The paper offers a framework for the design, implementation, and evaluation of appropriate, effective communication instructional programs for persons who are severely developmentally delayed. The use of an ecological approach that incorporates the instruction of communication skills with that of activities of daily living (ADL) is emphasized.…

The Louisiana State University in Shreveport (LSUS) American Studies Program is an annual sequence of interdisciplinary activities on and off campus designed to bring students, faculty, and local residents into closer contact with their American heritage and develop their leadership potential. It addresses the problem of lapses in current civic…

This paper describes an ongoing effort by an interdisciplinary team from a large urban university to extend and improve the mental health services in a 23-county rural area. The model is presented as the collaboration of professionals from different geographic and working environments with different professional expectations and goals. Aspects of…

Eight new approaches to collegiate general education are described. In an introductory overview article, "Toward the Reconstruction of General Education," Jerry Gaff, director of a project on general education models, provides specific suggestions for institutional renewal, such as the formation of a task force, composed of faculty,…

Described is a project to devise four environmental education models targeted to: (1) secondary school teachers teaching separate courses on energy; (2) elementary and secondary teachers seeking to infuse environmental education into social science courses; (3) elementary and intermediate teachers seeking to infuse environmental education into…

The purpose of this 3-month research project was to develop, evaluate, and implement a distributive education program of instruction leading to a Bachelor of Science in Technology degree at the University of Houston. Intended for use also as a statewide model, this interdisciplinary curriculum utilized extensively in its development research…

Social work doctoral programs increasingly embrace an interdisciplinary orientation and structure. The strengths and weaknesses of interdisciplinary doctoral education are assessed. Six alternative models of interdisciplinary programs are identified based on the content of knowledge and the structure of the program, and the relative costs and…

To explain the concept of literacy, the Integrative Systems Model of Literacy is developed, illustrating how understanding literacy has direct applications to both instruction and research. The model's utility in reconciling opposing concepts of literacy is shown, presenting practical suggestions for literacy instruction which minimize social,…

Discusses six aspects of the Berlin-White Integrated Science and Mathematics Model developed to address the need for a definition of the integration of science and mathematics education. These aspects are ways of learning; ways of knowing; process and thinking skills; content knowledge; attitudes and perceptions; and teaching strategies. (MKR)

Describes and compares five major types of college learning-community curricular models: linked courses; learning clusters; freshman interest groups; federated learning communities; and coordinated studies. Characteristics of each model are outlined concerning institution size, basic unit of instruction, number of students involved, faculty roles,…

This article argues for an invigorated, more complex understanding of the body in social work theory, practice, and research. Drawing from scholarship in the humanities, social sciences, and social work, a framework involving three dimensions of the body is proposed for integration with accepted ecological practice models. (Author)

Effective substance abuse prevention programs help students develop knowledge as well as psychosocial competencies that can help them resist or delay the initiation of alcohol, tobacco and other drug (ATOD) use. This paper describes the integration process used in a five-year project, Adoption of Drug Abuse Prevention Training (ADAPT), to study…

Purpose: The Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) is a community-based program providing primary, acute, and long-term care to frail elderly individuals. A central component of the PACE model is the interdisciplinary care team, which includes both professionals and non-professionals. The purpose of this study was to examine the…

This paper investigates the thematic study approach in theory and practice as it applies to the elementary grades, specifically to third grade. Part 1 defines the theme study approach and explains the theories and assumptions that support it as a viable approach to teaching and learning. Part 2 examines research supporting the thematic approach.…

This guide is the result of an Ohio task force which reviewed issues related to the identification, evaluation, and provision of appropriate educational services to children with language impairments. Two question and answer pages direct readers to the relevant sections of this guide. The first section, on the nature of language, looks at the…