Discusses the methodology and content of the evaluation of the Homeless Families Program. Focuses on data collection and the determination of program outcomes. Stresses the importance of stakeholder involvement and the flexibility of the evaluators as the evaluation unfolded. (SLD)

This article urges fundamental educational change for children with hearing impairments. It offers a new paradigm based on legal recognition of the primacy of communication in any educational delivery system. Components of such communication-based delivery systems are identified and applied in a hypothetical case. Advantages and cost benefits of…

This article describes transdisciplinary consultation, a classroom-based team model in which team members focus on implementing a transdisciplinary model of service delivery. An evaluation of the model by nine preschool professionals indicated the teams perceived the model to have a positive impact on their personal and team development. (Contains…

A survey mailed to 200 speech-language pathologists (SLPs) examined their involvement in communication development in children with visual impairments or deafblindness. Analysis of responses (N=49) found striking differences in the preparation and competence of SLPs regarding various types of sensory impairment. Recommendations for changes in…

Comparison of what people with developmental disabilities in Wyoming and South Dakota wanted and received in programs in 1988 (N=2,927) and in 1996 (N=3,934) found that the percentage of people placed in their preferred setting rose substantially, from 51% to 84% in Wyoming and from 62% to 72% in South Dakota. (Author/DB)

This study examined the activities of employment specialists and nontraditional support providers in a supported employment program for transition-age youth with significant disabilities. Results are detailed for employment characteristics, types of supports needed or desired, identifying and arranging sources of support, support providers, and…

Discusses the bio-psycho-social disease consequence model in rehabilitation and the model's development in the Finnish "Work Hardening Program for Chronic Pain." The theoretical background of the model is explained and the possibility of applying the model to other fields of rehabilitation is explored. (Author/CR)

Assessing whether Britain's educational reforms are adequate to achieve the envisioned future, the author proposes the metaphor of a climbing frame with many different routes and mode of learning. She suggests the frame removes tracking barriers and the need for parity of qualifications and urges education that is transformative, not reproductive.…

Analyzes the results of a survey of the continuing education (CE) needs and preferences of school library media specialists in Oklahoma. Highlights include connections between attitudes and participation in CE activities; incentives and constraints for participation; delivery format preferences; and implications for CE providers. (Author/LRW)

This national survey sought to determine which service providers work with young children with visual impairments, characteristics of the children served, provider roles and responsibilities, and the professional competencies they consider important. Findings emphasized the need for knowledge about and competence in cultural and linguistic…

This article describes use of Resource Coordinating Teams (RCT) to: (1) integrate school-support programs and services for students with disabilities with one another and with community resources and (2) encourage services and programs to function in an increasingly cohesive way. Discussion identifies RCT issues concerning student patterns,…

This article reviews key applied research issues relevant to people with autism, including: systems delivery models and issues, how best to integrate treatments, providing treatments to those with limited monetary resources, cost and cost/benefit analyses, how to educate adult psychiatrists regarding autism, and gaps between research and practice.…

A study investigated the experiences of 22 families of children (age 3) with disabilities as they entered, participated in, and exited the transition process. The shift in service delivery models was often problematic, families were given a limited choice of preschool programs, and few programs offered inclusive service models. (Contains…

In a two-year program, general educators and gifted education specialists at 10 elementary schools collaborated to provide differentiated educational experiences to gifted learners. Results indicate the Catalyst Program was an effective delivery system for providing differentiated education to gifted learners and had positive spill-over effects…

The experiences of a group of evaluators evaluating a multisite integrated human service delivery system illustrate many design and measurement considerations in the preimplementation and implementation phases of evaluation. The reemergence of human service integration approaches will make such evaluation issues increasingly common. (SLD)