The Great Cities Institute at the University of Illinois, Chicago is a high-visibility urban-policy research center that is sometimes drawn into controversial issues. University leadership must defend academic freedom vigorously, but that freedom cannot be used indiscriminately for faculty pronouncements; faculty and administrators must ensure…

For 27 years the Florida Atlantic University Florida International University Joint Center for Environmental and Urban Problems has made major contributions to issues associated with rapid urbanization in southern Florida. Maintaining political support, both in the community and within the two universities, has been crucial to sustaining…

Representatives from 34 local interagency coordinating councils were interviewed about interagency agreements for the legally required transition from the infant/toddler to preschool service delivery system at age 3. Results indicated that most communities included the majority of legal transition requirements in their agreements. Policy issues…

This article describes the development and current status of special education in Singapore. Topics include organization of service delivery, integration, teacher training, and achievements. Challenges to improve the quality of special education services through integration opportunities, preservice teacher training, and greater coordination among…

Describes the use of a problem-solving negotiation model to resolve disputes under Part H of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the need for formal education and training in problem-solving negotiation in early-intervention systems for children with disabilities. (Author/CR)

Describes a comprehensive continuum of services model for children with autism developed by a human services agency in Massachusetts, which incorporates these and additional empirically based approaches. Service components, methodologies, and program objectives are described, including representative summary data. Best practice approaches toward…

Federal natural-resource-management agencies combined efforts with volunteer scouting staff to develop a conservation area at the 1997 National Boy Scout Jamboree. Profiles the program, which adopted the theme of environmental stewardship, and focuses on how the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers interpreted water resources. The exhibit highlighted the…

Researchers say the best way to prevent suicide is to find and treat kids with depression and substance-abuse problems. Schools should also develop a suicide-prevention policy, make curriculum decisions wisely, train staff as detectives, notify parents, make sure affected children get help, and attend to survivors. (Contains 13 references.) (MLH)

Discusses the growth of electronic education and the need to educate in a new environment. Topics include ways to learn; knowledge workers; distance education and globalization; the online education market; government's role; foundations; accreditation commissions; future challenges; content provider versus context provider; profit versus…

Naturalistic and traditional social science models were used to conduct a needs assessment in which 35 stakeholders were interviewed about their perceptions of the functioning of a crisis agency and the needs of the community and the agency. Concept mapping (multidimensional scaling and hierarchical analysis) was used to establish need categories…

The relationship between medical services and the education of a child with a disability is examined using a case study of a young boy with numerous disabilities. The perspectives of the parents, educators, and physicians are explained. Recommendations are given for more effective communication among families, medical professionals, and educators.…

Federal grants, training, and recruitment spending directed at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) jumped 21% in a 2-year period, led by sharp increases in research spending by the Central Intelligence Agency and Departments of Veterans Affairs and Commerce, and Department of Energy teaching endowments. Much of the increase is…

Discusses the implementation of information technologies and advanced telecommunications in Wisconsin. Highlights include an Internet dial access program; a statewide union catalog, WISCAT; the World Wide Web home page for the Department of Public Instruction; the Educational Technology Board; and Goals 2000 Technology Planning. (LRW)

Examines the quality of care in two mid-19th-century day nurseries in North America. Finds that quality was associated with saving children's lives within a context of charity-based social welfare. The concern for the health and safety of children led to the entrenchment of a custodial model of child care, which proved resilient into the 20th…

This article argues that across the three main British service systems of education, health, and social services, professionals need a shared perception of what it means to have an intellectual disability; shared means of addressing the challenges it raises; and a shared agenda of research and personnel training. (Contains references.) (CR)