Academic researchers dedicated to contributing to quality improvement in professional practice need to find more effective ways to bridge the gap between research and practice. Bridging the gap requires understanding what encourages the use of research findings by practitioners and what discourages it, as well as understanding how practitioners…

A survey completed by managers of 77 senior centers in Idaho revealed that meals, blood pressure screening, and games and trips were the most successful activities offered. Alzheimer's support groups, library books for loan, and exercise classes were the least successful. Possible reasons for the success or failure of these activities were…

A survey, consisting of demographic, leisure, and personal data, was conducted on middle-aged-adults in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Questions were designed to elicit information concerning the subjects' expectations of increased or decreased leisure activity during the years preceding retirement. Results show that activity patterns for…

Fifteen children with autism participated in monthly cooperative art activities with same-age nondisabled peers at a children's museum. Nondisabled children received information concerning disabilities and were encouraged to be friendly. Both younger and older children with autism received more positive interactions from nondisabled peers during…

A case study of interagency cooperation between the Danville (Virginia) public schools and the city's Parks and Recreation Department enabled researchers to examine the characteristics and components of interorganizational relationships in public education. Using naturalistic inquiry techniques, they gathered data through interviews with key…

Purpose of the Fort Gay-Thompson Urban/Rural project was to combine the efforts of school and community persons so as to provide a more effective educational program for the west central section of Wayne County, West Virginia. To date, the school-community planning process had resulted in needs assessment and career education programs,…

Spurred by sagging retail trade and the need for future planning, the Fort Madison (Iowa) Chamber of Commerce initiated a community survey to determine attitudes of residents towards various community characteristics. A 7-section questionnaire was distributed to a random sample of 411 area households, of which 268 or 72.2% responded. Over 75% of…

This needs assessment survey attempted to determine if community recreation programs, including school-based and college-based programs, are meeting the needs of citizens with disabilities living on the Northern Mariana Islands. The survey polled 35 people with disabilities about the effectiveness of community recreation programs and services and…