In this article, we describe the evolution of a statewide alternative teacher preparation program for teachers of students with disabilities and explain current processes to revise and expand the program to increase accessibility to teacher candidates in rural schools. We will identify important features of the program including (a) significant…

This article describes a statewide online alternative teacher preparation program in early childhood special education. The history and evolution of the program is explained along with the programmatic changes that resulted from working with noncertified teachers with a wide variety of backgrounds in both rural and urban districts. Challenges and…

This directory of consultants is intended to provide a reference tool to rural educators seeking advice and assistance in adapting existing programs or building new programs to serve the rural adult. Introductory material notes that the process used to locate these professionals included a national survey of rural model programs conducted by the…

This source book contains listings of resources available for educators in rural settings. This information was gathered from the states of Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming, by Colorado State University under contract to McREL. Practices reported involve staff development, academic planning,…

Development of the Oregon Small Schools Program is traced against the background of other small-school projects, such as the Western States Small Schools Project and the Texas Small Schools Project. Information is given on the various procedures involved in the organization's development and on problems (e.g., high turnover of teachers and high…

The three papers examine rural early education and related services for young children with handicaps. The first paper is entitled "A University Based Inservice Training Model for Personnel Serving Handicapped Preschoolers" by S. Stile and T. Pettibone and reports evaluation results of a New Mexico project serving 14 teachers with a 5…

A free university is defined as a community learning center that connects people who want to teach or learn with resources to meet their needs. The free university for Man, located at Kansas State University in Manhattan, is described. (MLW)

This report provides the reader with a summary of the rationale, design strategies, and major accomplishments of the Appalachian Rural Systemic Initiative (ARSI). Drawing upon both the data collected directly in Appalachia by Inverness Research Associates, as well as knowledge gained by working with many other rural initiatives, this summary…

The proceedings from the March 1985 conference on rural special education present papers, abstracts, and presentation materials on a wide range of topics. Topics include: rural delivery models, a learning center approach to health and physical education, the microcomputer as an electronic teacher's aide, supervision strategies for a rural…

Described is the 4-year development of a prototype program to train teachers competent in both the academic areas related to the visually handicapped and in orientation and mobility. Teachers with dual competencies were needed to fulfill the educational needs of visually handicapped children in public day school programs in rural, sparsely…

For the last year, the Rural Libraries and the Humanities Project has assisted 30 rural libraries in Colorado, Kansas, and Oklahoma in developing locally initiated humanities programs. Program packets focusing on heritage, literature, and women were prepared to aid in program development. Development of unique local programs was also encouraged.…

The 10 papers presented in this report examine various aspects of rural bookmobile projects in the United States. The objectives of this first bookmobile conference were to offer (1) encouragement to bookmobile workers; (2) information for improving their services; (3) new data for subjective analysis of services; and (4) assistance in developing…

The program development guide provides general information about Project ESURG (Exemplary Systems Unique for Rural Gifted), a program serving approximately 365 intellectually gifted students (grades K through 8) within a 4 county, 500 square mile area of Nebraska. The principle of gradually implementing a gifted education program is explained in…

Since half of Finland is sparsely populated, the Finland National Board of Education has initiated a preschool project for sparsely populated areas. Project goals are defined as the acquisition through research, experiment, and planning of information relative to sparsely populated areas and special problems of distance, small population base,…