Examines the educational trends and quality of special education in Japan through discussions of its curriculum, the employment trends of special education teachers, and issues concerning internship, sabbaticals, and enrollment in graduate programs. Through amendments in Japan's Teacher Certification Law, qualitative improvements have been…

The Americans with Disabilities Act affects administration of college student financial aid in areas such as need analysis, determination of satisfactory academic progress, enrollment status, and loan cancellation. Compliance requires an understanding of the definitions of disability, reasonable accommodation, academic progress, and enrollment…

The challenge with mixed-ability groups is satisfying both equity and excellence. A Colorado school district pursued differentiation by ensuring that the board, central office, and principals understood the need to provide informed leadership, differentiated teaching models, and training for transfer. Sidebars list resources and advice for…

Examined changes in teachers' beliefs and practices after using video to enhance self-evaluation and guided reflection within a field-based course. Data from a teaching-belief survey, videotapes of teaching episodes, videotapes of post-teaching episodes, and a videotaped portfolio presentation indicated that participants came to view teaching as a…

Reports results of a study conducted with learners of Chinese who were involved in a late immersion program in a graduate school of education in Australia. The aim of the project was to explore the depths of learners' experiences of learning Chinese in an immersion setting. (Author/JL)

Discusses analysis of student transcripts at Niagara County Community College, which showed a positive correlation between success in basic skills courses and success in regular college courses. (YKH)

Discusses the effects of welfare reform on American Indian families and college students. Contends that, under the new federal welfare program, tribes that choose to administer welfare will lose matching funds from state governments, resulting in a 30-50% loss of welfare benefits for eligible recipients. (JDI)

Describes success of an academic booster club as a rural middle school strategy to improve student test scores, attendance, grades, community perceptions of the school, and student behavior. Notes how during two years the club raised over $20,000 and fostered improvements in average daily attendance, achievement test scores, honor roll…

Describes one university's experiment with joining elementary students and preservice teachers in intergenerational literature discussion circles to enhance preservice teachers' learning about reading and the teaching of reading. Both groups enjoyed the literature circles. Resulting themes provided insights about the reading process, the nature of…

Examines how beliefs and concerns of academic medicine's diverse professional cultures affect management of information technology. Two scenarios, one dealing with standardization of desktop personal computers and the other with publication of syllabi on an institutional intranet, form the basis for an exercise in which four prototypical members…

Variations in amounts of nonparental care across infancy, preschool, early elementary school, and early adolescence were examined. Correlations among overall amounts of care provided little evidence of cross-time continuity; grade 1 self-care and grade 6 unsupervised peer contact incrementally predicted grade 6 problems; and most predictive…

This cognitive-behavioral middle school prevention program includes both parent- and teen-based curricula focusing on precursors to problem behavior such as communication, limit setting, problem solving, goal setting, and dealing with negative peer influences. Results from 158 participating families found the program effective in engaging both…

A 3-iteration Delphi survey using 3 sequential questionnaires was used to develop consensus among expert community pharmacists (n=58) concerning the design of a clerkship in their practice environment. Results were also used to develop course learning objectives. Results of the survey, learning objectives, and suggested clerkship activities are…

This last in a series of articles on at-risk students highlights Professional Development Schools, restructuring teacher training programs, and integrating modern technology. Topics discussed include university-school collaboration that integrates theory and practice using fieldwork; telecommunication networks; distance learning labs; and…

Three methods of integrating family/student financial contributions into the financing of higher education in a number of European countries are described, and advantages and disadvantages, to student and government, are discussed. The plan recommended as most equitable and cost-effective would be an income-contingent plan for distributing student…