A study examined the role of paraeducators as liaisons to the local community. Phase 1 of the study involved interviews with four paraeducators and three teachers, each of whom was part of a rural teacher/paraeducator team that used the paraeducator's background in the community to enhance school activities. Phase 2 involved five group sessions…

A free national library service providing recorded and Braille materials to blind and physically handicapped persons is administered by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), Library of Congress. In this directory, NLS network libraries and machine-lending agencies are arranged alphabetically by state. Within…

In 1997, AEL, a regional educational laboratory, invited more than 100 people from 18 primarily rural school communities in Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia to join the QUEST network, a 3-year program dedicated to building quality learning communities that support high levels of student and adult performance. School stories from…

Computer conferencing (CC) is rapidly becoming a viable and useful adjunct to many distance education delivery systems. This paper deals with the general questions of what might constitute exemplary practice in using CC for teaching and learning, as well as features to look for when selecting a CC system. The "Do's" include: test the technology…

This paper summarizes the experiences acquired during the European research project, "On the Move," and draws on some conclusions on how mobility will impact information service providers. The paper begins with a definition of mobile information systems and explains the On the Move project; the goal of On the Move is to develop a…

Electronic publications are flooding the market. Some of these publications are created specifically for the electronic environment, but many are conversions of existing material to electronic format. It is not worth the time and effort merely to publish existing material in electronic format if no value is added in the conversion process. The…

Linking information to education users goes beyond information organization issues, such as abstracting, indexing, and information filters. It is a social issue as well. This paper focuses upon the social dimensions of education information, as expressed in partnerships needed for the United States Educational Information Network's (USEIN)…

New telecommunications vehicles expand the possible ways that business is conducted. The hypermedia portion of the Internet, the World Wide Web, is such a telecommunications device. The Web is presently one of the most flexible and dynamic methods for electronic information dissemination. The level of technological sophistication necessary to…

Radical advancements in Internet technology over the last decade have created endless opportunities to expand the realm of the elementary classroom. The World Wide Web (WWW), e-mail, newsgroups, and Internet Relay Chat (IRC) are four of the most prominent utilizations of Internet technology. This paper demonstrates how one suburban mid-western…

The Alabama Public Library Service is charged with improving library services throughout Alabama to ensure that all citizens have access to quality library and information services. The agency is responsible for administering federal and state funds for the more than 200 public libraries in Alabama. Building renovations were completed in April…

This directory provides information about various types of Michigan libraries. It is divided into 12 sections: (1) public and branch libraries; (2) library cooperatives; (3) academic libraries; (4) regions of cooperation; (5) regional educational media centers; (6) regional and subregional libraries; (7) Michigan documents depository libraries;…

Adolescent drug use in the United States remains higher than that of any other industrialized country. To explore this problem, demographic and psychosocial variables from a survey of 346 pre- and early adolescents were used to predict membership in clusters of students with varying substance use attitudes and expectancies. Cluster analysis…

Recent increases in the speed and accessibility of computers and networks have made it possible to administer tests on-line. On-line assessment can be conducted in a controlled setting, such as a testing center, or distributed over local area networks or the Internet to libraries and student homes, allowing students the flexibility to complete…

In the midst of an information explosion, it is increasingly important for educators and students to learn how to effectively use new technologies. Technologies impacting education are examined, including school LANs (Local Area Networks), the Internet, and multimedia, and the best use of these technologies in an educational setting is…

The Cognitive Enrichment Network Educational Program (COGNET) establishes a framework through which teaching staff, parents, and others work together to help at-risk children succeed in school and become effective, independent life-long learners. The model can be used for at-risk and underachieving students aged 4 through 12 in regular and special…