This article reviews laptop computers from under $1000 to over $3500 in terms of appropriateness for disabled students. Software compatability, price of add-ons, speed, memory and memory expansion options, screen, keyboard battery and disk drive features, and ease of attachment to printers and other computers are discussed as selection factors.…

The paper examines applications of computers in deaf education, noting three major functional areas: (1) the computer as a tutor; (2) the computer as a tool; and (3) the computer as a tutee. Software in the tutor mode (computer assisted instruction) is reviewed, and the need for software in the language arts area is noted. Computer applications…

Many school districts let teachers take computers home over the summer to improve their skills. The article shares strategies about computer use, liability, borrowing, and moving from school to home. It suggests summer projects such as learning to use computerized gradebooks, learning new programs, and computerizing lesson plans and tests. (SM)

The two components of this document are: (1) a brief position paper; and (2) a related but independent bibliography of references on using computers in reading/writing instruction. The paper presents six recommendations for the intelligent use of computers in the teaching of reading and composition, discussing the guidelines of the International…

Expert systems offer school possibilities beyond relieving employees of routine work. In the future, expert systems will become tools for budgeting, staff training, and teaching. Describes a system developed at Utah State University, "Mandate Consultant," that helps school staff review the legally mandated steps in developing individualized…

Presents three ideas to help teachers who have only one computer for the entire classroom. The suggestions include having the teachers use the computer themselves to enhance productivity, hooking the computer up to a visual display, and looking for curriculum packages that inspire groups, not individuals. (SM)

This book and three accompanying floppy disks introduce HyperCard 2.1 for the Macintosh microcomputer and its programming component, HyperTalk, to educators. The first four chapters introduce the basics of HyperCard, including its structure, which is based on a hierarchy of units; the use of tools and graphics; and ways of linking information…

A look at the quality of some of the research on school computer use shows many shortcomings. Lists 19 questions to ask and answer before judging the effect of computers. (MLF)

A special issue highlights projects in some of the 130 school districts that make up the Technology Leadership Network, a group founded by the National School Boards Association in cooperation with state school board associations. The name, address, and telephone number of a contact source accompanies each program description. (MLF)

Examines and evaluates microcomputer software designed to assist in diagnosing students' reading abilities and making instructional decisions. Claims that existing software shows valuable potential when used sensibly and critically by trained reading clinicians. (MM)

To keep expensive computer software and hardware functioning requires good housekeeping, some protective equipment, ground rules, and supervision. Schools can arrange microcomputer maintenance through service agreements with computer manufacturers, pay-as-you-go service from local computer stores, or setting up their own maintenance and repair…

Teachers need to become comfortable with computers and to find out how to use computers in their teaching. Tips for training teachers include developing an inservice training corps, hiring teachers with computer expertise for peer instruction, and utilizing free services and materials. (MLF)

Small community colleges with enrollments between 500 and 2,500 students have traditionally been unable to afford to hire an institutional researcher or to lease sophisticated statistical packages to perform enrollment analyses, though their needs for enrollment projections are the same as those of larger institutions. Fortunately, with a personal…

Notes that students at Dr. N. H. Jones Elementary School in Ocala, Florida use capture freeze-frame (still) photographs from videotapes and import them into computer documents. Outlines equipment needed and procedures for importing video stills for Macintosh users and PC users. (AEF)

This guide focuses on the use of computers and cooperative learning techniques in classrooms that include students with disabilities. The guide outlines the characteristics of cooperative learning such as goal interdependence, individual accountability, and heterogeneous groups, emphasizing the value of each group member. Several cooperative…