The disestablishment of religion in our constitutional order has encouraged an extraordinary proliferation of religious sects and religious doctrines that has made sectarian repression seem impractical. Discusses advantages and disadvantages of this trend for the nation. (PS)

A study explored the relationship between the content of educational programs in nursing and the quality of nursing care for older people, especially the extent to which nurses promote autonomy and independence. Activities included an analysis of curricula for pre- and postregistration nursing education programs in Britain, investigation of…

This report discusses outcomes of a Canadian initiative to assist in the deinstitutionalization of persons with intellectual disabilities in Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. The projects were managed through a partnership in each province including representatives from Human Resources Development…

A SMART Learner is a lifelong learner who can adapt to rapid change and who possesses characteristics associated with success in and out of school. These workshop materials to help parents help their children become SMART learners provide: information from current research and best practice; learning activities that will actively engage parents in…

This report discusses the accomplishments and challenges of the Vermont Self-Determination Project (SDP), a 3-year project designed to empower individuals with developmental disabilities to create the quality of life they desire for themselves and, by discovering and sharing their natural gifts and talents, to nourish and enrich both their own…

Women's literacy programs in rural Mali were studied through observation and surveys of 42 participants and 29 nonparticipants. Few participants acquired literacy skills, those that did rarely used them, and literacy acquisition had little socioeconomic impact on women's lives. General constraints on literacy usage in rural villages are discussed,…

Argues that the library has a responsibility to provide access to materials and ensure absolute privacy for children in the same manner as it does for adults. Attention this issue has received is discussed and policies formed at the Contra Costa County Library in California are described. Sources for further reading and listening are suggested.…

Eight mildly handicapped young adults were taught to discriminate whether or not possible violations of legal rights occurred in socially validated scenarios and, if so, to role-play a behavioral sequence to redress rights violations. With one exception, participants demonstrated generalization to four community role-play settings. (JW)

Two studies examined concepts of personal autonomy and social roles among persons in different types of cultures. Found that Druze subjects attributed more power than Jewish subjects to males over females, but concepts of personal entitlements were prominent in both groups. Overall, findings indicated that social reasoning is heterogeneous in…

Uses an analogy of Fordist and post-Fordist production management processes as a way of shedding light on language learning, particularly at the tertiary level. The article argues that Fordist methods provide an analogy for the way language teaching has been organized in the past. Post-Fordism provides a new analogy for the development of language…

This article introduces a self-determination curriculum, Learning with PURPOSE, intended for adolescent students with disabilities or students at risk for failure. It identifies critical self-determination skills, defines self-determination, outlines the curriculum, and notes the curriculum's parent component. (DB)

This article defines self-advocacy, examines differences between high school and college settings, describes key components in a college-based self-advocacy curriculum, and highlights the primary responsibilities that students with learning disabilities face in making self-determination a reality in college. (DB)

Analyzed stability and change in late adolescent attachment relations and the interrelationship among attachment, separation-individuation, and college adjustment variables. Results of two studies suggested stability in attachment to parents, over time, for both men and women. Security of attachment was inversely related to independence from…

Seven papers present a new paradigm for understanding the sources of motivation and how it can be enhanced in high-risk students. Major parameters include the importance of reflective self-awareness, the realization of personal autonomy and agency, and the importance of support from personal relationships. (SLD)

Studies the influence of self-esteem, locus of control, attitudes toward women's family roles, attitudes toward school, educational aspirations, and religiosity on the probability of teenage premarital pregnancy and its resolution. Results for 1,142 white adolescent girls show that self-esteem and attitudes toward schooling and family roles were…