Purpose: A primary responsibility in health education is to assess community health needs, which is often a difficult skill to master for the entry level health educator. This article outlines the outcomes of a long-term study of an undergraduate needs assessment course where students completed a real-world assessment with a community partner…

This study describes the development of three case studies that included a combination of multimedia production and instructional design skills within a particular setting. These case studies incorporated real-life incidents from 47 professional instructional designers. These instructional designers described a total of 146 activities involving…

To stem the tide of students dropping out, many schools and districts are turning to early warning systems (EWS) that signal whether a student is at risk of not graduating from high school. While some research exists about establishing these systems, there is little information about the actual implementation strategies that are being used across…

The individual education program (IEP) is of critical importance to educators, parents, and students. Through the IEP process school-based teams (a) assess the educational needs of a student, (b) develop meaningful and measurable goals that direct the student's program, (c) develop and implement a program of special education and related services,…

Alabama Extension's Interdisciplinary Aging Team develops programs to assist older adults with quality-of-life issues and encourages volunteerism. A survey of 80 seniors identified their information needs and preferred information sources (television, professionals, radio). The information was used to adapt Senior Series materials and organize a…

Four papers focus on the processes involved in developing a community team for providng services to handicapped preschoolers. Jerry Elder and Elynor Kazuk review steps in beginning a community team approach in "Getting Started," including the mechanics of planning and conducting an initial meeting to explain the advantages of collaborative…

Designed to help state administrators acquaint local educators and parents to the importance of short- and long-term planning for young handicapped children, the paper examines issues for local planning teams. An introductory section provides an overview of the challenge of working with young handicapped children. Five interactive planning…

A team approach for planning and evaluating personnel preparation programs within the context of PL 94-142, (Education for All Handicapped Children Act), proceeds through six steps--from needs assessment through plan revision. Formative evaluation data has shown success in three goal areas and in staff satisfaction. (CL)

The Staff Development Team of the Columbus City Schools (Nebraska), composed of three teachers and three administrators, emphasizes the need for long-range planning in its design of an inservice model for the school district. Emphasis was placed on identifying and addressing the unique needs of teachers within the school district. The model also…

This is the first publication in a series of three reports that summarize the results of Ohio's Javits Project, a 3-year federally sponsored program to improve the identification of and services to young economically disadvantaged gifted children in 25 Ohio schools. The report focuses on the project's first year's activities. It describes the…

"Games" is a decision-making process for groups to use in analyzing the educational needs of a school. During three group sessions, a moderator leads the participants through a series of activities in which they identify: 1) concerns about the educational program, 2) needs for program improvement, 3) resources that are being used in relation to…

The presentation reviews the evolution of a summer special education assessment team. The interdisciplinary team grew from a due process specialist and occupational therapist to include a speech clinician. Their roles changed from processing students for special education to facilitating the transition of students and their families from private…

The described inservice program was designed to bring together teachers to collectively address overall school problems. The project was based upon the belief that school improvements could be best effected by providing teachers the opportunity to actively participate in the design and implementation of changes in school functioning. Emphasis was…

This paper reports on efforts underway in New York State to develop the Individualized Needs for Services Assessment (INSA). The INSA is a set of standardized procedures and data definitions to guide assessment of service needs for children with serious emotional disturbances (SED). The INSA procedure for children with SED is designed to be…

The Higher Education Management Institute's (HEMI) management development and training program, designed to improve college and university performance by helping managers understand and carry out their responsibilities, is discussed. Management teams, program organization, identifying needs, action planning, management training, and program…