The four papers in this volume are four parts of a series on the status of recent work on measuring instruction, curriculum content, and instructional resources. These papers are intended to identify aspects of instruction, to analyze the approaches used in several leading studies, and to describe the implications of recent work for National…

The purpose of this study was to provide an analysis and evaluation of composite variables in the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88) and School and Staffing Survey (SASS) in a way that provides guidance to the staff of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the more effective use of survey resources. The study…

This final report describes findings of a 3-year study on the effects of an Interactive Technology Literacy Curriculum (ITLC) on emergent literacy knowledge and abilities of children (ages 3 to 5) with mild to moderate disabilities. Using a case study approach, 16 preschool classes in four types of classrooms in West Central Illinois communities…

This report presents an investigation by the American College Testing Program (ACT) of an alternative design for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The proposed design greatly simplifies the data collection and analysis procedures needed to produce assessment results and has the potential to produce results that are more…

This policy research brief summarizes changes in out-of-home placements of children and youth with mental retardation since the implementation of the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) entitlements. Statistics are reported for 1977, 1987, and 1997 to show trends. Statistics were obtained from…

This report to the President and Congress addresses issues affecting people with disabilities from diverse racial and cultural backgrounds, based on a series of meetings which identified remaining barriers to full participation and developed recommendations for improving federal policies and programs. The main barriers which emerged were: (1)…

This report discusses the outcomes of a study that explored states' use of extended school year (ESY) programs for students with disabilities during the summer or other periods when school is not in session. Six states were contacted to determine whether any changes had been made to their ESY programs since the inclusion of new regulations on ESY…

This document consists of eight double-sided briefs addressing aspects of the field of early childhood education. Titles of the briefs are as follows: (1) "Early Childhood Care? Development? Education?," outlining the distinctions between these terms; (2) "Planning for Access: Develop a Data System First," highlighting Brazil's…

The purpose of this study was to test a methodology that will help Santa Barbara City College (SBCC), California, to validate the course prerequisites that fall under the category of highest level of scrutiny--data collection and analysis--as defined by the Chancellor's Office. This study gathered data for the validation of prerequisites for three…

Since the inception of the World Wide Web, faculty members have been developing online course materials. However, there is little careful analysis of how students use these Webs. In particular, do more successful and less successful students use course webs and associated materials differently? Are usage patterns similar to those of printed…

This study is an ongoing examination of the effectiveness of an online professional development course designed to examine the connection between learning theory and technology used to support learning in the classroom. The course was taught by three methodologies: a traditional face-to-face class that used the online materials as a resource; an…

The federally supported Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration (CSRD) Program provides a minimum of $50,000 to local schools to engage in a comprehensive change process facilitated by the development and adoption of a comprehensive school reform plan, including technical assistance from an external model developer. This report summarizes the…

This CD-ROM contains the public use files of data from the 1992-1993 National Study of Postsecondary Faculty, the second cycle of this study. The CD contains two directories, PUBFAC93 and INST93. PUBFAC93 contains information providing a national profile of faculty, including information about professional backgrounds, responsibilities, workloads,…

This curriculum guide introduces students to the process of scientific research. Through the process of science research, middle school students practice techniques to randomize sampling, control for unwanted effects, and standardize methods so that they can be replicated. Data analysis is taught from a statistical perspective providing students…

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) gathers data on all aspects of education from across the United States and releases the resulting surveys and studies as survey reports, information compendia, and special reports that focus on specific educational topics. NCES also participates in joint research activities, brings together data…