The role of needs assessment in special education program planning and evaluation is discussed, and one comprehensive process for conducting a needs assessment is delineated. (Author/DLS)

Issues related to family assessment as part of early intervention programs with handicapped children are reviewed and the need for a family needs assessment as a first step in developing family focused interventions is stressed. Suggestions for the design, selection, and use of a needs assessment are made. (Author/DB)

Designed for parents who wish to develop local respite care services for families with disabled children, this primer outlines strategies for: evaluating current available services and programs; pulling people together; conducting a needs assessment; raising money; and writing a proposal. (CB)

Documents a case study in which needs assessment and a change model were applied in such a way that the needs assessment process served as a change strategy. States that, in this case, both the results and the needs assessment process contributed to the organization's change goals. (Author/CH)

Results of surveying 21 educators responsible for coordinating their school districts' mainstreaming programs revealed that although educators acknowledge a commitment to mainstreaming few have employed viable implementation procedures. Results suggested the need for a model of recommended policies and procedures. (DB)

A literature review, the experiences of the authors, and the results of the Project To Improve and Reward Teaching (PIRT) at the University of Cincinnati, Ohio, are used to derive suggestions for change in academic departments. A qualitative study of change in eight PIRT departments has provided data to support the suggestions. Assessing the…

Professionals, paraprofessionals, and parents (N=207) of visually handicapped students were surveyed to determine needed topics for a conference on educational issues of students with visual impairments. Topic areas receiving highest ratings included low vision, parent role, public policy, individualized education programs, and multiple…

Whether an organization's college recruiting needs require the services of one recruiter or an entire staff, an effective program will systematically address many concerns and consider numerous options as it progresses through the four stages inherent in any comprehensive process: needs analysis, program development, program implementation, and…

Recognizing the diversity in experience and training among teacher aides, the Yucaipa School District established a formal inservice program for this employee group. This article describes how the district developed a seminar program to help instructional aides in improving their skills. Reactions to the program were favorable. (Author/SJL)

Schools and agencies are under pressure to demonstrate program effectiveness and be cost accountable. Systems methodology, developed for use in other fields, may have the potential for program development in counseling. This article discusses some ways in which systems technology may be directly employed in a counseling setting. (Author)

The first step in any planning process should be problem identification. Appropriate planning techniques, starting with formal needs assessments, will help vocational education control its own future. (LRA)

Information on the characteristics of the older adult, philosophic differences in concepts of service to this age group, information on the development stages of adulthood as a basis for program planning, and ideas on developing programs for older adults are included. (Author)

Reports on a survey of incarcerated women (N=203) to determine program needs and to describe the inmate population. Results indicate that the typical inmate was a European American mother of two children. Most were multiple offenders with a history of abuse and addiction, and desired substance abuse education and treatment. (RJM)

Points out that educational activities often fail simply because the recipients have not been involved in describing their real needs and because educational planners assume that they know what is best for their audience. Suggests that problem-solving methods could be useful in the educational planning process. (Author/JOW)

A study determined the learning needs of office oncology nurses (n=290)as a critical first step in planning education programs. Participants ranked cancer-care topics similarly, regardless of age, background, or experience. The highest-ranked needs were clustered in the areas of cancer nursing practice, major cancers, and cancer treatment.…