We explore the association between urban density and pupil attainment using three cohorts of pupils in schooling in England. Although--as widely recognised--attainment in dense urban places is low on average, this is not because urban environments disadvantage pupils, but because the most disadvantaged pupils with low average attainments attend…

The goal of this study was to determine the level of educational expenditure necessary to make ample provision for the education of all students, providing all students with the skills to meet long-term academic standards, pursue additional learning beyond high school, and become productive citizens and contributing members of society. This study…

This paper explores the role played by communication technologies and study orientations in the amplification and reduction of transactional distance in blended learning. Factor analysis and structural equation modelling of different communication modes (face to face, email and telephone) revealed that students experience at least some…

The study described in this paper outlines an attempt to explore those factors that contribute to learning performance improvement in laboratory instruction. As a case study, the educational methodology involved in a basic microcontroller course was analyzed. Traditional lab sessions based on the control of peripherals with low interactivity have…

This study uses a production function approach to identify the impact of student, parent, teacher, and school policy variables on student performance as measured by test scores. Our statistical analysis is conducted in a comparative institutional context that includes government, private, and non-governmental organization schools. We find that, at…

This book contains a compilation of papers presented at the International Conference on Education and New Developments (END 2017), organized by the World Institute for Advanced Research and Science (W.I.A.R.S.). Education, in our contemporary world, is a right since we are born. Every experience has a formative effect on the constitution of the…

This newsletter issue provides stories of leaders who have developmental disabilities, descriptions of program initiatives and models promoting leadership opportunities for individuals who are disabled, and an historical overview of leadership issues. Major articles include: "Leadership: Where We've Been, Where We Are, Where We're Going" (Hank…

This report describes achievements of a Linn County (Oregon) project to design, implement, and evaluate a county-wide comprehensive interagency model for achieving improved outcomes for children with or at risk of developing emotional/behavioral disabilities. The project stressed systems change, driven by full parent participation and interagency…

A survey of 258 North Carolina families with children (ages 3 to 12) having emotional disturbances focused on: (1) the wide range of characteristics of the child, family, and community; (2) characteristics that families bring to their situation as well as characteristics that can be changed by experience and the use of resources and services; and…

A model program was implemented to provide services to 17 children with special needs in a community-based preschool. Meetings with representatives of the public schools and the community preschool center established a framework for providing inclusive education and resulted in development of an interagency agreement, which clarified staff and…

Project CLASS (Cooperative Learning: Acquiring Specialized Skills) was designed to develop, demonstrate, evaluate, and disseminate an inservice training model to enhance the early intervention competencies of professionals in rural states who are delivering Public Law 99-457 (Part H) community and home-based services to infants and toddlers with…

Invitational education is a general framework for thinking and acting about what is believed to be worthwhile in schools. It centers on five basic principles: (1) people are able, valuable, and responsible, and should be treated accordingly; (2) educating should be a collaborative, cooperative activity; (3) the process is the product in the…

The "Walk the Talk" classroom model was developed at Temple Junior College, in Texas, to help teachers include the principles of total quality management (TQM) in the classroom. This report presents results from a pilot project in which 29 teachers implemented the model. Following a brief summary, key elements of the model and the pilot…

This report describes an extension of the Learning Outcomes Study (a nationwide longitudinal investigation of 1,010 students just entering programs for gifted learners in grades 2 and 3) to investigate excellence within each of the four program types considered: within-class programs, pull-out programs, separate classes, and special schools. The…

This study investigated construct validity and factorial invariance of a performance assessment of reading comprehension and writing proficiency through a multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) structure using confirmatory factor analysis. The performance assessment was administered to 1,023 fifth and sixth graders. Interrater reliability was examined for…