Discusses two recent court decisions--"Urofsky v. Gilmore" and "Bonnell v. Lorenzo"--that concern the role of faculty within the university. Concludes that as the law now stands, faculty have no special First Amendment right to academic freedom. (Contains 93 references.) (Author/MLF)

This article explores the idea of toddler independence from a Montessori perspective. Integrated with increasing competence in daily living, independence is defined in terms of toileting, dressing and undressing, eating and food preparation, plant and animal care, clothes washing, sweeping, gardening, and putting oneself to sleep. (Author/KB)

Examines the hypothesis that students' perceptions of teacher autonomy support, parent attachment, competence, and self-worth would predict motivational orientation and achievement test performance. Results indicate that autonomy support, parent attachment, scholastic competence, and self-worth predicted the academic criterion variables.…

This article discusses the concept of choice and how our aspirations to promote choice for people with learning disabilities are undermined by conceptual confusion. It then examines environmental influences on choice, including staff behavior and other social influences on choice, and characteristics of service users and their influences on…

Presents paths for theoretical research and practical procedures that may help teachers make new technology pedagogically relevant. Discusses the need to develop learner autonomy to help students process information in meaningful ways and become independent learners by developing effective learning strategies, transfer skills, and a greater sense…

In response to James Mulick (EC 232 032), this paper encourages agreement in the field of mental retardation on the term "aversive"; new "outcome" standards for behavioral support; support that respects personal dignity; and fidelity of behavioral interventions in typical school and community settings. (DB)

Viewing teaching as an art, it is suggested that teachers should be prepared as artists are prepared. A model is presented for a preservice professional program which develops a pridefully creative outlook, an understanding of the humanities, a knowledge of pedagogy, and a personal artistic teaching style. (JD)

A project to promote self-determination for young people with autism is described. Project activities included the development and field-testing of a curriculum for high school students with autism to learn self- and life-knowledge skills. Field testing suggested that the curriculum increased knowledge and self-determination skills in students…

Compared associations of family decision making, identity formation, and self-esteem in Turkish and American late adolescents. Questionnaire results from 82 university students in Turkey and 101 American students in the United States show both groups are more similar than different in their level of identity formation. Differences were found in…

Reports of parenting styles were assessed in 100 mostly white, middle-class, 6th, 8th, and 10th graders and their parents. Adolescents viewed their parents as more permissive and more authoritarian than parents viewed themselves, whereas parents viewed themselves as more authoritative than did adolescents. Differences were primarily over the…

The importance of providing option-rich environments that facilitate the growth of individuals with disabilities toward self-determination is emphasized. Of concern is the centrality of self-determination, constraints to self-determination, and strategies to encourage individuals to become self-determined. (Author/SW)

Examines whether federal courts and the application of free-speech standards in academia are the proper ways to deal with the difficult issues faced by higher education. The author argues that they are not, and uses the Levin and Jeffries free-speech cases to illustrate this. (GR)

Observations and interviews of 20 middle-class preschoolers and their mothers were conducted to examine the emergence of the personal domain. Found that preschoolers make a conceptual distinction between personal and moral or conventional issues, and that mothers were more likely to negotiate with children over personal than social events. (MDM)

A series of 6- to 10-week programs in creative collage were given to disabled elderly residents within a special care facility. The program stressed choice, decision making, and personal autonomy in the design process. Participants were involved in all stages of the creative process including exploration, manipulation, establishing a unity,…

Tested 502 skilled nursing facility residents within 4 weeks of admission, then 3 and 12 months later, to determine impact of deciding and wanting to make move on well-being and adjustment. Examined physical, social, and psychological functioning; social interaction; activity; satisfaction with services; and discharge. Findings suggest interactive…