The papers in these proceedings focus primarily on features of the Head Start Program, contributions made to its research and its future direction. The first part of the proceedings contains presentations from the nine symposia, dealing with the following topics: (1) Head Start demonstration projects; (2) issues relating to education and the…

This study seeks to determine whether first-year special educators use their knowledge of differentiated teaching strategies in their classrooms. It also seeks to understand what conditions within school systems support or hinder attempts by special educators to implement these strategies. Participants in the study included four first-year special…

A practicum was designed to increase the number of primary teachers who possess a more current reading and writing philosophy and would implement theory-driven teaching practices. The problem addressed in the practicum was that primary reading and writing instruction did not reflect current research, theory, and practices. Many classroom teachers…

Instructional designers believe that it is important to expose pre-service and in-service teachers to Instructional Systems Design (ISD) procedures and products so teachers can utilize them. Educational literature, however, reveals few attempts to relate instructional design theory and methods to teaching practice. This paper proposes a new…

One of a series of educational packages designed for implementation either in a workshop atmosphere or through individual study, this Hot Topic guide on writing evaluation presents a variety of materials to assist educators in designing and implementing classroom projects and activities centering on the topic of evaluating writing in the…

This report attempts to establish a link between research findings and practice in the transition of students with disabilities. A taxonomy is presented that provides a framework for designing educational programs that reflect a transition perspective for students with disabilities. Chapter 1, "Preparing Youths with Disabilities for Future…

Collaborative efforts between university methods courses and elementary classroom teachers provide laboratory experiences that facilitate preservice teachers understanding of thematic instructional approaches to teaching elementary science and social studies. Preservice teachers in these field-based programs learn to apply the theories to which…

This paper argued that a general theory that can provide a precise definition of educational goals and the means to accomplish them is absolutely necessary to resuscitate schooling, and that the classroom is the place where theory can be developed and tested. The paper makes the following points: (1) a general theory is vitally needed to deal with…

In the context of a professional-development reform movement in Quebec, the Ministry of Education asked universities to participate in the training of school principals so that they could implement a culture of continuous learning in their own schools. The university researchers used a bottom-up approach to initiate collaborative inquiry with 37…

This paper analyzes the potential of a specific public policy tool to further principles of programs devoted exclusively to the Integration of Education and Human Services (IEHS). Section 1 describes the nature of the problem in establishing the need for IEHS. Section 2 describes policy tools currently used to implement IEHS, introducing the…

This document chronicles the study of an intensive writing instruction workshop held in a diverse, low income neighborhood in Chicago. The study focused particularly on how individual teacher knowledge and beliefs, school contexts, and the structure and content of the workshop interacted both to support and to inhibit teacher learning. The…

This report describes major activities and accomplishments of the Arkansas Rehabilitation Research & Training Center on Enhancing Employability of Individuals with Disabilities from May 15, 1996 through May 14, 1997. The Center has a 5-year contract in the priority area of enhancing employability of individuals with severe disabilities. The…

The book consists of 46 chapters by numerous authors, divided into six parts. Part 1, "The Moving Target: Instructional Development from a Philosophical Vantage Point," addresses the questions: To what extent is instructional design in fact a valid and thriving area? and To what extent and in what quarters is it considered to be a dying or…

Allowing students to both learn about portfolios and experience them firsthand, this book describes teacher education courses where undergraduate and graduate students are evaluated using portfolio assessment techniques--the same methods they will one day use in their own classrooms. The book also explores how portfolio assessment can enable…

The purpose of PACE is to bring together individuals who have been responsible for new, innovative, and exciting developmental physical education programs. The following summaries are included: "Literacy in the Gym" (Tami Benham); "Activity Ideas for Fundamental Movement Skill Development" (Thomas H. Green); "Creative…