This essay looks at three kinds of changes in American society over the period from the late 1960s to the mid-1990s. First, data from the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) are used to measure trends in college freshmen's political identification, materialism, concern for law and order, and concern for helping others. In all these…

In Latin America and the Caribbean, poverty is not merely a problem of marginalized communities. It is the situation in which 240 million people--50 percent of the population--are living. This report describes research undertaken by the Quality of Life Project, which aims to improve the situation of children in these disadvantaged communities. The…

This study, which was mandated in Title II of the Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act, explores issues surrounding the financing of assistive technology and examines questions of accessibility, availability, affordability, and cost-effectiveness. The study offers a paradigm of disability focusing on how specific…

The first part of this paper reviews the literature on fundamental issues that relate to the work of teachers as the national curriculum is implemented in the United Kingdom. These issues include: (1) the work day of junior and secondary school teachers; (2) the politics and sociology of teaching; (3) the work of primary school teachers; and (4)…

This document, which was developed to assist individuals working in publicly sponsored literacy programs in Georgia, offers instructional plans and practical strategies designed to help teachers help students of adult literacy, adult basic education, General Educational Development, and English as a second language understand complex social…

This study investigated the adult adjustment of an Iowa random sample of 1,012 individuals labeled learning disabled whose graduating class had been out of school for 1 year. Of this group (82% of the original sample), 911 individuals had been graduated from special education programs and 101 individuals had dropped out. Results are reported in…

Today, school personnel are facing many challenges in their efforts to serve diverse families and children with disabilities. Inadequate human and fiscal capacity, attitudinal and cultural barriers are among the many hurdles that must be surmounted for successful provision of related services. Decisions about who is educated versus who is…

This report is a summary of discussions in the fall and winter of 1989-90 in more than 1,700 community forums convened by civic and educational institutions in 47 states. Convenors included colleges and universities, churches, museums and libraries, and local civic and service organizations. The National Issues Forum is the largest ongoing effort…

Women of all ages continue to enter the work force in greater numbers while the work force participation rate for males is declining. Women are disproportionately concentrated in low-paying, dead-end jobs. Employment discrimination continues to be a significant problem. Job interruptions necessitated by family responsibilities are a major factor…

These proceedings consist of 16 papers, some of which are followed by discussants' comments. They include: "Growing Older in a Rural Retirement Community" (Brokaw, Peters, Tripple; discussants Olson, Tucker; "An Interactive Computer Model for Achieving Personal Financial Goals" (Dilbeck, Hinds, Ulivi; discussants Burton, Peterson); "The Economics…

An operational seminar is an in-the-field demonstration for those involved in the process of change that all community development projects require. It does not require previous theoretical exposure of any kind. On the basis of the analysis of a specific milieu, the seminar participants put together a program of activities, choosing appropriate…

This document presents a survey of ideas concerning environmental issues and educational efforts to improve the quality of life. Chapter one, "Environmental Education for Understanding and Solving Environmental Problems," includes sections on the relationship between cultural heritage and the environment, and methodologies in…

A study examined 140 persons from nine very diverse settings in the United States and England who had retired in a positive way. Interviews with the retirees revealed that despite their diverse geographical, socioeconomic, and racial/ethnic backgrounds, they all had one thing in common--in retirement, all of them had a new and exciting career.…

Developing nations could greatly improve the quality of life in rural areas by adequately involving women in agricultural extension and training programs. Policy objectives of many developing countries neglect the contributory role of girls and women and often constrain them from seizing opportunities for individual development. In Nigeria, the…

These proceedings explore issues pertaining to the combination of work and family roles from the perspectives of the family, business, government, labor, and the non-profit community. The six keynote addresses include an historical overview of families and work followed by unique perspectives representing labor, corporations, government, and the…