Virtually every Government programme for children and every Government Department in the UK is expected to involve children and young people in its policy development and service delivery (Children and Young People's Unit, 2001). It is the new orthodoxy. Yet, hard questions are often avoided when reciting the mantra of participation. Why bother?…

To provide an array of perspectives on the future direction of foster care, five experts across various disciplines and backgrounds were asked to respond to this question: "How can the child welfare system be improved to better support families and promote the healthy development of children in foster care?" This article presents their responses…

This paper describes findings from a 2002-03 research project which sought to establish what the barriers were to the adoption or extended use of the centrally supported online learning management and content creation system by academic staff at the University of Adelaide. The research was conducted using semi-structured interviews and a survey…

This case study describes three main strategies used from March 2002 to November 2003 at the Open University and Distance Education Coordination (CUAED) of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) to consolidate distance education at the University. The author explains how, in just 18 months, these three main strategies enabled the UNAM…

The learning initiative described in this paper looks at how the adoption of a flexible, online learning approach can be used to optimize teaching and learning in engineering materials to a variety of engineering disciplines. The main driver for adopting this approach was to increase the effectiveness of delivery of subject matter. Practical…

Background: This study considered the general validity of the basic domains of quality of life that appear in theoretical models, in relation to people with profound multiple disabilities. The authors examined how parents and direct support staff operationalized these basic domains for people with profound multiple disabilities. They investigated…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness and the efficacy of regional special education programs. Focus groups were conducted in an independent school district and two special education cooperatives. Focus groups were conducted with general education teachers, special education teachers, principals, paraprofessionals,…

Facing mounting evidence that California has fallen behind on many key indicators of educational performance, policymakers and the public share considerable interest in exploring whether California should expand public funding for preschool education. This expanded funding will be most effective if resources can be directed to their most efficient…

This monograph provides an overview of federal laws relevant to the provision of educational services to preschool children with disabilities (as well as additional laws pertaining to children who are homeless) and examines implementation of these laws in New York City. It begins with an overview of federal legislation including the Individuals…

This report highlights the progress of the 15 statewide family advocacy projects funded by the Center for Mental Health Services of the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration during the 1993 fiscal year. Section 1 provides an historical background and a summary of the interim report. A qualitative description of the…

This training and resource manual is intended to provide needed information to interpreters and translators who assist in providing assessments and other types of educational services to students or clients in numerous primary languages. Guidelines focus on assessing students or clients, requesting information from the client's family, and…

This document includes summaries of papers and discussions presented at the first of three federally supported, national conferences on the development of policy and practices to implement the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act related to invasive procedures for children with special health care needs. Emphasis is on the interdisciplinary…

This study was a follow-up to a 1993 study which surveyed Iowa school districts to compare types of programs for gifted students in Iowa with the 16 types found in a 1985 national survey (the Richardson study). The present study examined the five program types which the 1993 study identified as having a large number of characteristics…

There are two essential social systems with which virtually all children and families have routine, significant contact: school and health care settings. Schools are being asked to address the needs of children and youth at a time when fundamental transformations of schooling structures and outcome expectations are also being demanded. To address…

This packet presents the final report and related supporting material of the federally supported Texas Deaf-Blind Project, which provided technical assistance to families of children with deaf-blindness, as well as public and private agencies, institutions, and organizations providing services to this population throughout Texas. During the grant…