The engineering technique of motion study was evaluated as a means to identify efficient movements and improve the productivity rates for three severely retarded adults performing a mailing task. After receiving training on the most efficient movements, subjects improved production rates and maintained the improved rates. (DB)

This article reviews general classes of variables which help to maintain aberrant behavior including attention seeking, sensory and perceptual consequences, and access to materials or activities. Suggestions for a methodology providing a comprehensive functional analysis are offered which include descriptive analysis, hypothesis forming,…

Comparison of 2 computer-assisted instructional treatments in syllogistic reasoning--one requiring a deeper level of processing with a diagrammatic response--found that the 13 learning-disabled high school students receiving the diagrammatic instruction required fewer trials to achieve mastery criteria and produced significantly higher posttest…

Contract management of school maintenance and operations is a growing trend. In-house departments need to be prepared to justify their positions. Describes a Texas school district's request for proposal for contract management and includes the specifications for bidding with comments about the wording of the document. (MLF)

Responds to an article by Strubell, "Language, Democracy, and Devolution in Catalonia," explaining differences between various dialects grouped under the Catalan umbrella and focusing on the context of the new language-policy legislation, the impact of the new legislation, tensions arising from the implementation of the language policy,…

Responds to an article by Strubell, "Language, Democracy, and Devolution in Catalonia," noting the lack of congruence between the Catalan nation defined culturally and linguistically and Catalonia the polity. The paper examines nationalist discourse, identity, and evolution, and discusses the limits of devolution (borders and internal…

Explains how daily maintenance and design planning can reduce the potential safety hazards found in athletic-facility locker rooms. Topics include designing locker rooms for visual openness and traffic control, providing non-slip surfaces and proper drainage, installing ventilation systems that can handle the moisture produced in locker rooms,…

Provides advice on designing sports-field lighting that can help balance design with cost and lighting-system performance. Areas addressed include system installation, pole placement, light-spillage control, and maintenance. (GR)

Presents practical solutions to school indoor-air-quality problems. Areas where school administrators should set IAQ goals and provide resources are listed, and tips for HVAC maintenance and cleaning to reduce air pollutants are provided. (GR)

Argues the importance of treating facility pressure equipment as capital assets and discusses three steps in their management process. The following steps are discussed: understanding the condition of all major equipment; altering maintenance practices and procedures; and developing a long-term equipment strategy such as increased monitoring,…

Discusses the ways equipment innovations can help schools clean more effectively and improve staff performance. Provides advice on cleaning strategies and types of equipment used for different areas, including tips for buying vacuum cleaners that fit the school's needs and conserve budgets. (GR)

Discusses six steps in integrating grounds maintenance into the master planning process which can lower maintenance costs while creating a beautiful campus. Areas addressed include quantifying maintenance tasks, developing standards and specifications for each task, developing work schedules, and monitoring performance. (GR)

Discusses the problems school construction projects face during building and maintenance efforts over the summer. Issues involving planning, the use of teamwork, community concerns, child safety, and surprises that cannot be thoroughly accounted for in the pre- construction phase are addressed. (GR)

Discusses the high priority nature and maintenance needs of keeping playing surfaces to sports and recreation facilities. Grass and synthetic field and track surface maintenance are discussed as are gym floors, hard-surface tennis courts, and ice surfaces. (GR)

Presents a scenario in which the needs of a couple with multiple problems seems at odds with managed care provisions. Outlines ways to determine who the client is, how to work ethically with third-party payors, and counselors' responsibility to inform clients about fees. (RJM)