The paper reviews the history of assigning linguistic minority students to special education classes. The review begins with the Darwinistic view of J. Down who noted that the existence of "idiots" in European families was a throwback to lower developmental stages characteristic of the "Mongol race." Minority language groups and the disabled were…

Increased global interdependence will be the dominant feature of the 21st century. This increased relatedness among the world's cultures and nations will require close intercultural linkages which are often fragile and full of hazards. If the 21st century is to experience a greater sense of planetary community, rather than increased tensions and…

A study investigated the relationship between self-perceived intercultural competence and previous intercultural experience among three groups of student sojourners. Subjects, 179 undergraduate intercultural communication students at a large midwestern university, and with varying degrees of intercultural experience (none; less than three months;…

A study explored ways of improving satisfying and dissatisfying conversations in order to have more effective interethnic communication. Specifically, research questions based in accommodation theory addressed what blacks feel could be done to improve both successful and unsuccessful conversations with whites. Twenty-four undergraduates at a…

Research findings have confirmed the view that if mental health practice is to be relevant and responsive to minorities, it must consciously and deliberately take into account their ethnic heritage and culture. The world views of ethnic minorities, or the ways in which they perceive their relationship to nature, institutions, other people, and…

A cross-cultural study was conducted on California's Multipurpose Senior Services Project, a case management project designed to improve community-based care for the elderly. The coping style differences between Hispanic and Anglo clients and the treatment style differences between Hispanic and Anglo workers were examined through structured…

To achieve effective intercultural communication, participants must understand how behavioral differences may lead to miscommunication. Such behavioral differences can be illustrated by Arab and American nonverbal behavior. Individualism is the ideal for the American middle class, whereas Arabs are motivated by public opinion. Yet in the Arab…

Reported at a symposium generally concerned with values and adolescents are discussions of (1) socialization issues and the impact of values on adolescents, and (2) dimensions of Asian youths' confrontation with the problem of modernization. In the first study (by Jan de Witt), the conceptual shift in socialization research to a focus on…

This report describes the development and implementation of a program to assist new teachers at an inner-city school in feeling more comfortable and competent working with their students. The hypothesis was that through this competence, more opportunities for student learning would take place. The report is divided into five sections. Section 1…

Puerto Rico has been enmeshed in a debate over status within versus status outside the United States since 1898. The 1952 legislation that established commonwealth status for Puerto Rico created a compact between the residents of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Congress that requires the consent of both parties to any future decisions about the political…

A study of American Indian practices and beliefs is useful as a counterpoint to the assumptions of western technological societies. American Indian culture includes a spiritual heritage that integrates both a tribe and individuals with the universe. It emphasizes harmony with all aspects of life and provides a model for redefining the…

This cross-cultural study examined how students assessed as having different personality types (as designated by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) define peace, what attitudes these students hold toward peace, and the influence these students feel that have on the future. The sample was 378 students (ages 14-18 years) from West Germany, Poland, the…

In light of cultural stereotypes in which Black women function as strong heads of households while Hispanic women serve as obedient wives, a study examined whether Black and Hispanic subjects evaluated assertive speech differently when attributed to a male or female speaker. Subjects, 75 Blacks and 100 Hispanics, all undergraduate students…

This resource packet presents some of the arguments for, and research about, parents playing an active role in the education of their children--not just by being supportive at home, but also by being involved in the school. The issues covered include: (1) the need for parent involvement; (2) goals of parent involvement; (3) types of parent…

This paper discusses an approach to multicultural education aimed at sensitizing teachers and teacher trainees to diverse cultural patterns. This approach, which is called "Functional Multicultural Education", uses literary writings to emphasize awareness of the levels of cultural differences, both overt and pervasive, that exist in a pluralistic…