Reviews book that explores the nature and potential of interdisciplinary research. Presents not only a history of both disciplinarity and interdisciplinarity but also a review of the major problems confronting interdisciplinary research and some possible solutions. (VWC)

Outlines the available epidemiologic studies in language and argues for more research of this type through partnerships between epidemiologists, language researchers, and clinicians. Addresses the effect of epidemiologic studies in raising public awareness of language impairments, and of increasing funding for language research. (Author/CR)

Qualitative researchers who study electronic communities or describe online communications must change their research tools and adapt their activities to new environments to continue ethical practices. Possibilities of online research within the context of ethical qualitative practice are explored, and suggestions are offered for appropriate ways…

This article examines the status of behavioral research on genetic mental retardation syndromes and finds that the field continues to struggle with three methodological issues: (1) how to think about control or contrast groups, (2) the interplay of behavioral phenotypes with development and other within-group variations, and (3) the efficacy of…

Describes the Connecticut Academic Performance Test (CAPT) and explains the reasons for a curriculum change. Introduces CAPT-style labs which require students to identify a problem, ask questions, develop a hypothesis, design and conduct an experiment, analyze data, and draw conclusions. (YDS)

Discusses the influence of Levy-Bruhl's analysis (1910) of "primitive" mentality on Piaget's research and theory contrasting child and adult ontology and logic. Maintains that parallels between their research designs substantiate Piaget's explicit references to Levy-Bruhl. Suggests that their conceptual kinship has implications for an…

Discusses the process of international research collaboration with specific reference to initiating collaborative research, evaluating the potential of entering into a research partnership, preparing for travel, developing and completing a project, and maintaining international collaborative research relationships. Discusses factors that enhance…

Considers assumptions underlying design of Bussell et al.'s Nonshared Environment in Adolescent Development study. Suggests that a source of the common environment specific to this study is the effect of an individual in mutual ratings of relationship with siblings, leading to a larger common-environment effect across variables than within…

Describes the collaborative process and the lessons learned when the staff of a family-literacy program and an evaluator worked together to design and implement a portfolio assessment that was used to collect program-evaluation information for the Even Start program over two years. Discusses opportunities to collaborate in the development of this…

Examined the shift in the educational-research paradigm in Finland as seen in 335 doctoral dissertations. Early in the century, educational history was the dominant topic, but by the 1950s the experimental paradigm took over. By the 1980s, factor analysis was a very common research method. In the 1990s, qualitative analyses account for one-third…

Argues that research administrators would function more effectively and enjoy their work more with a better understanding of research. Offers examples of how some basic principles of research design can be readily conveyed to administrators with little or no research training. Discusses ways research administrators might benefit from better…

More methodologically sound research in adventure therapy is needed if the field is to claim empirically-based efficacy as a treatment modality. Some considerations for conducting outcome studies in adventure therapy relate to standardization, multiple domain assessment, regression techniques, objective assessment of participant change, client and…

The goals of the National Assistive Technology Research Institute are discussed, as well as ongoing research projects that address the status of school-based assistive technology (AT), AT policies and procedures, AT decisions made by Individualized Education Program teams, integration of AT into learning environments, effectiveness of AT, and…

Background: Studies from the amnesia literature suggest that errorless learning can produce superior results to errorful learning. However, it was found in a previous investigation by the present authors that errorless and errorful therapy produced equivalent results for patients with aphasic word-finding difficulties. A study in the academic…

Research on animated pedagogical agents (agents) is viewed as a very positive attempt to introduce more pedagogical support and motivational elements into multi-media instruction. Yet, existing empirical studies that examine the learning benefits of agents have had very mixed results, largely due to the way that they are designed. This article…