Examines the degree to which states' political climates, resources, policies, and interagency services predict progress in the implementation of Part H of Public Law 99-457, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). (Author/BB)

Programs designed to enable Australian aborigines who had not successfully completed high school to qualify for science- and mathematics-related courses in higher education emphasize diagnostic testing, individualized instruction, short-term goals, and learner independence. Tutors have instructional, management, and support roles. Some early…

Describes a parent education program in a rural Pennsylvania school district that uses a learning packet that contains (1) information about child development; (2) ideas for fostering child development, especially in language; and (3) suggestions for parenting. (BB)

Three studies are presented, which illustrate situations in which researchers and funders agreed on the primacy of either the experimental or pragmatic paradigms but acknowledged a role for the other. The studies involved evaluations of mental health care, information systems, and a curriculum for behavioral and academic dysfunction. (SLD)

Fifty-four county mental health authorities in Michigan were surveyed before and after implementation of new policies and funding for support services for disabled individuals and families. Case management assessment, respite care, in-home services, and advisory committees showed significant increases in availability. Length of time that families…

Summarizes recent ERIC documents on interpersonal competence among preschool and kindergarten children. (BB)

The 1988 Hawkins Stafford amendments to the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act required that the national evaluation and reporting system for Chapter 1 identify individual school projects in need of improvement. It is argued that the system is unsuited for this purpose, and suggestions for better indicators are provided. (SLD)

Observations of the classroom behavior of 43 pupils in grades 5-7 at risk for referral to special education and teacher responses to rating scales indicated that student monitoring plus teacher-student contracts were as effective, if not more so, as teacher monitoring plus teacher-student contracts. (Author/JDD)

The use of the Total Quality Management (TQM) approach by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Management approach to restructure the graduate school admissions process is described, and lessons learned from the venture are discussed. The resulting five-day admissions procedure now in place is outlined. (MSE)

The uncapping of college faculty retirement age in 1994 has implications for tenure, retirement programs, and potential for age discrimination litigation. Institutions should carefully examine the probable impact of the change on the quality of their academic programs and financial situation and develop contingency plans as early as possible. (MSE)

Provides an overview of Family Support Act child care programs and highlights the successes and missed opportunities of the programs' first years. Areas discussed include child care for parents in training programs; child care for working parents receiving Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC); the At-Risk Child Care program; and welfare…

Discusses issues in the management of volunteers in research libraries, outlining the benefits to volunteers and libraries, as well as potential hazards. The volunteer program at Chicago's Newberry Library is described, focusing on recruitment, job assignments, motivation, staff attitudes, retention and library benefits. (26 references) (EA)

Addresses the importance of family-school collaboration, with emphasis on the changing nature of families in the United States; the understanding and practice of collaboration wherein all of the parties are equal partners; exemplary family-school collaborative models; and implications for practitioners. (SM)

Mothers in the Mother-Infant Communication Project (MICP), designed to facilitate caregivers' uses of communicative interaction strategies with their high-risk infants, scored better than comparison mothers on caregiving environment quality. Children of MICP mothers who received a group experience in addition to home visits performed better on…

A graduate teacher education program at the University of Colorado prepares special educators for urban school environments through an urban school immersion experience while learning necessary instructional and collaborative skills. Interviews with graduate students and mentor teachers addressed the special educator's role and the effectiveness…