This monograph reports the proceedings of the Multimedia Technology Seminar and consists of presented papers as well as summaries of demonstration and discussion sessions. Sessions covered the following topics: the role of learning theory in the development and application of multimedia technologies in special education; multimedia research in…

Whether item response theory (IRT) is useful to the small-scale testing practitioner is examined. The stability of IRT item parameters is evaluated with respect to the classical item parameters (i.e., p-values, biserials) obtained from the same data set. Previous research investigating the effect of sample size on IRT parameter estimation has…

A study compared the nature and frequency of faults and errors in reference list entries and direct quotes selected from 78 articles in 8 issues of the "American Educational Research Journal" (AERJ) with authors sampled from 10 previously studied journals. All departures from the original (additions, omissions, or changes) were labeled as either a…

The abstract sheet summarizes research reported in "Assessing and Developing the Adaptive Functioning of Handicapped Children and Youth" by Robert H. Bruininks. The research concerned the dimensions of adaptive behavior, its usefulness in placement and eligibility decisions, and differences between ratings of students' adaptive behavior…

Promoting social change is the goal of the seven community case studies reported in this book. Each study is a "natural experiment" that involved long-term research, close collaboration between researchers and the host community, and the application of research methods and findings to social change goals within the community. The following reports…

This guide is designed to assist Missouri school district personnel in conducting follow-up studies of special education graduates. The guide outlines the questions that need to be addressed prior to conducting a follow-up study as well as the procedures to complete such a project. Sample follow-up questionnaires are included for districts to…

A pilot study was conducted at two middle schools to investigate the relationship among student locus of control, field dependency, self-esteem, and achievement. A relationship between self-esteem and achievement has already been identified by research; another variable considered as a possible effect on a person's predisposition to achieve was…

Instead of emphasizing basic skills remediation or academic tutoring, a counseling model can provide a consistent support system, reduce client anxiety levels, and build self-confidence among learning disabled (LD) college students. All of the services offered under this model--(1) academic advisement, (2) personal counseling, (3) career…

One approach to increasing our understanding of the rating process is to examine behavioral components of decision-making. Although observable rater behavior during appraisal is still removed from the actual contents of internal processing, these behavioral indices may provide important clues toward identifying determinants of rating success. To…

This 2-section guide covers both professionally-produced documentaries for a general viewing audience and footage produced by researchers for their own viewing in data collection and analysis. The first section, which focuses on edited documentaries, includes information on how documentaries are produced and on usefulness and realism, a catalog of…

A study was conducted to determine the degree of relationship between eye movement patterns and cognitive mapping as determined by the Cognitive Style Mapping Instrument (CSMI). It was hypothesized that a high correlation exists between a predominance of visual and auditory eye movement patterns and the visual and auditory cognitive mapping styles…

Although television is highly dependent on language and semiotic analysis, its form can best be analyzed through the structural notion of transformation. The critic's task becomes the articulation of structural laws intrinsic to television. One such law has to do with how television structures time. Television programming transforms action into…

Imbalances existing between theoretical and practical research and between experimental and naturalistic research can be corrected by teacher educators who conduct research on what they are already doing as part of their professional assignments. These educators are persons whose expertise typically includes several years in the classroom prior to…

Given the complexity of classroom reading observations, maintenance of measurement reliability is a concern to researchers. Sources of variation contributing to the unreliability of many measurements may be either (1) lasting and specific, (2) lasting and general, (3) temporary and specific, or (4) temporary and general. Lasting-specific sources…

Drawn from a conference intended as a step toward reuniting the disciplines of behavioral sciences and law, the items in this compilation were prepared by practitioners and educators in the areas of law, communication, social psychology, and sociology. The items are arranged in five sections according to these topics: interviewing and counseling,…