Designing, developing, and implementing an electronic document management system involves preparation. Areas to consider when facilitating technological change include staff input and business and customer needs and wants. Further discussion addresses value assessment of document type, providing a pilot system for staff experiment and practice,…

Describes a technique developed over the last 15 years in conjunction with South Carolina school districts to help them set priorities when addressing school building needs. Identifies five factors that are used to measure the overall impact of an individual facilities project in relation to other projects, thereby ranking projects according to an…

Describes the status of two-year college development in the 1950s, tracing events that led up to the overwhelming demand for two-year colleges in the following decades. Asserts that if a college is to truly serve its community, it must comprehensively and continuously assess the community's needs. (AUTH/EMH)

This technical report was developed to provide support for a position statement by the National Joint Committee for the Communication Needs of Persons with Severe Disabilities that addresses access to communication services. It argues that eligibility policies and practices often preclude individuals from access to needed communication services.…

Describes methods used by instructional designers to help subject matter experts (SMEs) create effective courseware, balanced between theory and practical application, that meets organizational objectives. A case study is presented that explains how to develop student performance objectives (SPOs) through needs assessment, the design of job aids,…

Rural, urban, and suburban parents of 447 children were surveyed to determine patterns of children's self-care. Sixteen children received simulated telephone calls and package deliveries while they were in self-care. Results indicate these children were at risk: vulnerable to individuals from the outside. Questions to be addressed by subsequent…

This article documents decreasing support for education research and introduces this special issue. The difficulties in obtaining research grants, getting schools to cooperate, maintaining treatment integrity, and communicating findings are noted. High-quality school-based research is encouraged. (DB)

A self-referred and agency-referred sample of 80 adults from London, Ontario, considered to have learning disabilities, completed the Intake Questionnaire. Results indicated a profile that is predominantly male, aged 21-40, with a history of early academic difficulties, communication and organization skill deficits, and higher unemployment rates…

This article discusses provisions of Public Law 99-457 and suggests that this law sets the stage for the development of family-centered services for young children with disabilities. The approach presented emphasizes identification of families' strengths and needs as a basis for implementing community-based programs, with professionals serving as…

The Oregon survey of 333 educators serving students with severe disabilities found their perceived prioritized inservice training needs included: (1) teaching students having specific handicapping conditions, (2) teaching functional communication, (3) teaching appropriate behavior and modifying inappropriate behavior, and 4) identifying/designing…

Provides guidelines for young adult librarians developing nonprint media collections. The discussion covers the formation of collection development policies, the need to involve the community in policies, and material selection criteria. Bibliographies of guides and reviewing sources are included. (CLB)

Summarizes work by three researchers in the area of young people and libraries. The first examined library habits of pregnant teenagers; the second explored reading interests of children and adolescents and factors involved in their selection of reading materials; and the third advocated making research relevant to those involved in collecting…

Discusses how libraries can help children and teenagers meet their needs for the future and the current status of the nation's library service to youth. A checklist for assessing library service at the state and local levels is provided, and national proposals recommended for action at the Second White House Conference on Library and Information…

This article discusses the need for mobility devices for visually impaired and multihandicapped infants and preschoolers, describes a range of suitable mobility devices, and outlines considerations in evaluating and selecting mobility devices to encourage independent movement. A chart of approximately 20 types of mobility devices specifies their…

Parents of 53 young children identified for giftedness between the ages of three and five responded to a questionnaire concerning child characteristics, support and availability of specialized services, curricular expectancies, and requested and volunteered services. Among immediate concerns expressed were developing and maintaining the child's…