This study reports the characteristics, career intentions, and professional development needs of staff from a wide variety of services for people with a disability in New South Wales (Australia). Staff were predominantly female; male staff were unlikely to regard their career futures as being in the disability field; and employers were providing…

This report examines ways of providing technician training in the operating principles of robotic devices. The terms "robotics" and "robotic arms" are first defined. Some background information on the principal features of robotic arms is given, including their geometric arrangement, type of actuator used, control method, and…

The Specialized Training of Associates in Rural Alaska (STARS) is a 3-year project providing preparation to early intervention associates in rural Alaska and services to infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. Evaluation methods and results are reported. Appendices describe the 24 training modules and list the program's…

This newsletter theme issue features articles on training of direct service staff working with persons with developmental disabilities in employment, education, and residential settings. The articles examine job training, delivery systems, training models, and implications of current approaches. The newsletter includes three articles presenting…

This final report discusses the outcomes of a project that developed, demonstrated, evaluated, and disseminated information about a specialized inservice training model to prepare early interventionists, special education teachers, and related service personnel to provide family-centered programming to infants, toddlers, and preschoolers who are…

A study was conducted to determine the employment and training needs of rehabilitation homemaker paraprofessionals in North Dakota on the basis of program development. A survey instrument was developed from a review of the literature and input from a panel of advisors, and administered to 15 supervisors and 27 paraprofessionals at agencies that…

These modules are intended as a guide for developing short-term training workshops for paraprofessional service providers in aging. They are for use by trainers with some basic familiarity with the topic; use of teams of educators and practitioners as trainers is suggested to bridge the gap between knowledge and practice. A section on "Training…

Examines the reasons given by professional and paraprofessional librarians for participating in continuing education programs offered by the North Carolina Library Staff Development Program. Use of the Participation Reasons Scale is discussed, and four underlying components for participation are described: (1) personal concerns, (2) patron…

During the last 60 years, Turkey has experienced significant demographic changes and economic development. In response to these changes, policymakers in Turkey have initiated a number of reforms in the area of vocational and technical education. One such reform was the undertaking of a joint effort between the Turkish Council of Higher Education…

So that postsecondary institutions can meet the training needs of business and industry, this guide has been developed to help colleges increase and improve their active participation in assisting businesses and industries to use advanced technology. It provides suggestions for keeping faculty up to date, acquiring the latest equipment, and…

This paper describes Project Impact*Net, a model project for delivering training to paraeducators and teachers in light of requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act. The project delivered four semester-length courses to instructional sites serving 69 participants in Delaware, Idaho, Pennsylvania, and Utah. The Project Impact*Net delivery system…

This report describes a 2-week course in early childhood education designed for resident college students in Malawi. Section 1 discusses participation by an experimental combination of trained and untrained personnel: 6 social work supervisors, 2 paraprofessional playgroup organizers, and 13 paraprofessional playgroup leaders. Staff and objectives…

Use of a model for systematic ecological assessment was tested in a work experience program for special education inclusion assistants placed in inclusive preschools. Preliminary evaluation data suggest that the model produces integrated developmental activities, use of peer mediation, and a play-based approach to discrete skill development.…

The fourth in a series of federally supported modules for training paraprofessional school personnel who work with students with disabilities, this module presents principles and techniques of behavior management. Both a facilitator's edition and a student's edition are provided. Chapter 1 introduces the concept of behavior and the role of the…

The Mastery Education concept is a new approach to providing special help for students who need it in the community college, as well as providing new and innovative experiences for all the students. Using this concept, there would be no special classes with special teachers, but rather all students in all classes would be carried to their highest…