National population trends demonstrate a shift in the U.S. ethnic population, similar to changes in the ethnic landscape of U.S. public schools. However, the teaching landscape has not adjusted to align with student demographics. Research highlights the academic and social/emotional benefit for students of color who experience having a teacher of…

Describes mental health service needs in rural America and barriers to improving its quality and availability. Federal programs, especially the Office of Rural Health Policy, are described and policy recommendations for improving rural mental health care are presented. (DM)

Context: Founded in 1971 with state funding to increase the number of primary care physicians in rural Minnesota, the Rural Physician Associate Program (RPAP) has graduated 1,175 students. Third-year medical students are assigned to primary care physicians in rural communities for 9 months where they experience the realities of rural practice with…

Small, sometimes multi-cultural, rural schools need specialized preservice teacher education programs to prepare teachers. After outlining the classroom, school, and sociocultural characteristics affecting a teacher's success and survival in a rural community, this paper discusses the apparent lack of rural content in teacher preparation programs…

This report examines rural practice in adult literacy programs and estimates the extent and nature of rural illiteracy. Surveys were sent to 3,287 rural literacy programs; more than 700 program directors responded for a return rate of 22 percent. In addition, 150 program directors and key state literacy contacts were interviewed by telephone.…

The 4-H/Community Resource Development workshop was designed to help people conducting Extension 4-H programs on sensitive and complex community issues improve their ability to create a better climate for discussion of alternatives and development of community projects. Topics of the presentations included the role of the 4-H administrator,…

Current research on school effectiveness concludes that differences among schools affect students' academic achievement. An important characteristic of effective schools is providing a safe and secure environment. An example of programs that address this issue are peer mediation or conflict resolution programs. These programs require the combined…

This paper examines specific problems facing community service delivery in rural Australia and efforts to overcome these deficiencies. The generic term "rural" is advantageous in that it delineates particular problems facing rural communities, aids in resource allocation, raises public awareness of rural disadvantage, and provides an…

This book examines cases of rural community development initiatives in the United States, Canada, and Europe, identified during a study of multicommunity collaboration projects. Section 1 includes 36 community development ideas operating at provincial, regional, and local levels. Included are ideas such as bank community development corporations,…

This discussion of social and political aspects, advantages and disadvantages of distance education programs includes descriptions and examples of delivery technologies and programs in developing and developed countries. Among the social aspects considered are distance education's potential to provide a second chance to people who are trapped by…

Only recently has the need to link rural education programs for workers and economic planning been recognized. This interest in linkages has resulted in a variety of intermediary mechanisms for collaboration. Included among the elements or activities necessary for linking education and economic development are the following: a solid base of…

This paper provides basic information about telecommunication technologies that can be used to deliver training, education, public awareness activities, and other assistive-technology related services to individuals with disabilities in distant locations. The review of current and viable telecommunication technologies is accompanied by examples of…

Addresses Australia's changing economic structure and the increasingly important role of adult education in rural economic development. Adult programs that positively impact rural development include training for employment, small business training, enterprise education, community awareness programs aimed at promoting understanding of how money…

This book reports on a 3-year project involving the design and implementation of a coordinated demonstration program for the treatment of child sexual abuse in rural Manitoba (Canada). The purpose of the project was to address problems resulting from child sexual abuse services that are sporadic and uncoordinated in rural Canadian communities.…

This report illustrates how community service learning can be used as a vehicle for achieving the goals of education and youth development and, concurrently, how it is highly consistent with the goals of systemic educational reform, particularly in rural schools and communities. Part 1 covers the definition of service learning as a method of…