Family-centered philosophy and practice has been a central component of early intervention for infants and toddlers that is related to natural environment service provision. Family-centered practices have been widely accepted in the provision of early intervention services since the 1960s. Research indicates that families are essential to the…

There was a time when being a teacher at Lenawee Intermediate School District (MI) meant getting in line--a long line--if a teacher wished to get hold of audiovisual equipment for the class. Teachers had to reserve the equipment weeks in advance. Next, once the time came to use it, representatives from the district's A/V department had to quite…

This study is part of a directed research project funded by the Office of Special Education Programs. Using qualitative research methods, consisting of interviews and participant observations, the policies and procedures of three alternative education programs in various settings were investigated. These programs served youth with and without…

Faith-based human services initiatives present numerous challenges to professional social work. This article explores ways a theoretical integration of ecosystems and structuration perspectives may help social workers navigate complex ideological and practical implications of changing service delivery policies. The article highlights diversity…

This article describes a comprehensive model of clinical peer review that was established at a large behavioral healthcare organization serving children, adolescents, and adults with developmental disabilities. The purpose of peer review is to provide routine evaluation of practice standards that will produce the highest quality of habilitative…

This paper reports on an evaluation of the Cornwall Young Carers project (jointly funded by social services and the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Health Action Zone), conducted during the period 2000-2002. A diverse range of methodological approaches were adopted (comparative national statistics, local pilot study, monthly and quarterly data…

This paper explores the experiences of three young people with emotional and behavioral challenges and their families as they entered, participated in, and completed a community-based system of care. Using a case narrative approach, the characteristics and experiences of the children and families who successfully completed the Dawn Project system…

This study explores students' experiences of learning and teaching on the QTS primary four year degree. The participants were in their second year and had just begun their English curriculum module. The study aims to explore responses to two different teaching styles--one leaning towards a transmissional mode of delivery and the other more…

As part of the formative evaluation of Alabama's pilot of its virtual schooling system (the Alabama ACCESS Distance Learning Program), the Alabama State Department of Education examined outcome data from courses offered in the two distance delivery systems: web-based course management and interactive videoconferencing (IVC). In light of Bernard et…

This article reports on the deployment of a high-bandwidth wireless network for content distribution to two schools. The project, titled Digital Middletown, builds upon the sociological Middletown studies from the 1920s (Lynd & Lynd, 1929) to understand how "Middle America" reacts to and addresses societal change. We report on the…

Seeking information about preconceived notions of the educational needs of children who are gifted, we asked 285 undergraduates in prerequisite classes for teacher education to complete questionnaires. Topics addressed included the need for special services for children who are gifted, perceptions of forms of service delivery in elementary…

This exploratory study examined the impacts of New York's Universal Pre-kindergarten (UPK) program as perceived by directors at child care centers and preschools not receiving state funds. Although only partially implemented, UPK's mixed-delivery system grants monies to a substantial number of qualifying community-based early care and education…

Nonprofit family-run organizations, such as Tennessee Voices for Children (TVC), are providing leadership in advocating for and delivering services to children and families in need. Utilizing a family-driven approach and a staff partially comprised of parent-professionals, TVC's Nashville Connection and Family Connection programs have strengthened…

Determining the potential of educational information and communications technology for enhancing teaching and learning is the subject of a great deal of research activity. This paper argues that the technologies employed to enhance learning can also be exploited for the enhancement of research. Recorded learner-system interactions, dynamically…

Higher education institutions undertake a range of approaches to evaluating and making judgments about the quality of their e-learning provision. This paper begins by exploring benchmarking as one current strategy in common use in universities to identify and implement quality practices: from the use of checklists (for example, of best practices…