Ideas are presented for identifying, evaluating, and selecting instructional software for children with special needs. The article notes several library research tools as sources of information and lists specific questions to consider when evaluating software. (JDD)

This edition of "Only the Best" identifies 183 of the most recent education software programs that have met the high standards of 37 software evaluator services since the 1990 edition was published. The purpose of this document is to provide a quick, easy way for computer coordinators, librarians, curriculum directors, teachers, school…

This booklet provides basic information about computers, assistive devices for computers, and computer software for young children with disabilities. Guidelines for assessing the child's readiness for computers are provided, as are tips on planning computer-related goals and incorporating computer use into the Individual Family Service Plan and…

This book reviews over 250 computer programs oriented toward the three- to six-year age range. Each program has been screened with checklists designed to rate such factors as ease of use, content strength, instructional design, and developmental appropriateness. The opening section contains an alphabetical list of all the software titles covered,…

"Family Computing" magazine's Critics Choice Awards for Educational Software Excellence are presented annually. The 35 software programs selected in June of 1986 are listed. (MT)

This self-training package is designed to help microcomputer users select appropriate and efficient educational software packages by using a software evaluation system. It is mainly designed for school teachers and parents. The system consists of a Criteria Rating Form (CRF) and a personal evaluation. The CRF--a five-point scale from excellent to…

The paper explores the capabilities and limitations of computerized spelling checkers, and describes "School Speller," which operates with the "Magic Slate II" word processing package. Program features include requiring students to practice spelling by re-typing words unrecognized by the program, and allowing teachers to view the accumulating list…

Designed to aid teachers, school administrators, librarians, students, and parents in selecting educational software for preschool through grade 12, this guide lists 231 programs chosen from 6,000 evaluations conducted by 35 education software evaluation efforts in the United States and Canada. The introduction provides a detailed explanation of…

This cumulative guide lists the 550 highest rated programs identified by "Only the Best" from the evaluation reports of 37 evaluation services over a 5-year period. The introduction describes the selection criteria used as well as the individual evaluation services whose evaluations were used, and lists sources where the evaluations…

Designed to aid teachers, school administrators, and parents in selecting educational software for grades K-12, this guide lists 193 programs chosen from over 6,500 evaluations conducted by 30 evaluation services in the United States and Canada. Following the introduction, which provides a detailed explanation of how the programs were selected,…

Designed to aid teachers, school administrators, and parents in selecting educational software for grades K-12, this guide lists 226 programs chosen form 8,000 evaluations conducted by 32 evaluation services in the United States and Canada. Following the introduction, which provides a detailed explanation of how the programs were selected, the…

There is a large variety of public domain software, which is free for anyone to copy and use with their personal computer, including educational programs for disabled persons. Examples of public domain software are listed along with guidelines for obtaining programs, including the addresses of several computer users' groups. (CB)

The home computer must be outfitted with high quality software to be a valuable educational tool. Suggestions on where to look for software and standards to use in evaluating materials are offered. (DF)

Parent guidelines for selecting appropriate software for three- to five-year-olds address trying the software out, what to look for, and what to expect. Evaluation criteria cover appropriate vocabulary level, individual needs, child involvement, target audience, creative presentation, and useful feedback. (CB)

This report provides 1-page reviews of 113 highly-rated computer software programs, identified from the evaluation reports of the following 16 evaluation services and educational technology magazines: Province of Alberta (Alberta Education), Baltimore County (Maryland) Public Schools, Province of British Columbia Ministry of Education, California…