Although random assignment is generally the preferred methodology in impact evaluations, it raises numerous ethical concerns, some of which are addressed by securing participants' informed consent. However, there has been little investigation of how consent is obtained in social experiments and the amount of information that can be conveyed--and…

Thirty studies on supported employment for people with disabilities were evaluated using a proposed Social Validity Matrix. Results suggested further research should investigate alternative strategies for assessing social validity, develop systematic procedures for collecting and using social validity data, and establish functional variables…

Procedures are outlined for employing a resource components approach to collect and report cost information on training and supported employment programs for adults with developmental disabilities. Examination of the costs of 41 Minnesota programs indicates that costs are functionally related to different consumer and program factors. (Author/JDD)

The Even Start Family Literacy Program was established in 1989 to help break the cycle of poverty and illiteracy for low-income families, by improving the literacy skills of parents and their young children. Even Start projects offer family literacy services, defined as four integrated instructional components: (1) Childhood Education (ECE); (2)…

An evaluation was conducted to determine the outcomes and impacts of participation in the ALBERTA BEST training program in terms of participant attitudes toward service excellence and business profitability. ALBERTA BEST is a customer service program offered by the Alberta (Canada) government. The evaluation involved a series of case studies…

The unique characteristics of the organizational context are reviewed, and it is shown how internal evaluation fits within them. The major factors that define the organizational context are delineated, including the emergence of the evaluation resource management function. (PN)

The General Accounting Office reviewed the Department of Labor's process for determining worker eligibility for the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program. TAA provides help in making the transition to new employment to workers certified by the Department of Labor as affected by imports. The program gives workers job counseling, occupational…

The goal of the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) is long-term employability. To obtain feedback on the effectiveness of JTPA programs in promoting retention in the labor force, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) requires states and service delivery areas (SDAs) to collect information on the postprogram outcomes of JTPA participants. This…

This report assesses federal efforts to implement the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) during its first four years as law. The report begins by describing the politics and the players in the passage and implementation of the ADA and then discusses how technical assistance precedes enforcement of ADA. Complaints filed under the ADA and the…