Papers in this collection were commissioned for a conference entitled, "Making a Difference for Students at Risk," to serve as springboards for discussion. Discussions and recommendations from conferees were incorporated into the versions presented in this volume. The two topics that dominated discussion at the conference were: basic…

An instructor in a junior high school English program which involved teaching approximately 160 eighth graders on a daily basis found it almost impossible to assess students fairly by taking individual differences into account when grading. Her solution was to invite students to participate in the construction, performance, and evaluation of their…

This report describes the Colorado Alternative Teacher Program, mandated by the state, that enables individuals with bachelor's degrees to enter approved alternative teacher certification programs developed by school districts, boards of cooperative services, independent schools, and institutions of higher education. The Colorado Department of…

Recent research suggests that special programs designed to "fix" low-achieving students are based on a deficiency model that does not serve their clients' needs. Alternative schools are providing conditions necessary to address disenfranchised students' problems. The descriptive case study summarized here was conducted to determine the…

This manual, based on work completed for Francophone distance educators in Ontario, explores the factors and dynamics needed for learning and teaching in new classrooms that are created by the conferencing technologies of audio, audiographic, computer, and compressed video. These classrooms are new in that learners are not gathered physically in…

Research on bilingual education has suggested three areas as critical for quality bilingual education: (1) school climate and organization; (2) curriculum content and delivery; and (3) instructional strategies. These three areas form a framework that was used to evaluate the Multicultural Middle College High School (MMCHS), an alternative…

While the distance learning curriculum at Lakeland College (Wisconsin) began 20 years ago, the idea for Lakeland Online was conceived about two and one-half years ago. A variety of delivery modes were considered before discovering Convene software. Since the communication process enabled by the Convene software is asynchronous and requires only a…

"Task Analysis" is a required course in the Communication, Education, and Training Department at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. A research study was designed to assess the effectiveness of a World Wide Web-based instruction program in the delivery of task analysis content. The program was presented and delivered on the Internet…

Graduate students in a telecommunications in education class participated in a collaborative project in which they implemented and practiced the curricular models that they studied during the course. The students used distance education to support learning about the field of distance education. They used the World Wide Web and other media for…

A model for gender equity in a rural Appalachia school system is approaching its second year of implementation at the high school level. This model focuses on equity issues, student motivation, and nontraditional coursework. In addition, it addresses career awareness for females, including a strong emphasis on technology and the sciences. Specific…

This book describes the 14-year evolution of a public alternative inner-city high school, New Haven's (Connecticut) High School in the Community (HSC), which lives the empowerment ideology and is dedicated to developing a caring and humanized approach to education. Students are encouraged to participate in shaping many aspects of their education,…

A total of 235 vocational, technical, and adult education (VTAE) master's degree recipients participated in a study to determine motivation for participation in off-campus credit programs. The study population participated in off-campus degree programs in VTAE at Marshall University (West Virginia). An information sheet collected demographic and…

This study examined the student characteristics of Athabasca University (AU), Alberta, Canada, a distance and open university, and asked whether AU serves the student clientele that its mission proposes and to what the AU graduates attribute success. Established to make it possible for people to earn a university education regardless of where they…

Library literacy programs may be on-going or short-term, formal or informal, large or small. Librarians need to be aware of these programming options and select the program appropriate to their community's literacy needs and the resources the library can make available. This manual is designed to assist librarians in considering options and…

The Bernard van Leer Foundation sponsors nontraditional, nonschool programs designed to improve the chances that preschoolers will enroll in school. In these programs and other informal education efforts, the community facilitator plays an important role. Typically, the facilitator is a member of the community who works without remuneration as a…