A survey of 38 public and 58 private agencies found the most common rehabilitative services provided to consumers with visual impairment in 1999 were assistive technology evaluations and individual or group technologies training. Both public and private agencies had more difficulty recruiting than retaining staff to provide technology-related…

Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) provide cost-effective shared services to New York's rural districts. Services in career and technical education and staff development offered by the Steuben-Allegany BOCES are described. Future plans include increased cooperation with colleges in providing adult education, evolution of the…

Four studies in child development show that children socialize parents as much as parents socialize children. Child development is a function of biological maturation and child-environment interaction. The most important determinants of resiliency are caregiver quality and socioeconomic status. Implications for camp are discussed, the most…

This article raises critical issues that need to addressed while considering the future needs of people with Down syndrome and dementia, along with suggestions as to how they may be met. It discusses dementia diagnosis, staff training, the family's role, advantages of health screening, and difficulties in collating accurate information. (Contains…

The features of positive youth development settings, identified in recent research, are applied to camp program planning, staff selection, and comprehensive program evaluation. A web-like model of positive features of the program's organizational and social environment provides a systemic viewpoint. (TD)

Argues that supplemental instruction (SI) leaders may not always contribute to helpful instruction. Asserts that SI supervisors must train SI leaders about what is helpful and unhelpful for students. Suggests that more research be done to determine which practices are most helpful for students. Contains six references. (MZ)

A University of Vienna (Austria) staff development program that emphasizes the professionalization of university teaching and management is described. The approach integrates personnel evaluation, quality assessment, and staff development, which is also linked to institutional mission and identity. A benefit of the staff development seminars has…

Suggests that libraries use a military model of organization, in favor of a big-business approach, to address job dissatisfaction among paraprofessional staff. Military concepts that transfer to the library milieu include clear responsibility delineations, demonstrable recognition of the value of individual workers, continuing education programs,…

A December 1994 survey investigated the status of computer use for instruction and administration in Korean schools. Korean schools have a relatively large amount of hardware and software due to strong governmental support; however, problems do exist in hardware function, software distribution, teacher training, and school policy on computer…

Discusses violence in the workplace and suggests a three-tier approach to dealing with violence in libraries that focuses on personnel issues: (1) preventive measures, including applicant screening, supervisory training, and employee assistance programs; (2) threat management, including policy formation and legal action; and (3) crisis/post-trauma…

Describes the two broad categories of Internet-based training: text-only and multimedia. Discusses the following text-based only tools: e-mail, bulletin boards, and software downloading. Identifies four types of World Wide Web-based training, which include: Web computer-based training, Web-based employee performance support systems, and…

Describes members' responsibilities within effective middle school interdisciplinary teams. States that principals are responsible for hiring, orientation, teacher empowerment, and staff development, while existing team members help new members by building a new team identity and developing collaborative relationships. Asserts that new teachers…

Introduces an eight-step process for training social workers to become more effective multicultural practitioners. The first three steps--acknowledge cultural differences, know yourself, and know other cultures--are discussed and accompanied by experiential exercises to help practitioners recognize their own culture-bound beliefs, identify…

Promising educational practices focus on achievement for all students and present evidence to demonstrate their effectiveness. Schools that have broken the mold are vision-focused and values-based. The most hopeful strategy for sustained, substantive educational improvement involves developing school staff into professional learning communities in…

Presents five key ingredients for successful instructional improvement initiatives in districtwide programs (leadership density, knowledge of the literature, sense of priorities and realistic perspective on available energies and resources, development of a framework for teaching, and a teacher evaluation system complementary to the improvement of…