An individual with a disability complains that under the blanket term "disabled" individual needs and rights are not respected, privacy is invaded, people are always being evaluated but never asked to evaluate services they receive, and everything must be part of a "program" rather than just part of daily life. (JDD)

This study assessed the validity of idiosyncratic choice-making behaviors of three children with multiple disabilities. Children were given either their "choice" of food or drink or were given the opposite. Direct observations of children's acceptance or refusal revealed the children consistently indicated choices during both conditions.…

A group of 48 undergraduate business students used computer conferencing for electronic debate. Students agreed that the method influenced critical thinking, and they liked the freedom to participate at any time. They disliked the amount of time involved in notetaking, and some had difficulty keeping track of comments and messages. (SK)

Examined decision of 56 people living in retirement communities to quit driving, and role of physician and family in making this decision. Most stopped driving when threshold was reached after accumulation of compensatory behaviors. Few stopped because of doctor's advice, although all felt physician was in best position to evaluate driving, and…

Analysis of workplace experiences recounted by 29 human resource development (HRD) professionals uncovered 3 themes: emphasis on people and work processes, need for greater personal control and security, and desire for task and functional equity. Findings suggest that HRD is an occupational culture more concerned with employee development and…

Conducted pilot survey of 64 patients with late stage malignancy who had signed living wills. Found that 70.3 percent were grateful for opportunity to sign living will and maintain autonomy over their terminal care, 20.3 percent were either apparently indifferent or unwilling to discuss issue, and 9.4 percent appeared disturbed by their signing of…

Provided 57 college students with tools that enhance academic learning strategies (knowledge maps, scripted peer cooperation, and conceptual matrices) as means of improving personal management strategies. Students who felt they had control of whatever happened to them, and those who perceived problems as impactful and had strong desires to change…

Shared decision making about placement and medical interventions can be empowering to older persons, relieve burdens on older person and family, and facilitate better surrogate decision making later. Potential dangers of shared process include coercion, conflicts of interest, and disagreements between family members. New legal concepts could help…

This is the ninth in a series of articles concerning the Association for Educational Communications Technology Code of Professional Ethics. It discusses the necessity for members to adequately distinguish personal views from institutional or organizational views. (LRW)

Mapped values of elders, family members or friends, and professionals involved in long-term care decision, based on 60 retrospective interviews. Language used to express values by elders and family members was expressive and particular, language of professionals was abstract and formulaic. Elders emphasized self-identity and environment whereas,…

Notes that suicide is common in old age, but public opinion remains negative. Following a review of theories of suicide and summary of arguments against suicide, constructs argument for why elderly have unique claim to an ethical, unobstructed suicide. Claim rests on their "developmental autonomy," based on experience and wisdom of the elderly.…

Notes that, although mental health professionals provide services in psychiatric hospitals, their activities raise ethical issues largely unaddressed in professional literature. Sees systems-oriented therapists working in these settings as facing ethical dilemmas not encountered by those who work with individuals. Discusses six ethical issues…

Surveyed 275 social workers concerning job satisfaction and burnout. Findings revealed that perceived lack of autonomy and influence of funding sources were major contributors to burnout, and perceived autonomy and bureaucratization were major contributors to job satisfaction. Results challenge assumption that bureaucracy is most efficient form of…

Discusses approach examining why individual did not kill himself when he could have been expected to do so. Uses approach to examine nonsuicide of Swedish playwright August Strindberg. Focuses on disjunction between Strindberg's early and later life, specifically on factors that enabled him to recover from psychotic episodes with suicidal…

In the discourse of learner self-management, learners must take responsibility for learning and are offered the possibility of individual autonomy and control. A critical perspective reveals that environmental constraints inhibit the success of technical-rational self-management techniques. An alternative view is the entrepreneurial self, a…