A study of 107 academic library position announcements (1990-94) for systems librarians analyzed position titles, responsibilities, degree requirements, required skills, reporting lines, and salaries. The study concluded that systems responsibilities change constantly, that interpersonal skills are essential, and that 38% of the examined position…

Learn, Explore, and Practice (LEAP) is an intelligent tutoring system for training new customer contact employees in customer interaction skills (problem solving and sales) as well as domain knowledge, such as telecommunications products and services. This article describes the design and evaluation (formative and summative) of the first version…

Traces the evolution of the social competence concept from the 1970s to the present, and addresses matching social skills training to social skills deficits, understanding contextual issues in social skills training, generalization of social skills training, and developing and using meaningful outcome measures in social skills training. (Author/CR)

Explored the educational experiences of 21 academically successful women who were disadvantaged as children. Results indicate that resilient women who had endured stress as children often developed a highly advanced level of "emotional intelligence" or "interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence." Presents educational strategies for encouraging…

The Baudhuin Preschool of Nova Southeastern University (Florida) provides a four-tiered program for children with autism and related disorders. Each tier represents a continuum of services, strategies, and environments from most restrictive to inclusion. Each child's program combines systematic instructional techniques based on principles of…

This article reviews 251 studies evaluating the behavioral treatment of autism from 1980 to 1995. Each study is analyzed for the target behaviors and behavioral techniques that were implemented. Target behaviors included aberrant behaviors, social skills, language, daily living skills, and academic skills. Behavioral techniques are identified as…

This study reports behavioral and cognitive stability and change in 76 children with autistic spectrum disorders, evaluated at ages 7 and 11. Verbal IQ, performance IQ, severity of autistic characteristics, and social characteristics were analyzed. The study found that IQ and more severe expression of autistic symptoms were very stable. (CR)

Discusses the development of soft skills such as management and sales or collaborative problem solving through the use of interactive distance education. Highlights include performance support, including interpersonal skills; long-term cognitive restructuring; and linking training to organizational goals. (Author/LRW)

Research on the communication, language, social, and emotional development of people with autism is reviewed, concerning individuals who either are nonspeaking/limited speaking or use speech as their primary mode of linguistic communication. Research needs for longitudinal studies, investigation of early developmental patterns, and subgroup…

Analyzes 240 First Amendment cases involving school administrator dismissals, focusing on each administrator's (alleged) behavior or situation leading to the court's decision. These cases disclose a substantial volume of behavior that is inexcusable, outrageous, self-destructive, and embarrassing. Many accounts illustrate the stress, ambiguities,…

This study assessed the integrity with which social skills interventions were implemented in 16 early childhood special education classrooms. Positive correlations between intervention integrity and both overall amount of intervention provided and child outcomes were found. Teacher ratings of intervention acceptability were weak predictors of…

Observed children in family and center day care settings, exploring changes in interaction with adults and peers. Found that children who spent more time with peers engaged in more complex peer play than did those who spent less time. Caregivers influenced amount and complexity of peer play, but indirectly, through the degree to which they helped…

Examined the types of play mothers introduce in direct response to their toddlers' play and the actual maternal play behaviors. Findings suggested that mothers tend to play with their toddlers in ways that might promote their children's development and that mothers with more knowledge about play development provide their children with…

Using a sample of 445 female and 260 male college students, this study investigated the experience and expression of anger and gender, gender role characteristics, and several mental health variables. Gender did not uniquely contribute to the prediction of any of the mental health variables, nor did it moderate the relationships of these variables…

This study examined perceptions of 15 British parents whose children with physical disabilities attended a three-week conducive education program focused on functional development, pedagogy, and language and social development. A majority of parents reported progress in walking, motivation, and grasp. Progress was least reported in sleeping,…