation and histories of failures in assessments and training attempts. When an intermediate goal of establishing one-trial discrimination learning was eliminated, four participants completed the program and passed tests for generalized identity matching…

Scaling-up (the expansion or development of organizational activities of nongovernmental agencies to achieve greater impact) in community-based rehabilitation is described by using case study materials from industrialized and less-developed countries (India, Canada, and Indonesia) and focusing on differences in structural characteristics of…

Critical factors for success in targeted training programs for Hispanic family day care providers include understanding the importance of Hispanic culture, values, and attitudes; becoming familiar with personalism and familism; using day care as an employment strategy for Hispanic women; and developing culturally relevant nutrition lessons. (SK)

The effects of the School Development Program (SDP) of James Comer on a variety of student outcomes are reviewed in this summary of previous evaluations in SDP schools. Assessments of the quality of SDP implementation in schools in New York (New York), Washington (District of Columbia), and New Haven (Connecticut) are considered. (SLD)

Reports a five-year longitudinal study of suicidal behavior of students in southern Florida. Describes a district-wide suicide prevention program and offers statistical data organized into annual, monthly, grade-level, and school-level classification of the degree and direction of self-destructive behavior among youth. Program effectiveness is…

Evaluates the impact of beverage servers' interventions at five establishments participating in the Houston Techniques for Effective Alcohol Management (TEAM) program. The intervention included server training, a designated-driver program, and "Safe Ride Home" taxi vouchers. Findings are discussed within the context of scant public and…

A six-year investigation of schoolwide action research shows that teachers were reluctant to collaborate outside their immediate grade or subject area and to open up their classrooms. Teachers relied on intuitive program-evaluation approaches and held differing definitions of action research. Schools making the most progress had the most technical…

Discusses the benefits of individuals with visual impairments using a ball-bearing, rolling-tipped cane for traveling. Major benefits include reduced fatigue, increased durability and sensitivity, more stability, better sound cues, and greater safety. A method for assessing cane congruence is also discussed. (CR)

Demonstrates that popular assertions regarding the social benefits of additional higher education are dubious. Reveals four decisive factors: presumed economic growth; changes in graduates' and nongraduates' relative earnings; differences between the marginal and average student; and belief in scale economies. Unless economic growth favors…

Critiques "America Reads," a federal initiative (launched by President Clinton in 1996) to foster universal literacy by sending a million tutors into schools. Argues that the program fails to take into account much of what is known about best practices in literacy instruction, and that inexperienced or poorly trained tutors may present…

This response to a critique of "A Critical Analysis of the Use of MCE Systems with Deaf Students: A Review of the Literature," discusses the representativeness of studies included in the review, the representation of coded English in the primary form, and the effect of coded systems on English literacy. (Author/CR)

Examined parental and staff perceptions of the three-part mission of university-based laboratory preschools and how this mission affects program services. Found that, although parents and staff members viewed lab school functions as having a somewhat positive or minimal impact on program quality, the two groups' perceptions showed significant…

For the past 2 school years, the Cypress-Fairbanks (Texas) Independent School District has used its district website as an integral part of an interactive process for establishing school attendance boundaries. A comparison with conventional methods shows that the new procedure was a highly effective avenue for communicating information and…

Contains articles describing and evaluating the Interdisciplinary Generalist Curriculum (IGC) Project, a curriculum for the first two years of medical school designed to encourage more graduates to enter generalist fields. Articles are grouped in sections: "What Was the ICG Project?"; "What Can Others Learn from the IGC…