This article examines software development techniques used by special educators through the perspective of the software life cycle. The paper argues that traditional programming techniques are becoming less and less feasible for software development within the typical funding levels and timelines of federal initiatives. More use of commercial…

This response to Woodward and Noell (EC 607 857) notes the heavy investment of time required to develop educational software and specifically addresses concerns about computer-assisted instruction which does not incorporate computer-managed instruction; the supposedly "unique" needs of students with disabilities; and current technological…

Briefly describes the objectives and design of the MicroRead Index, a microcomputer-based index which utilizes word and sentence length to measure readability of written materials. The program computes a reading level and a consistency index for comparative analysis and determines whether the sample size used was adequate. (MBR)

Uses a prototype decision problem to demonstrate usefulness of an electronic spreadsheet in analyzing decision trees and performing other types of decision analysis. Advantages and disadvantages of implementing operations research/management science models on electronic spreadsheets are discussed and some do's and don't's are suggested. (Author)

The discipline of software engineering can be extended in a natural way to deal with the issues raised by a systematic approach to the design of human-machine interfaces. The user should be treated as part of the system being designed and projects should be organized to take into account the current lack of a priori knowledge of user interface…

Identifies factors to consider when evaluating educational software and describes additional criteria for evaluating software for physically disabled students. Software design which complements school curriculum and is accessible to nondisabled and moderately disabled students is presented as a solution. Sammy Series programs developed to meet…

This paper presents a cognitive account of both the advantages and disadvantages of direct manipulation interfaces, i.e., the use of icons to manipulate and interact directly with data rather than writing programs or calling on a set of statistical subroutines. Two underlying phenomena that give rise to the sensation of directness are identified.…

Presents perspectives on methodological assumptions underlying research efforts in artificial intelligence (AI) and charts activities, motivations, methods, and current status of research in each of the major AI subareas: natural language understanding; computer vision; expert systems; search, problem solving, planning; theorem proving and logic…

Discusses technological developments causing changes in personal information systems: increase in commercial support services; proliferation of microcomputers; capability to download from secondary services into private files; and developing desire to utilize functions such as electronic mail and automated office functions. Appendices list 21…

This paper addresses the question of teacher socialization through contrived images, i.e., the influence of advertising as part of an educational and socialization process. It examines ways in which computer advertisements directed towards teachers influence their perceptions of how computers can and should be used, and how the same advertisements…

Describes one way of structuring an intelligent tutoring system (ITS) in light of developments in artificial intelligence. A specialized intelligent operating system (SIOS) is proposed for software for a network of microcomputers, and it is postulated that a general learning system must be used as a basic framework for the SIOS. (Author/LRW)

Attempts to distill a growing technical literature on repeated-measures analysis of variance into a few simple principles for selecting an analytic technique. Argues that researchers ought not opt for a general analysis strategy when current computer technology makes it possible to select the optimal analysis technique for a given data set. (RH)

Offers a critique on some of the papers on computers in science teaching that were presented at the 1985 National Association for Research in Science Teaching meeting. Implications for the conduct of research on computers in science learning are also suggested. (JN)

The substance of a commentary (SE 539 500) is a criticism of the over-generalizations by authors of computer-assisted instruction papers at the 1985 annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching. This reaction attempts to examine the validity of the criticisms made in the commentary. (JN)

This paper discusses a model of information storage and retrieval, the k-d tree (Bentley, 1975), a binary, hierarchical tree with multiple associate terms, which has been explored in computer research, and it is suggested that this model could be useful for describing human cognition. Included are two models of human long-term memory--networks and…