The document makes up Volume II of a report on Project AMES (Actualization of Mainstream Experience Skills), a model program for vocational training and independent living instruction for 34 moderately and severely retarded students (6 to 21 years old). Chapter 1 reviews the vocational training program's three phases (awareness, accommodation, and…

Different aspects of human-machine interaction are discussed in the five brief papers that comprise this report. The first paper, "Some Observations on Mental Models," discusses the role of a person's mental model in the interaction with systems. The second paper, "A Psychologist Views Human Processing: Human Errors and Other…

The analysis of fit of data to a measurement model for graded responses is described. The model is an extension of Rasch's dichotomous model to formats which provide more than two levels of response to items. The model contains one parameter for each person and one parameter for each "step" in an item. A dichotomously-scored item…

The dependency model of mass media effects predicts that dependency on media information increases as the level of societal structural conflict and change increase, resulting in greater mass media influence. However, this model appears to ignore the structural constraints that a nation's political system can have on media even before they deliver…

To examine and clarify background conditions for understanding variables which affect salary, the salary and compensation programs at two industrial and three educational organizations were subjected to a statistical audit. Data were available on 272 employees. Ten compensation variables were studied as having direct or indirect effects on salary:…

A procedure for assessing content-area and total-test dimensionality which uses response function discrepancies (RFD) was studied. Three different versions of the RFD procedure were compared to Bejar's principal axis content-area procedure and Indow and Samejima's exploratory factor analytic technique. The procedures were compared in terms of the…

Both evaluation and planning typically begin with an attempt to define the conceptual territory of interest; this paper presents an approach to such conceptualization. The term, structured conceptualization, is used to refer to any definable set of procedures which can help a user develop a useful conceptual representation. Structured…

Noting that medical consent forms traditionally have been so full of medical and legal jargon that they have been impossible for even the educated layperson to understand, this paper presents a model for revising medical consent forms to make them more comprehensible. After describing the model, the paper explains each step involved in using it,…

The packet consists of information derived from several sources on models for delivering services to rural handicapped students. The first part of the packet defines "rural," followed by a discussion of factors hindering rural service delivery and a model describing the continuum of services in rural areas. Seven model programs and projects from…

A group of 24 14-year-old students were presented with sets of algebra tasks using the Leeds Modelling System (LMS), a computer-based modeling system. Four months later, these same students were given a paper-and-pencil test which covered comparable tasks set by LMS. In addition, certain students were given detailed diagnostic interviews. A…

This paper reports the results obtained with a group of 24 14-year-old students when presented with a set of algebra tasks by the Leeds Modelling System (LMS). These same students were given a comparable paper-and-pencil test and detailed interviews some 4 months later. The latter studies uncovered several kinds of student misunderstanding that…

"Whether it is to further learning in general, or discipline in particular, teachers must effectively exercise power." Five power bases available to teachers are identified in this paper each containing the common element that they are all dependent upon student beliefs. These power bases are: (1) coercive power, based on a student's belief that…

The ultimate goal of reading instruction is to develop independent readers. To become independent, students must be in control of their own thinking processes. They must be aware of cognition and the conscious use of metacognitive processes. Instruction in metacognition will help students gain control over their own thought processes. Interaction…

Prompted by the concern of parents and educators with both the process of a child's language acquisition and the amount of time spent watching television, a content analysis of children's television commercials was conducted to see if this form of mass media could be used to stimulate language skills in children. The 36 commercials were drawn from…

Children who require modification of curriculum and methods in the regular classroom have often been inappropriately labeled as handicapped, and placed in special education programs to maintain the status quo in the schools. A need exists to break this cycle by training present and future school psychologists in methods of case analysis and…