A literature review identified characteristics of transition programs that were described in 33 refereed journal articles between 1986-1999. Results confirm that students with more severe learning and behavioral difficulties receive inadequate transition services; programs emphasize employment competencies over living skills; and there are few…

It is suggested that institutions shift from a student-centered to parent-and-student-centered freshman orientation. Planning significant events for parents improves orientation quality and provides public relations opportunities. Good orientation will benefit parents, students, and the school. Application of a psychographic typology creates a…

National Association of College Admission Counselors (NACAC) policy statement sets forth components of an effective precollege guidance and counseling program and explains the role and functions of the school counselor in precollege guidance and counseling at the middle or junior high and secondary school levels. Last, the association recommends…

Discusses 19 suggestions for improving the effectiveness of inservice programs, including conducting a needs assessment, developing clear objectives, showing examples of students' work, encouraging building supervisors to attend, and finding a good location for the inservice program. (RS)

Recounts the history of Beijing University prior to the founding of the People's Republic of China. Provides insights through the author's personal memoirs. Gives a sense of the past through the liberal use of anecdotes. (KO)

Kent State University's College of Education implemented a computer-controlled advising system for undergraduate education students, providing information including program descriptions, deadlines and applications, student teaching, and other topics. Preliminary evaluation shows the system able to answer most-asked questions. (MSE)

This article suggests the need to embed social skills intervention within the more general context of long-term early intervention efforts that promote all dimensions of developmental performance. Results from former clients of the LEAP program are discussed and demonstrate evidence of sustained growth and development over nearly two decades.…

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University conferred three doctorates in engineering on African Americans this year, who along with two more earning degrees this summer will substantially increase the pool of African American engineering Ph.D's. The university's new program is hailed by some, but criticized by others as not…

The University of Arizona Strategic Alternative Learning Techniques (SALT) Center is profiled. The Center provides students with learning disabilities the skills and services needed during undergraduate experiences so that success is achieved when they enter graduate or professional programs. Data associated with the success of the SALT Center are…

Until the past few years, our nation's approach to designing federal programs for preschool-age children lacked coherence and paid little attention to what had worked (and not worked) in the past. In this article, the authors propose that credible information useful for designing effective programs will require the ongoing, systematic development…

A toy-play intervention program is described that was initially used in a research setting with 24 young Dutch children, using outcome measures and a 1-year follow-up assessment. The original intervention was successful. However, improvements were not maintained unless children continued to receive play support. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

This article is about a training project run by Central England People First (CEPF). CEPF has been doing workshops, conferences and other training for over 10 years. It seemed like a good idea to help other people with learning difficulties to learn how to be trainers. This would help them to speak out about their lives and the services they want.…

In "Holding Accountability to Account: How Scholarship and Experience in Other Fields Inform Exploration of Performance Incentives in Education"--a paper presented at the National Center on Performance Incentives research to policy conference in February--Richard Rothstein, a research associate at the Economic Policy Institute, argues educational…

This study explores the impact of an alternative teacher preparation program development from the "inside out" or through the voices of second career teachers, known as "Career Switchers," at a mid-size state university. The major objective of this study was to probe into their perceptions to inform program development with reporting framed in…

This report provides guidelines and a process for people with disabilities living in Massachusetts to follow to evaluate employment service options that will allow them to receive services best meeting their individual needs. Strategies for finding out information about the different programs and a checklist are given by which to evaluate…