States that Constance D'Arcy Mackay was instrumental in defining the genre of children's theater in the early 20th century. Discusses her career highlights. Concludes that Mackay played a pivotal role in the "making" of the history of children's theater in the United States, and that while little of her personal history is known, her…

Explores multiple meanings of empowerment and community participation and what health means in this context. Considers whether the tyranny of the professional has been replaced by the tyranny of the community. (SK)

Community surveys in rural Pennsylvania (393 responses) investigated how residents view women in their local community. Results suggest that women are as involved as men and perceive similar characteristics as important to being influential, but their underrepresentation as leaders has resulted in perceptions that women are not very influential.…

ASSET (Allegheny Schools Science Education and Technology) Inc. is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to improving science and technology achievement of all Pittsburgh-area students. Program elements include developing and articulating the vision, forming dynamic teams, sustaining collaborative support systems, and maintaining a…

This article presents the case study of an individual with a significant psychiatric disability who identified spirituality as the primary facilitator of her community integration. Recommendations are made for human service practice. (Author)

Survey responses from 969 (of 2,552) Oregon Extension volunteers revealed personal benefits, including gains in knowledge, self-confidence, and interpersonal relationships. Community benefits were noted by more than one third. A few noted economic benefits (increased job skills and useful contacts). The costs of volunteering were perceived as low…

Analysis of data from 10,798 residents of 99 small Iowa towns revealed that smaller communities, those with a high percentage of full-time employed residents, more college graduates, and more people working in town have higher community participation levels. (Contains 41 references.) (JOW)

Inauthentic participation may be limited to providing inputs, giving the community no power. However, even weak participation in the form of utilization, contributions, enlistment, cooperation, and consultation can have benefits. (Author/SK)

Oregon 4-H program conducted focus groups with 18 volunteer managers experienced in working with Latino adult volunteers. Latino volunteerism occurs first in the context of family and neighborhood, and they do not think of their contributions as volunteering. Organizations must establish a presence and build trust in the Latino community.…

We use rich data from the Indonesia Family Life Survey to assess the relationship between mothers' access to social capital via participation in community activities and their children's health. We exploit the advantages of longitudinal data and community fixed effects to mitigate some of the concerns about spuriousness and reverse causality that…

In Ratanakiri province, northeastern Cambodia, the majority of the local people are native speakers of ethnic minority languages. Primarily subsistence farmers, they use their own language to communicate with others in their villages, and as they work in their rice fields. A baseline survey taken between 1996 and 1998 in five such villages showed…

This study addressed the problem of poor attendance adversely affecting grades and learning. Current school policies do not address problematic attendance for all school-aged children, perpetuating trends of academic failure. The research objective was to determine if unexcused absences had a greater negative impact on a high-stakes test compared…

The paper mainly introduces the development of the educational administration agency in China, including the evolution of the educational administration agency, the Course of instituting legal system of education in China, the missions of the now Minister of Education, questions emerged in the development of the educational administration system,…

Numerous studies show that employment, community participation, and postsecondary training rates of students with severe disabilities after leaving high school are the lowest of all disability categories and compare unfavorably to those of their peers without disabilities. In addition, outcomes generally do not improve as these students age. Certo…

Environmental literacy has been defined in various ways: from acquisition of scientific knowledge to addressing environmental concerns through indigenous knowledge. Program planners and educators need to identify and employ strategies for inclusive program development where all stakeholders are given an equal opportunity to share their opinions as…