High-probability requests were provided to two boys (age seven) with behavior disorders and severe disabilities as an antecedent to delivering a low-probability request. Results showed an immediate increase in appropriate responding when the intervention was delivered. Generalized responding and response maintenance were also exhibited.…

Four strategies that college leaders can use to encourage a sense of community are offered. The strategies, focusing on the campus culture, involve allowing conflict to be heard and examined, emphasizing cultural rather than managerial leadership, honoring differences, and creating awareness of differences in others. (MSE)

Two professors at the California Institute of Technology have developed an elementary school science curriculum, implemented in the Pasadena schools, that builds on children's natural curiosity about the world. The model Science for Early Educational Development (SEED) program is both a school curriculum and a teacher training program. (MSE)

This editorial reviews areas of health care reform including managed health care, diagnosis-related groups, and the Resource-Based Relative Value Scale for physician services. Relevance of such reforms to people with developmental disabilities is considered. Much needed insurance reform is not thought to be likely, however. (DB)

This paper describes the distinct strengths and weaknesses of special education in rural schools and discusses issues regarding rural education reform recommendations, such as inadequate resources, parental involvement, and use of rigidly interpreted performance standards. Preventive service delivery systems are recommended, and several policy…

Concerns arising from the substantial changes in Australian higher education in recent years are discussed, including system centralization, elimination of the binary system, institutional stability, underfunding, and system size. A new fee-based funding system is proposed as a means of raising revenue, improving quality, promoting efficiency, and…

The predicament of foreign languages in a liberal arts setting is addressed. It is suggested that bilingual language competency cannot be realized without an extraordinary increase in foreign language instruction and second-culture instruction: an extra year of undergraduate study combined with study abroad. (32 references) (LB)

Trends in computer graphics include increasing speed of processing, higher-resolution computer displays, and easier-to-use software with expanded clip-art libraries and high-quality templates. In the 1990s, colleges and faculty should be preparing for the changes this will soon bring in the teaching/learning process. (MSE)

The role of institutional budgeting strategies in promoting institutional change is examined, looking specifically at two budget components (general-purpose lump sums and earmarked funds). Experiences of the University of Utrecht (Netherlands) with internal competition for reduced funds as a means for stimulating change are discussed. (MSE)

A model for reallocating resources for intercollegiate athletics through need-based student financial aid is offered. Aid would be limited to tuition and fees, supporting amateurism and balancing education and athletics in student motivation. This would address a significant concern in program financing and change the culture of college sports.…

Benchmarking is an ongoing, systematic process for measuring and comparing work processes of one organization to those of another to identify best practices. Higher education can gain much from this technique, as industry has. The method is objective, reduces resistance to change and can lead to dramatic innovation and rapid development. (MSE)

Examines the importance of physical education teachers taking the initiative to develop and communicate learning goals consistent with the educational focus of the school and feasible within school constraints. The article recommends using National Association for Sport and Physical Education outcomes to guide learning goals while creating…

Discusses the relationship between Chicago's school reform and history, noting implications for current reform: (1) origins of bureaucracy and ascendance of experts and professionals; (2) educational reform as a social movement; (3) race and ethnicity; (4) revitalization of the public sphere; and (5) limits of educational reform. (SM)

A collaborative change process under way in North Carolina uses teacher input and supports the notion of school leaders working cooperatively with many others interested in improving schools, including higher education institutions, the state education agency, colleagues from other schools, and consultants. In the North Carolina project, successes…

Development of "Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics" is story of professional community recognizing need, reaching consensus through review and analysis, and conceiving clear vision and reform strategy. Standards were developed to ensure quality, indicate goals, promote change. Lacking profit motive, educational…