This paper focuses on the state of the law as it concerns adults with disabilities regarding educational issues. Sections 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 are addressed and legal issues are examined, including: (1) the definition of disability; (2) documentation of disability; (3) financial…

Teacher-centered presentation is generally considered the only way of teaching in large classes, whereas a learner-centered communicative approach is not considered feasible. This applies even more to language teaching, where the difference between the native speaker's knowledge and the students' command of the language hinder communication. In…

Educators from the teacher, administrator, and school-board associations of the states of Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Oregon joined with the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory to highlight the achievements of the public schools in preparing children and youth for a successful and fulfilling life, and to note the significant…

This brief provides an overview of the foundation and framework for the Research Institute on Secondary Education Reform (RISER) for Youth with Disabilities. RISER focuses on secondary schools engaged in reform efforts that include students with disabilities and seeks to identify restructuring practices that benefit all students. RISERs goal is to…

IMHE-Info is the newsletter published by the Institutional Management in Higher Education (IMHE) programme. This issue includes: (1) Internationalisation Quality Review (IQR); and (2) What do Students Expect? How do HEIs Respond? IMHE News, publications of interest and upcoming events are included.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of scientific discussions based on student-constructed pre- and post-laboratory concept maps on students' attitudes toward chemistry laboratory in the university general chemistry. As part of instruction, during the first four laboratory sessions, students were taught how to construct and…

The need for effective ways of monitoring the quality of scoring of portfolios resulted in the development of a software package that provides scoring leaders with updated information on their assessors' scoring quality. Assessors with computers enter data as they score, and this information is analyzed and reported to scoring leaders. The…

This digest presents a brief review of recent Fourth Amendment decisions that affect the rights of students and the parameters of schools' authority to maintain a crime-free environment. Although Federal decisions apply nationwide and do mark the boundaries of permissible state and local action, state and local laws and regulations must always be…

This directory is intended to provide technical assistance for Nevada school districts and other evaluators of preschool children in selecting appropriate instruments to use in the multidisciplinary process for special education eligibility. It is not a list of approved tests, and tests not listed in this directory may be appropriate for…

This paper discusses the outcomes of a study that used focus groups to investigate services and accommodations that were important to college students (n=33) with learning disabilities (LD). Students were from five Midwest colleges and universities that offered programs specifically for students with LD or who made special services ad…

A program designed to improve the oral second language skills of high school students in second-year Spanish is reported. Initial analysis attributed the students' low level of oral Spanish skills to lack of motivation and insufficient practice of oral language. Three major interventions were implemented: incorporation of more oral practice of…

This exploration of gender and test fairness first considers ways in which women and men sometimes differ in test performance, and then examines some of the aspects of why they differ, focusing on aspects that have implications for the design of fair tests. The first chapter introduces the context of the topic, the nature of test fairness, and the…

A random sample of 113 members of the American Vocational Education Research Association (AVERA) was surveyed to obtain baseline information regarding AVERA members' perceptions of statistical significance tests. The Psychometrics Group Instrument was used to collect data from participants. Of those surveyed, 67% were male, 93% had earned a…

This encyclopedia of language teaching and learning is an authoritative handbook dealing with all aspects of this field of study. It has been produced specifically for language teaching professionals, but can also be used as a general reference work for academic studies at a postgraduate level. A comprehensive range of articles on contemporary…

This annual report combines the November, January, April, June, and August provincial results in diploma examination courses in Alberta, Canada. The graphs, tables, and text describe student performance for the entire school year. The report is designed to assist school personnel in identifying patterns of student achievement in Alberta and…