Forty-three adolescents with autism and developmental impairments were assessed with the Autism Diagnostic Interview (ADI), DSM-III-R (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual III, Revised) criteria, and the clinician's diagnosis. DSM-III-R criteria for autism exhibited low specificity and agreed poorly with the other two definitions, whereas the ADI was…

A major obstacle students encounter in their study of mathematics is the language of the discipline. The words used to convey mathematical concepts are foreign and conceal the notions that they are intended to reveal. Discusses this problem and presents suggestions to help make students sensitive to and aware of the precision required to…

Ten articles in this special section address the incidence and nature of scientific misconduct in the research publication process. Discussed are definitions of the problem, its prevalence, policies which may be developed to address ethical issues, and the results of a survey of the scientific community. (EA)

This paper describes the definitions, diagnostic criteria, and eligibility criteria used by vocational rehabilitation agencies in serving adults with learning disabilities. The paper emphasizes that the focus of all vocational rehabilitation services is on employment and that counseling is at the core of the service program for persons with…

Discusses the genesis and evolution of the California legislative mandate to teach critical thinking in every community college classroom. Defines critical thinking. Reviews steps included in the California colleges' plans for curriculum development. Considers pedagogical, affective, and transfer implications. Briefly describes two college…

Reports results of a survey of (n=106) university mathematics teachers' about their definitions of mathematics and their identification of up to 10 books that influenced the development of mathematics. Of the 12 conceptions of mathematics identified, formalistic, deductive, and modeling viewpoints predominated. (Contains 15 references.) (MKR)

Eight behavioral management terms/concepts commonly encountered in the special education literature are defined and discussed in terms of commonly occurring confusions. They are positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, punishment, extinction, differential reinforcement of other behavior, timeout, response cost, and overcorrection. (DB)

The idea that different meanings of "quality" in higher education (meritocratic, social, and individualistic) may influence the assessments of college presidents of their institutions is explored. These three dimensions are combined in a model that allows a more complex view of institutional quality. (MSE)

Literacy is a cultural construct, and the dominant view of literacy reflects only dominant values and assumptions. There are many kinds of "literacies," and the Great Divide theory that illiterate people are fundamentally separate from literate people is being rejected in current policy debates. (SK)

Literacy issues are discussed that affect Canadians age 15 and older who are barely literate in any language. Topics include the following: definitions of literacy; policy overviews and surveys; the impact of literacy on Canadian institutions; access for literacy learners; adult learning and classroom practice; and the plain language movement. (76…

Literacy in francophone Africa, where literacy is still a privilege, is reviewed in terms of the complex linguistic situation, effects of population change, concepts and definitions of literacy, promotion of literacy in adult nonformal settings (e.g., African language literacy materials, multilingual settings). (23 references) (LB)

This article introduces four papers (and responses to them) originally given at an April 1990 conference on the identification and treatment of dyslexia. Noted is the lack of consensus on what dyslexia is, how the condition comes to be, and what the nature of educational intervention ought to be, though developmental views are seen to predominate.…

The new kinds of teaching required to implement curriculum reforms like the California Curriculum Frameworks are incompletely defined and impossible to learn in quick-fix workshops. Teachers need to have "instructional conversations" with students that engage their interest, focus on a definite subject, and encourage full participation…

Implications of the term "gifted," including that of unjustified and unearned privilege, are considered in the context of findings on intelligence development, self-efficacy, education, prevalence, and the importance of labels. Five policy options are considered including abandoning the term and using performance rather than aptitude to organize…

Defines school-based management as a form of school district organization based on internal growth and development, rather than outside expertise. Roving leadership, an exciting alternative to top-down management, is issue-oriented and shifts responsibility according to key individuals' specific talents, skills, and abilities. Benefits are…