Background: New technology may stimulate active leisure activities for people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD). We conducted a study of an interactive ball that responded to gross body movement, focus of attention, and vocalisations of users with PIMD. The aim was to increase alertness and body movement and elicit more…

Formerly titled "Empowering Gifted Minds: Educational Advocacy That Works", the author believes this book is the definitive manual on gifted advocacy for gifted students. The author tells parents and teachers how to document a child's abilities to provide reasonable educational options year by year. This book provides imperative information on…

An overview is provided of a 5-year project conducted by the Early Intervention Research Institute (EIRI) which focused on the effects and costs of early intervention for young handicapped children. The bulk of the document consists of research reports of 14 investigations: (1) meta-analysis of the early intervention efficacy literature; (2)…

Discusses three measurement approaches to assessing quality of life for individuals with disabilities (quality of life as measure of life satisfaction across life domains, measure of adaptive functioning/environmental mastery, and measure of changes in response to services provided). Provides examples of approaches and discusses implications for…

ACCESS outreach identified more persons in need of service who met the Title XIX eligibility requirements. Home care emphasis provided the opportunity for increasing proportions to remain at home or return to their home from the hospital. (Author)

Self-help training is most effective when it involves assessing skills and deficits prior to training; developing training goals based upon consideration of the individual's ultimate level of functioning; preparing the training environment; implementing effective training programs; evaluating training effectiveness; and promoting maintenance and…

An historical analysis of early intervention efficacy research documents the need for longitudinal studies of early intervention with handicapped children. Sixteen such studies were recently funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The article describes the issues they will address, discusses their design characteristics, and summarizes their…

This study addressed concerns of Pennsylvania legislators and government departments by examining coordination between education and other human service agencies in three program areas: early intervention (for preschool handicapped children); student assistance (for drug and alcohol abuse and other teenage problems); and teenage pregnancy and…

During its 8-year history, the federal Adult Education for the Homeless Program (AEH) pioneered new methods of service to adults in need and benefited over 320,000 homeless adults and families. Despite an evaluation that documented program success, funding was rescinded from the 1995 federal budget and never reinstated. AEH programs developed the…

This document reports briefly on the status of vocational education in West Virginia during 1987-88, as reported by the West Virginia State Council on Vocational Education. It summarizes the duties of the council, presents an overview of the number of students enrolled and the number of vocational programs in the state, and commends exemplary…

Presents 11 articles devoted to the application of primary prevention tactics and strategies in elementary and secondary school systems. Describes specific programs and reviews research related to positive student development and the prevention of emotional and learning problems. Discusses the role of counselors, teachers, and other professional…