Consists of seven articles discussing instructional materials in agricultural education. Topics include (1) selection criteria, (2) secondary vocational agriculture, (3) computer uses, (4) special populations, (5) videotapes, (6) the cutting edge, and (7) technology transfer. (CH)

Conflicting socioeconomic forces have influenced problem-solving and decision-making methods in special education. Before the 1970s, a medical model was used that emphasized identification of disabilities. The legal model stresses individual needs and shared decision making among educators and their clients. Advantages and disadvantages of each…

Contains eight articles exploring aging and assessment. Discusses counseling needs of older adults. Reviews instruments for life satisfaction and attitude assessment. Discusses the measurement of retirement maturity, and attitudes toward death. Reviews leisure assessment issues and instruments. Examines assessment of organic dysfunctions in…

Studied the motivation and psychosocial needs of students in a General English classroom who were not connecting with the main coursebook. Results of a questionnaire revealed the learners' recognition of their needs and uncovered the problem's source and materials designed for solution. Course and materials design can be based directly on needs…

Describes why it is important for those interested in the education of students, and particularly the results of education for students with disabilities, to exhibit care in language usage. Clarifies ways in which the word "outcomes" is used today and discusses why we must be careful in selecting our words. (RJM)

Analyzes the semantics of outcome-based education (OBE). Proposes a model for using the term "outcome" and illustrates the term's applicability for all levels of the education system. Argues both for latitude in using the term "outcomes," and for willingness to integrate types of outcome with the system's different components.…

Discusses difficulties parents encounter when they play with their disabled child and the inappropriateness of some commercial toys for disabled children. Also describes the development of adapted toys and of toy lending libraries for young disabled children. (BB)

Discusses issues influencing the placement of young children with disabilities, including individual educational plans, labeling, philosophy-based decisions, the Regular Education Initiative, and full inclusion. Maintains that decisions regarding educational programs with disabilities must be based on individual educational needs, and notes that…

Objective: The purpose of the current study to assist in understanding the prevalence and clinical correlates of psychiatric distress in adolescents seeking outpatient services for marijuana abuse or dependency. Methods: In a multi-site randomized clinical trial, 600 adolescents and their parents were assessed at intake using the Global Appraisals…

This packet contains six information pages providing basic answers to questions commonly asked by people involved with individuals who are deaf blind. The first one is on understanding deaf-blindness and addresses what the condition is, its impact on the ability to receive information, how the condition affects caregiver strategies, and what it is…

The Cleartalk project was developed in New South Wales (Australia) to help police respond to the communication needs of people with intellectual disabilities. Section 1 presents "The View from the Street: A Working Knowledge of Intellectual Disability," which discusses how individuals with intellectual disabilities are denied their right…

New federal money for child care, flowing to the states as a result of the landmark 1990 child care legislation, titled the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act, has prompted states to make significant improvements in state child care programs and policies. Based on a national survey conducted in 1993 by the Children's Defense Fund (CDF),…

A 1989 national survey of the dimensions of homelessness found that at least three million Americans are homeless and that the shortage of affordable housing was cited as the chief cause. Information was gathered from a telephone survey of emergency shelter providers, housing advocacy organizations, and local governments in 26 communities, ranging…

The Vocational Resource Educator (VRE) coordinates the activities of all handicapped students of DeSoto County School District in Mississippi and provides vocational assessment to all handicapped students who enroll in a vocational program. Vocational support personnel assess students' interests, abilities, and special needs so they can…

This guide for educational decision-makers presents the major themes and recommendations of 27 reports published between 1985 and 1989 on the problems of at-risk students. It comprises an overview of recommendations from all the reports, abstracts of individual reports, and a 27-item bibliography. The following recommendations concerning the young…