Describes major elements of an extension system for education based on those essential for one in agriculture, as exemplified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service. Like the agricultural system, an educational extension service would be driven by customer needs, employ county agents to facilitate client/service…

After investigating alternatives, a Missouri high school adopted the eight-block flexible scheduling model. Instead of meeting 45-60 minutes every day, classes now meet 94 minutes every other day. Staff and students are enthusiastic. Longer instructional periods allow teachers to develop key concepts and use diverse learning activities and permit…

To eliminate duplication and underutilization of student services, a South Carolina high school formed a student services committee composed of all service providers (principal, assistant principals, guidance counselors, psychologists, at-risk coordinator, computer specialist, and nurse). The group focused on needs assessment and team-building,…

This paper, developed by a group of parents, advocates, and service providers, addresses the limitations of human services for people with developmental disabilities, including: (1) services cannot "fix" people or problems; (2) consistency and uniformity are not necessarily good qualities of human services; (3) more human services are not…

A survey of 145 sales and marketing professionals identified their preferences and expectations of executive development programs. Most preferred practitioner-taught, single-day programs or seminars over alternative learning formats (teleconferencing, cable television, etc.). (JOW)

Designed program using variety of engagement techniques and service components for homeless and marginally housed elderly. Clients (n=132) averaged three favorable outcomes. Service delivery was conceptualized as three-stage process based on differential effects of variables at each stage. Strongest predictors of outcome were number of service…

This report gives an update on the status of planning and delivery of mental health services for people with intellectual disability who have psychiatric disorders in Australia and New Zealand. A number of innovative approaches in policy and planning, legislative support, education, consultation, and coordination among services are discussed.…

For both schools and hospitals, measure of quality is in tailoring service delivery (or responding) to individual need. To succeed, work process must be designed and managed for responding. Hospitals may appear to operate more systemically than schools because an invisible standard underlies all medical treatments. Perhaps a single framework or…

This commentary on EC 605 926 examines the issue of whether the family or the individual with developmental disabilities should be the unit receiving services and discusses the impact of disability on the family. It concludes that the best interests of the family generally coincide with the best interests of the individual with disabilities. (JDD)

This paper reports findings from a survey of state directors of special education (N=38) that focused on current practices in providing related services to handicapped students, with an emphasis on eligibility criteria. Results indicated great variation among states. (Author)

The director of an agency for the blind and visually impaired examines the service-delivery dilemma of funding versus placement decisions. Three program areas demonstrate this dilemma: (1) Social Security Disability Insurance disincentives to competitive placement; (2) the private agency's role when the educational system falls short; and (3)…

Provides overview of case management, its history, and contemporary models. Examines challenges that case management poses for social work profession: covering up issue that health and human services delivery system is nonsystem; maintaining client-centered perspective in cost-obsessed environment; dealing with quality control; coping with…

Examines nine risk-reducing and resilience-building programs that provide insights into what works for troubled children and how to build places where resilience thrives. Programs highlighted include those for families during the prenatal period, those that address preschoolers and schoolchildren, and programs that move toward the ultimate goal of…

Outcomes of focus groups and telephone interviews of 403 gerontology providers identified training needs, logistics of delivery, and preferred delivery methods. Results were used to develop a framework for a multilevel curriculum to address the needs of three levels of trainees. (SK)

Responses from 138 of 286 beginning Iowa farmers rated experiential learning, problem solving, and critical thinking as important skills. Cutting-edge technologies were preferred for extension program delivery, as well as verbal rather than printed information. Highly rated topics included business management of farming. Extension was well…