Reviews a book that describes changes affecting rural America including the farm crisis, growing poverty, and in-migration of those who contribute little to the local economy. Addresses implications for rural service delivery and government policy. (LP)

This position statement reviews the history of the transition concept; defines it; identifies components of transition planning; and considers issues important in the delivery of transition services, including a focus on student preferences, inclusion of the student with disabilities within regular school programs, and provision of community-based…

Coordination of early intervention for children with disabilities is discussed, including barriers to interagency coordination. A 2-year study of 6 diverse states identified 13 ways in which public agencies are different from one another. Recommendations are offered to assist agencies to develop a coordinated service system. (Author/SW)

Economic and social trends that will affect the health care system are examined, including federal health care reform efforts, federal budget trimming through managed care and cost-cutting, declines in state spending, adoption of single-payer systems, growing competition in the private sector (mergers, alliances, acquisitions), dominance of health…

Presents major themes dealing with the application of telecommunications to rural health care, such as barriers to rural health care delivery, cost effectiveness, lack of technology infrastructure, and human capital needs. Discusses distance learning and telemedicine for health professionals. Lists elements of a successful telecommunications…

A survey of 163 students with disabilities at the University of Oslo (Norway) found that respondents expressed unmet needs, such as a lack of proximity in services and adjustments offered, lack of information about services to which they were entitled, difficult routines in relation to services and examinations, and problems specific to each…

This paper describes video training packages that have been developed in Guyana as part of Hopeful Steps, a program which uses the Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) model of service delivery for training rehabilitation workers and volunteers and now serves children with disabilities and their families in five rural regions of the country. (DB)

A pilot system of individualized and rurally compatible community-based alternatives to residential and institutional treatment settings for seriously emotionally disturbed children was evaluated. The results indicate that this intensive, community-based, service-delivery system appears to improve children's behavioral and emotional functioning,…

The Parent Outreach Program in Toronto, Ontario, was developed to assist parents in home teaching of children with developmental delays. The program uses computers in direct service delivery, for assessment of adaptive behavior and goal attainment, development of teaching activities, and telecommunications. (JDD)

Describes elements of the Student Service Quality Assurance model used at Butler County Community College to assure access to education, access to information via the library and various technological means, employee development, and student development through adjunct advising, career planning, student seminars, developmental studies, and peer…

Discusses reform of the educational system through teacher education. Describes the Professional Development School Model which urges that education departments not emulate other academic departments. Addresses the nature of social studies teacher instruction and social studies as a cooperative learning device between the school and the community.…

This keynote address states that early intervention services must consider more than professional analyses in their planning. It describes findings from focus group discussions with Latino families of children with disabilities, emphasizing the need to match early intervention services with parent expectations and goals, and the need for services…

This paper reviews service delivery models used with learning-disabled adolescents and proposes two alternative models of services. Components of an effective program include intensive basic skills instruction, explicit instruction in coping skills, successful completion of classes required for graduation, and planning for postgraduation life. (PB)

This article describes requirements for developing Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSP) under Part H of the Education of the Handicapped Act. Components of the IFSP document are reviewed and process considerations are discussed. State-level and local-level strategies for implementing family-centered IFSP processes are highlighted. (Author/PB)

Problems in providing educational services to minority and working-class special education students are discussed in the context of their experiences in the education system as a whole. The paper focuses specifically on prejudice, culturally inappropriate instruction, and what educators can do to improve the situation. (JDD)