The nine articles in this guide discuss the problems involved in teaching writing and offer suggestions for improving writing instruction. The first article presents responses given by educators to a nationwide survey concerning the causes of writing problems, concluding that until recently the biggest problems were untrained teachers and a lack…

This document, developed by the Ninth Institute on Rehabilitation Issues Prime Study Group on Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD), is intended to provide basic information and guidelines to state agencies for implementing meaningful services to SLD clients. The publication is organized into five sections, with each section divided into…

A two-phase study examined the utilization of physician assistants (PA's) and nurse practitioners (NP's) in industrial-occupational health care delivery in nine counties in California. Included among the areas addressed during the study were the following: the health and safety needs of industry, ways in which these needs are currently being met,…

Project REDEAL (Research and Evaluation of Distance Education for the Adult Learner) has designed a three-semester system for distance education. Design features have been recommended to maximize personal learner success as well as to have an impact on indicators of success. The individualized instructional environment recommended is a specific…

Factors related to the contextual aspects of educational administrators' information needs were studied in a statewide survey of 199 administrators of adult and community education programs. Attention was directed to: varying preferences for different information sources, the effects of different decision or program development tasks on…

In response to a legislative mandate, a study was conducted to identify and address the basic factors which should be considered in the expansion of postsecondary educational opportunities in metropolitan Oklahoma City, with specific focus on the steps to be taken by Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC). Study findings, based on demographic…

This paper is based on the researcher's experiences as a graduate student, a senior academic teaching and auditing graduate classes. He has engaged in teaching and research at 31 universities. In his over 35 years of experience, he has developed some of the most effective graduate courses, attracting students from 30 overseas countries. Courses…

The topic of assistive technology (AT) outcomes has only recently received attention in the professional literature. As a result, there is a considerable void in the profession's ability to address contemporary questions about the value and use of AT. The purpose of this article is to highlight the theory, development, and research efforts of the…

A study was conducted to (1) examine and evaluate existing vocational programs at the secondary level and to identify such programs or components of programs which appear to be meeting the needs of the learning disabled and the employer; and (2) share these findings with persons responsible for providing vocational education for learning disabled…

Miami-Dade Community College is engaged in a project designed to develop a model Associate Degree program for Human Services/Drug Abuse workers, to establish a national consortium of community colleges to offer the program, and to develop the curricula and instructional methodology for a "first course" in drug abuse for persons going into the…

A case study of the Urban Consumer Education Project (UCEP)--a cooperative program of the St. Louis (Missouri) public schools and the Missouri Attorney General's Division of Consumer Protection--shows how point of view can shape a project's development and evaluation. "Point of view" here means knowing what one wants to do and how and…

In 1980, the Lake Washington School District in Kirkland (Washington) undertook a needs assessment of district activities and policies. One component of this assessment was a survey of community, staff, and student opinion concerning cost-saving or controversial actions or programs being considered for implementation in the future. Questionnaires…

A study was conducted to examine the extent to which program improvement funds from Public Law 94-482 were used by states to aid state vocational education programs serving handicapped and disadvantaged students through research, exemplary and innovative programs, curriculum development, vocational guidance and counseling, and vocational education…

Studying the employment outcomes expected from educational programs at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) can aid planners of other occupational programs. The main barriers to planning education for work are the inaccessibility or unavailability of information, the arbitrary nature of occupational classification, and…

Project ALMS (Adult Literacy Mission Support) was designed to improve the communication skills of semi-literate or illiterate adults, help participants become more self-sufficient, provide an ongoing program for other such individuals, and provide a manual of guidelines and suggestions for other programs. Three groups were established to make a…