As external forces demand change in the delivery of postsecondary education and institutions seek to take advantage of new opportunities, the potential for achieving higher levels of student and institutional success is vast. New technologies, communication tools, data use, and organizational constructs present key factors in improving the…

If school improvement efforts are to succeed, it seems clear that institutions of higher education, school districts, and state education agencies must work together to create new strategies, incentives, and options that will promote educators' learning of the new practices and perspectives that will change the core of educational practice. The…

This report examines the literature on practices and programs seeking to improve students' transition from adult education to postsecondary education. Ultimately, the report seeks to provide practitioners with models for effective strategies in transitioning students to postsecondary education that can be implemented at community colleges…

This guide to 25 Northeastern schools honored by the United States Department of Education Secondary Recognition Program in 1982-83 profiles the schools from the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Rhode Island. Each school is profiled through a description of the school, the community served, selected programs and…

This publication presents 14 departmental case studies of the preparation and support provided to part-time teachers in Scottish institutions of higher education. The case studies are grouped in four sections according to the category of part-time staff involved: practicing professionals (professional teaching assistants, lawyers, artists, and…

These transition guidelines are designed to give Utah school districts direction in planning transition programs for Utah students at risk and/or students with disabilities. The guidelines present best practices in planning to assist these special needs students from school to life in their communities. The five-step process includes planning,…

These recommendations concerning the integration of students with and without disabilities in public schools begin with an operational definition of integration and a list of general parameters guiding successful integration. Recommendations are then offered in several areas, including: (1) training, which should be systematic, comprehensive,…

This needs assessment instrument contains indicators of recommended practice for serving infants and toddlers with disabilities in inclusive natural settings. It is designed to be used by early intervention personnel, child care providers, early childhood teachers, early Head Start providers, and others who wish to identify their needs for…

A survey of state directors of special education found that states vary greatly in the ways they define autism, assess autism, and provide training and technical assistance for those working with pupils with autism. Tables provide survey data by state. Recommendations focus on professional training needs, assessment practices, and eligibility…

This guide provides information and guidelines to community college personnel who are administering and coordinating programs designed to prepare paraprofessionals to work with individuals with developmental disabilities in community settings. The guide is specifically for individuals managing the "Paraprofessional Curriculum for Community…

This book examines selected aspects of school social work program supervision in Iowa from a best practices framework. For each chapter, best practices are identified by referencing and synthesizing the experience base of program supervisors, the literature, and professional standards. Best practice statements are proposed for each component of…

A recent model for the design of staff development programs for educators includes 5 stages--readiness, planning, training, implementation, and maintenance--each of which is defined by a set of 4 to 11 practices. To test this model and the relative merits of its 38 practices and its underlying assumptions, a national questionnaire survey of over…

This information packet is intended to provide special education administrators with information and materials regarding inservice education and staff development. The first section presents a research and development model based on Project TAMEC (Technical Assistance for Mainstreaming Exceptional Children), a North Carolina program which assists…

This guide is designed to be a practical resource for educators on the integration of general education students and those students with exceptional education needs between the ages of 3 and 5 years. Chapter 1 discusses the rationale for integration and examines what research says about the effects of integration on the development of young…

The importance of school organization and its impact on teachers' commitment to staff development has been highlighted in recent research. In schools that are favorably disposed toward staff development, the norms of "collegiality" and "experimentation" prevail. Staff practices fundamental to the creation and maintenance of the…