This report documents a study which used naturalistic procedures and a case study approach to examine and describe four early childhood special education programs and their decision making processes. Data collection procedures included: observation of meetings, classroom activities, screening, and assessment procedures; interviews with various…

Findings related to instructional intervention and decision making from four in-depth ecological case studies were integrated and analyzed. The case studies focused on four early childhood special education (ECSE) programs that were characterized by a variety of approaches to ECSE decision making and by urban, suburban, and rural locations. The…

The subsequent school progress of children who attended the Get Set Day Care (GSDC) or Prekindergarten Head Start (PKHS) preschool programs compared to peers who had a different type or no preschool experience is examined in this document. The study corroborates the two major findings of the Consortium for Longitudinal Studies: that preschool…

This report discusses a multiphase project to develop a user-oriented survey of prior accomplishments of graduate student applicants to aid admissions committees and graduate departments in the selection process. The three phases included: (1) development of three prototype instruments based on a checklist approach, a semi-documented approach, and…

This study examined the need to develop reliable and valid procedures for screening large populations for possible speech and language problems and the use of the Fluharty Preschool Speech and Language Screening Test (FPSLST) as such a device. The test was administered to 260 preschool children, ages three to six. There were 166 Blacks and 94…

This paper was developed to help Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) administrators make informed decisions when selecting employability assessment tools. The paper focuses on one aspect of participant assessment: assessing the level of basic education skills of economically disadvantaged youth. The paper provides the following: (1) comparative…

This final report summarizes the activities and findings of a research project which developed a model program for preschoolers "at risk in language." A total of 22 children, including 17 children "at risk" and 5 peers, participated in the program; the children served by the project showed increased facility with language in…

The workshop examines testing approaches for use with bilingual or limited English speaking students in determining eligibility and need for special services. The workshop covers the following areas: (1) an overall process for deciding whether a student may be in need of special services; (2) ways to alleviate or avoid problems which may impact on…

A handbook for teachers and administrators of second language programs in Alberta's schools suggests principles and guidelines for planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating full or partial immersion programs, focusing on the framework for program planning and implementation, information for developing realistic program expectations, and…

The 1986-1987 annual report on the Intellectual Skills Development Program (ISDP) at Western Michigan University is presented. The program is designed to identify new students who do not meet entry-level competencies in reading, writing, and mathematics, and to provide academic support for these students. In reviewing assessment policies and…

The pre-kindergarten program in the San Antonio Independent School District was evaluated during the 1984-85 school year. The children's progress was measured informally by observation and was maintained individually on a checklist of skills. Interviews with principals and teachers revealed positive reactions to the program. Correlation existed…

A study examined alternative instructional materials and strategies for learning disabled college students and strategies for locating and mainstreaming these students. Site visits were made to programs for learning-disabled college students in the Houston, Texas, area to determine their scope and the strategies that they used. Additional…

The optimal allocation of Air Force talent requires, among other considerations, the measurement of both enlistee aptitudes and job aptitude requirements. Although objective procedures are available to measure aptitudes accurately, the procedure presently employed for establishing relative aptitude requirements is both unsystematic and subject to…

In order to develop a valid replacement for the difficult to administer and costly Chalk Carving Test presently used in screening Dental Laboratory Specialist (DLS) candidates, an experimental battery of perceptual tests was given to 172 prospective DLS students. Dexterity tests were also given to a subsample. Experimental laboratory ratings and…

Reasons for the literacy problem on college and university campuses and the role of higher education in confronting this problem are discussed. Many young people today lack English skills necessary for holding a job, and students entering college are deficient in basic language skills. Some educators feel that college admission standards should be…