Explains the process of creating, implementing, and getting results from a usability study of a library Web site while spending little or no money, based on experiences at the Kansas City Public Library. Topics include how to design the test; finding volunteers to participate; and how to use the results. (LRW)

Evaluated intensive case management program for older persons admitted to county inpatient unit. Found length of stay reduced from 27 days during baseline to 12 days during intervention. Older patients were young-old, mostly first admissions, and had mostly functional rather than organic diagnoses. Reduction in length of stay would save about…

Describes the components of a self-funded long-term disability program at East Allen County Schools, Indiana, and the risk management principles used to guide the decision to self-fund. (MLF)

A cost-benefit analysis is presented for Illinois's statewide supported employment initiative for individuals with developmental disabilities. The analysis concludes that society realized a $0.75 return for every $1.00 invested in supported employment, while supported employees realized a 37 percent increase in their earnings. (Author/JDD)

The arguments for and against binding two distinct alumni publications together are outlined, and techniques for making the effort a success are provided. Logical combinations of publications with the same intended audience and complementary themes are recommended. Some examples are discussed. (MSE)

Reviews the use of signatures to improve the performance of text searching and considers the use of signature trees to further accelerate text searching. Based on the analysis of experimental results, it is concluded that the improvement in text searching performance using signature trees outweighs the increase in required storage. (12 references)…

Meaningful public procurement and inventory management automation encompasses all purchasing and materials management processes, including bidder selection; bidder responsiveness tracking; preparation of bid solicitations; bid tabulation; the tracking of requisitions, bid solicitations, and deliveries; and item purchasing history reports. (MLH)

Outlines tenets of multimodal therapy (MMT) and argues for its cost-effective yet comprehensive value as a brief psychotherapy model. Describes MMT as an integrated, seven-modality model of personality and provides clinical examples of its use. Argues that MMT approach will be an important future alternative to more expensive, time-consuming, and…

Defines mental health counselors and discusses increasing acknowledgement of them as the legitimate service providers of mental health services. Points out cost effectiveness of mental health counselors and predicts expansion in field, especially geriatric and career counselors, and the growth of mental health counselor professional organizations…

It is argued that abolition of tenure would seriously threaten the academic freedom and personal security of the members of an academic system in change, rendering the system dysfunctional and possibly hastening the destruction of the group and society. (MSE)

Well qualified substitute teachers are always available in a Pennsylvania school district because the standard $60 per diem applies for the first 15 days the substitutes work, $75 per diem for days 16 through 25, and $80 per diem for the rest of the year. Andrew Trotter reviews the 1988 pay rates nationwide for substitute teachers. (MLF)

Although schoolchildren daily move veritable mountains of textbooks, these heavy tomes may not be worth the effort. The modern text is particularly damaging to TV-inundated students who know little of the rewards and pleasures of reading. Soft-cover books printed in black and white and authored by professional writers would be more cost effective…

The authors do not feel guilty for implying that all children may not benefit from full inclusion. Children are individuals with differing needs and should not be made to ride the current bandwagon. Total inclusionists who view pullout programs as undemocratic do not see the cruelty behind inclusion of severely retarded children. Recent research…

Explains the use of a standard text-based database program (i.e., dBase III) to run external programs that display graphic files during a database session and reduces costs normally encountered when preparing a computer to run a graphical database. An example is given of a simple database with two fields. (LRW)

Discusses Kris N. Kirby's work on signal detection theory and its application to Watson's selection task. Identifies problems with the design and interpretation of Kirby's card-selection experiments. (DR)