An early childhood special education program to foster appreciation of diversity is described. Suggestions are offered for ways to use books and activities to celebrate diversity. Sociograms before and after the program indicated improved attitudes by most children toward peers of diverse colors, cultures, and backgrounds. (DB)

Taking skills and knowledge learned in training and using them on the job is transfer of training. Although difficult to measure, it is a key criterion for evaluating the effectiveness of training programs. Organizations can give training a higher probability of transfer by making it meaningful, continuous, job related, timely, and interesting.…

Discusses a study of four middle-school interdisciplinary teams, highlighting teachers' focus of concern and perceptions about teaming's benefits and costs for themselves and students. Findings show that successful progression toward interdisciplinary teaming tasks depends on interrelationships of group composition, operating variables, and…

This article discusses critical components needed to ensure a durable and substantive role for self-determination in the field of developmental disabilities: a conceptually compelling and operational description of self-determination, a reliable assessment method, and documentation that efforts to improve self-determination are associated with…

This response to a previous article (EC 625 845) on the needs and challenges related to the assessment of self-determination in the field of developmental disability, identifies issues related to the use and abuse of assessing self-determination and suggests an empowerment evaluation approach to these efforts. (Contains four references.)…

Presents a study where undergraduate students viewed eight public service announcements, providing data on their cognitive and emotional responses to each, as well as judgments of the perceived effectiveness of the messages. Finds that when predicting perceived message effectiveness, the positive affects showed variation in the sign and magnitude…

Examines the impact of an all-male rape prevention program on fraternity men. After participating in "The Men's Program," fraternity men were asked if the program impacted their attitude or behavior and what led to that change. Results point to the importance of establishing empathy with rape survivors to increase men's awareness and sensitivity…

Results from two studies indicate the nonselective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI) clomipramine is more efficacious than the relatively selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor desipramine and placebo in children with autism. A study of the selective SRI fluvoxamine found it to be significantly better than placebo for reducing repetitive…

Presents a study that measured the impact of a peer-assisted learning (PAL) program on student academic performance, and evaluated student and faculty feedback regarding their experiences with the program. Reports that PAL participants had a significantly higher course success rate than non-participants, and a significantly lower withdrawal rate…

Examined preliminary achievement outcomes of the first years of direct instruction reading within six Baltimore elementary schools. Overall, members of the original second grade cohort were nearing grade level by the end of fifth grade in both intervention and control schools. Future research based on well-established program implementation might…

Long-term, successful marriages, like that between dependent schools and the National Writing Project, do not always go smoothly. In 1997, DoDDS students performed well on a worldwide assessment of eight different writing modes. Good partnerships avoid shortcuts, use proven models, and reject uniform approaches. (MLH)

Five recent studies of methods to prevent reading difficulties are examined. It is estimated that current methods would leave 2 to 6 percent of children with inadequate word reading skills in the first and second grades. Several broad characteristics of these "treatment resisters" are identified and implications are discussed. (Contains…

Evaluated an intervention designed to influence mothers' sensitive responsiveness toward their infant by presenting information about the newborn's competence to interact and promoting affectionate handling and interaction. Found that the enhancement group showed greater frequency of co-occurrences involving vocal exchanges, looking to the…

Cites excerpts from three peer-reviewed studies on the Milwaukee voucher program that contradict John Witte's arguments in a September 1999 "Kappan" article. Results (incorporation of low-income families, parents' satisfaction with private/parochial schools, and student improvement on math achievement measures) justify the program's…

A study evaluated the effectiveness of the Stay Safe Programme, a school-based safety skills program, in facilitating the disclosure of sexual abused among 145 sexually abused Irish children and adolescents. More participants, particularly female adolescents, made disclosures of suspected sexual abuse than did 443 non-participants. (Author/CR)