A review of 20 research studies on the use of constant time delay in teaching chained tasks is analyzed in regard to demographic variables (participants, settings), procedural variables (probe format, delay sessions), outcome measures (effectiveness, generalization), and methodological adequacy (dependent and independent variable reliability). (DB)

Examines the acquisition of tense and agreement by L2 learners of French. Interviews were conducted with English-speaking children acquiring French as a second language and with grade-matched native French-speaker controls. Results revealed that items encoding agreement emerged before items encoding tense, suggesting that the abstract grammatical…

Discusses methodological problems of Sigman and Ruskin's longitudinal study. Questions whether determination of specificity, universality, and uniqueness is appropriately addressed by between-syndrome comparisons. Describes problems with group matching, offers a method of partially correcting them, and argues that group designs have limited…

Addresses questions about group comparisons and the extent to which the original Sigman and Ruskin study identified specific, unique, and universal deficits in autism. Considers the alternate methodology for measuring improvements in the performance of children with Down syndrome and autism. (JPB)

This article broadly characterizes the complex forces that shape the special education research agenda in the United States. The influences caused by the momentum of normal science, changes in social values, public policy, imports from other disciplines, the power of advocacy groups, and changing methodologies are discussed. (Contains references.)…

Examined the development of a university-school district partnership designed to support an imitative focusing on teaching about learning disabilities to 156 students of middle socioeconomic backgrounds in grades 4 through 7 using critical sampling, single case, and documentation methods. Identified four essential elements of researcher-district…

Examines error gravity research design and its theoretical assumptions. Results indicate that investigators have only skimmed the surface of the process of error evaluation, which is shaped by extralinguistic factors. The article concludes that researchers should reconceptualize error gravity research and reassess earlier studies to confirm or…

Naturalistic and traditional social science models were used to conduct a needs assessment in which 35 stakeholders were interviewed about their perceptions of the functioning of a crisis agency and the needs of the community and the agency. Concept mapping (multidimensional scaling and hierarchical analysis) was used to establish need categories…

Reviews research into the effects of full-time day care on parent-child bonding, noting a number of weaknesses in research in this area, namely small sample size. Concludes that while most research finds that early day care can potentially disrupt the attachment bond, the significance of the disruption is unclear. (MDM)

Examines the causal relationship between teacher commitment to the school organization and job satisfaction using longitudinal career ladder data and measures of commitment and satisfaction from 854 teachers. Correlation/regression analyses indicate that satisfaction was causally prioritized to teacher commitment. Methodological issues in this…

Using direct observation and detailed activity accounts, a study documented how English and physics faculty at two universities accomplished teaching and research simultaneously. Individual faculty integrated teaching and research between 8% and 34% of their work time. English faculty integrated research more with classroom teaching; physics…

Examines Web users' behaviors and needs and tests a methodology for studying users' interaction with the Web. A process-tracing technique, together with tests of cognitive style, anxiety levels, and self-report computer experience, provided data on how users interact with the Web in the process of finding factual information. (Author/AEF)

Summarizes current research on the outcomes of open adoption. Discusses issues involved in conducting research on openness and offers methodological recommendations. Provides examples from one research program with adoptive kinship networks. Concludes that psychological outcomes were less related to the level of openness than to the dynamics of…

Reviews data from 13 major follow-up studies of youth with learning disabilities regarding postschool outcomes, postsecondary education, and employment, with attention to gender differences. Notes contradictions in the findings and identifies five methodological issues that appear to influence the conduct and interpretation of follow-up studies. A…

Presents two chain-of-choices models, one for adoptive parents and one for birth parents and adoptees, as possible frameworks within which to consider the role of individual differences, choices, and selections in understanding the process of adoption and adoption outcomes. Discusses the research and practice implications following from the…