The purpose of this paper is to identify and discuss some of the problems presented by the use of computerized adaptive testing (CAT) in an instructional programs environment versus large scale testing applications, and to describe an actual implementation of CAT in an instructional programs setting. This particular application is in the…

This guide describes the development and implementation of a functional/vocational program for self contained severely and mildly handicapped students in grades K-12. The model emphasized instruction in skills needed by students to live as adults in the least restrictive way. Elementary children receive instruction in self contained classrooms and…

Three papers and four task force reports from a 1979 conference on the state of the art in early intervention for developmental disabilities are presented. J. Gliedman, in "Social, Psychological, and Ethical Foundations for Early Intervention for the Developmentally Disabled," applies a minority group model to the education of handicapped…

Twenty pairs of students from seven special education resource rooms (elementary and intermediate grades) were assessed on the structure of the instruction they received. Their reading achievement was measured three times during the year. The instructional programs for 10 experimental students were to be based on their teachers' use of continuous…

An examination of the effects of collaborative interaction among 13 elementary school teachers implementing an innovative teaching approach collected data pertaining to the subjects' interdependence and lateral communication from teachers' responses to questionnaires answered at 2-week intervals throughout a school year. Data for measuring teacher…

This handbook is designed to help literacy coordinators, especially in New Mexico, develop and implement volunteer literacy programs. The seven chapters provide information on (1) organizing the program; (2) recruitment of volunteers and students; (3) training tutors; (4) methods of instruction; (5) recordkeeping; (6) recognition and placement for…

This document was conceived and developed to provide a better understanding of the pressures and tasks associated with adolescence, the empirically-based evidence of factors associated with drug use and other forms of problem behavior, different peer program approaches, and ways in which peer programs can be implemented. In Chapter I, "The…

Research was conducted to determine the extent to which the states have been able to spend their Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) 3-percent set-aside funds for assistance to economically disadvantaged workers 55 years old and older, to compare the expenditure rate of the older worker set-aside with the expenditure rates of other JTPA programs,…

The brochure provides an overview of the components of vocational assessment used in many Cooperative Services Model (CSM) projects in New York State. Federal and state requirements for vocational assessment for students with handicapping conditions, the purpose of vocational assessment, and a suggested vocational assessment model are discussed.…

This paper discusses the stages that are involved in implementing an induction or mentoring program for beginning teachers in public school districts: (1) sketicism and some reluctance to become involved--the initial reaction from all parties, i.e., administrators, beginning teachers, and mentors; (2) acceptance--during this period, there is…

This bibliography of materials on the elderly as volunteers and volunteer work with the elderly was compiled from six databases: Sociological Abstracts, PsycInfo, Magazine Index, Health Planning and Administration, ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center), and the GPO (Government Printing Office) Monthly Catalog (government publications).…

A new perspective on the practical problems of changing secondary schools to enhance learning is called "the Copernican Plan" because its implementation would change the schools as completely as Copernicus's ideas changed the perception of our solar system. The plan proposes major restructuring of virtually all the basic systems within a…

The Saturday School Alternative for at-risk students provides educators with a realistic framework, time, and community resources to help resolve almost any student problem encountered. Based on effective schools research, the program is no panacea but a realistic attempt to modify student behavior by providing experiences that will build a…

Countless American schools are progressing toward effectiveness, ensuring that all students, regardless of family income, sex, or ethnicity, reach basic peformance levels in reading, mathematics, and language arts. Others are moving beyond effectiveness toward excellence and true equity. The Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (NWREL)…

A study was conducted to explore the question of what works in secondary vocational education--whether exemplary vocational programs can be identified, whether their key features can be described, and whether there are lessons to be learned that can assist others in devising strategies to improve secondary vocational education. Methodology…