This response to an article by Bruce Taylor on inclusion of students with disabilities in regular classes argues that it is not possible to meet the needs of all children in the general education classroom and points out that inclusion is generally favored by advocacy groups for low-incidence disabilities and policymakers wanting to cut costs. (DB)

Addresses multiculturalism in science education reform: (1) problems with the universalist account of the nature of science; (2) an examination of some historical cases that illuminate the consequences of maintaining a universalist perspective on science; and (3) an argument for a multicultural perspective on scientific knowledge. Argues that the…

Discusses why inclusion is being proposed, who the children involved are, whether there is strong support for inclusion, when it will be implemented, how the classroom teacher's role will change, and whether it will work. (SR)

Character-education programs can be implemented without creating a political firestorm if planners carefully consider key process and content elements, including community involvement; core values; comprehensive, effective curricula; formal evaluation; prosocial behavior codes; communications; family outreach; and leadership from a knowledge base.…

Describes multiculturalism in Australian education as an approach that affirms, values, and promotes social, educational, and economic benefits derived from a productive use of Australia's rich cultural and linguistic diversity. Multiculturalism in Australia can be understood as a demographic description of society, as a social philosophy, and as…

Speculates about connections among educators' ideas of best practice, school organization, and policy. Develops six principles of best educational practice. These connect to organization and policy through resolving four recurring problems: how students are grouped, how teachers' work is defined, how content is allocated to time, and how student…

This editorial addresses issues in the social validity of curriculum content for children with severe disabilities and notes the empirical validation of educational practices over the past 15 years. It also introduces four papers comprising a special feature titled "Meaningful Outcomes for Students with Severe Disabilities." (DB)

The Executive Director of the Council for Exceptional Children evaluates recent comparisons of U.S. educational quality with that of other countries and stresses the need for special education to identify quality standards. Incorporation of this goal into the council's current restatement of its Mission Statement is noted. (DB)

This article challenges two assumptions underlying whole-language philosophy: spoken language is directly comparable to written language, and skilled readers rely on contextual information more than on the printed word. Speech-language professionals are urged to engage in some instructional practices associated with whole language but also…

Discusses theories of curriculum objectives ranging from mainstream social science to the view of education as an autobiographical experience. Includes initial responses to "currere" and existential and phenomenological foundations of its intellectual framework. Suggests that reconceptualism represents one of the best hopes for keeping…

Explores the teaching of the social foundations of education at Minnesota's private four-year colleges. Reports that, according to a faculty survey, most of the schools teach social foundations in an introductory, sophomore year course. Concludes that most of the courses focus on current educational issues and downplay educational history,…

According to the management perspective, educational practice is a technical process with predictable and guaranteed outcomes. This viewpoint is reflected in the New South Wales (Australia) Scott Report on educational reform. However, this approach must be challenged, and uncertainty and unpredictability in education must be acknowledged and…

Several different philosophical approaches to general educational development in higher education are discussed and compared, including (1) positivist epistemology, a pragmatic, empirical perspective; (2) development of curricula promoting interpretation based on understanding; and (3) critical theory, which espouses development of people in…

The practices that have made community colleges successful must now be reassessed, and basic commitments must be adjusted to reflect current societal values and educational needs. They include commitments to access, responsiveness, low price and convenience, and willingness to be different from traditional institutions. (MSE)

Responses from industrial arts/technology education state supervisors from all states but Michigan showed the greatest technology education implementation and human adaptive systems orientation in the east central and midwest regions and more vocational orientation in the southeast and northeast. Teacher associations were important change agents.…