This review covers the status of languages and literacy in the countries of southern Africa, policies of literacy promotion, and the emerging symbioses among spoken languages and among literacies in mother tongues, national or official languages, and metropolitan languages. Five statistical tables are included. (66 references) (LB)

Performance on a battery of tests of vocabulary words by 72 college students was compared as a function of whether the prior instruction involved presenting material in an organized or scrambled fashion. Organizing vocabulary words during study facilitated performance in categorizing, processing for understanding, or producing a word. (SLD)

This response to Maag and Howell (EC 602 677) reviews the problem of exclusion from special education of children with social maladjustment. The response considers the historical need to limit services to children or youth with emotional or behavioral disorders and the current underidentification of such pupils. Definitional issues are also…

This commentary on EC 606 211 considers the implications for gifted education of establishing a true multicultural literacy which would involve educational equity, prejudice reduction, and understanding the struggle for cultural dignity and freedom. The paper examines existing definitions of giftedness, identification practices, options for…

This article analyzes the process and effects of changing Colorado's special education category of "significant identifiable emotional or behavior disorder" to "significant identifiable emotional disorder." The article reviews environmental forces precipitating definitional change, various opinions, the legislative decision,…

After a discussion of definitional issues, the article reports on a prospective follow-up study of 600 children with early speech/language impairments which found an increased prevalence of both learning disability (LD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with LD strongly associated with ADHD in both initial and follow-up samples.…

A study assessed the effectiveness of a computer software program in teaching a list of unfamiliar words to eleventh graders, by comparing the program's instructional approach, which incorporates definitional and contextual word knowledge, with approaches that use definitional or contextual information only. A modified mixed approach proved most…

Uses qualitative research methods (interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis) to determine whether a rural midwestern high school's restructuring process serves particular values and silences others. Findings showed lack of consideration for social power and student identity issues. Basic restructuring elements (outcome-based…

Adopting an outcome-based system at Minnesota's State Arts High School has produced sweeping changes that transcend curriculum reorganization, ungraded report cards, and a revised daily schedule. The school prints outcomes on students' course report forms, or student learning plans; teachers indicate performance levels of…

Provides a brief history of articulation, along with a description of the relationship between technical preparation/associate degree (TPAD) programs and articulation. Includes definitions of key terms (e.g., advanced placement, advanced skills, and 2+2). Lists the benefits of TPAD programs and recommends steps to realize benefits. (MAB)

Examines the current status of school, family, and community partnerships, reviews partnership research, and makes recommendations for further research. Researchers should begin with multiple, detailed case studies, define terms precisely, clarify outcomes, understand partnership theory and activities, involve participants, use objective measures,…

Alternative perspectives are presented on the issue of rational suicide. An operational definition is provided; areas needing clarification are highlighted. The meta-issues are reviewed with regard to specific points raised by Lokhandwala and Westefeld. Concerns with research often cited to question the possibility of rational suicide are…

Responds to the debate on how evaluation processes can reward individual differences, and at the same time ensure quality-control across the board. A review is provided of types of evaluation and suggestions are offered for the development of successful, institutionally appropriate evaluation plans. (Author/VWL)

Principals of site-based managed schools face numerous special-education program implementation challenges, such as appropriate committee compositions, inconsistent service delivery decisions across schools, interschool isolation, deflection of advocates, and policy guidance problems. Principals are ill-trained for inclusion and special-education…

Presents a definitional framework of self-determination as an important educational outcome for students with disabilities. It identifies essential characteristics of self-determination and discusses developmental aspects of self-determination. Implications for educational intervention during the early childhood, elementary, and secondary years…