Six Sigma is an organization wide program that provides common set of goals, language, and methodology for improving the overall quality of the processes within the organization (Davis & Heineke 2004). Six Sigma main concern is for the customer. What will the customers want? Need? Six Sigma has a model that helps Sigma get implemented DMAIC model…

These instructor and participant manuals provide a basic training program curriculum for paraeducators supporting students with disabilities in inclusive educational settings. The course requires approximately 18 hours of instruction and 12 hours of practicum, can be offered in a variety of formats (intensively or over a number of weeks), and does…

This book offers methods on how to cultivate and capture teacher expertise--one of the most grossly underused assets in education. These methods are simple and include goal-oriented, data-driven collaboration and ongoing assessment that can lead to an array of effective innovations and strategies to enhance school effectiveness. Five case-study…

This paper describes an experimental course that modeled a teamed approach in preparing future school leaders centered on teacher professional development. Participants included representatives from the key stakeholder groups in teacher professional development (beginning and experienced teachers, future teacher educators, and future…

This paper describes a study of one middle school's experiences with a co-mentoring program for beginning teachers. The project involved teaming to develop a unit on tolerance in order to deal with racial tension among students. The team created a student learning week in which students would reflect upon their own cultural beliefs and views and…

This annual report describes the activities of the four Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Partnerships created by the Office of Special Education Programs to provide reliable information on IDEA. The Partnerships include: (1) the Associations of Service Providers Implementing IDEA Reforms in Education (ASPIIRE) Partnership; (2)…

There is a growing emphasis in tertiary education that students should develop professional skills as part of their education. Skills such as problem solving, communication, collaboration, interpersonal skills, social skills, and time management are actively being targeted by prospective employers as essential requirements for employability,…

This study uses journal articles and research studies to identify methods in collaborative teaming to support the inclusion of students with severe disabilities in general education classrooms. It examines the implementation of a Student Support Outline as a vehicle for planning during regularly scheduled collaboration meetings by school teams. In…

A step-by-step manual of worksheets, templates, forms and examples, this comprehensive handbook is designed for librarians, classroom teachers, and technology specialists who are interested in training students to be technology aides. The "Tech Team" program not only systematically outlines how one organizes and manages a support program, but…

Designed as a reference for teaching teamwork skills in the workplace, this manual presents teaching strategies and activities for beginning, intermediate, and advanced learners. Following an overview of the manual's purpose, definitions are provided of the three skill levels integrated into the activities, indicating that beginning activities…

This paper reports on the work of Ransom A. Mackie, a scholar and instructor in Massachusetts under the mentorship of G. Stanley Hall, the prominent adolescent psychologist. Mackie published a book in 1920 which, along with further writings, outlines a cooperative learning strategy. Performance-based education and authentic assessment proponents…

This paper defines and explains action learning and suggests some ideas and resources for putting action learning into practice. The paper is organized in eight sections of about one page each. The sections cover the following topics: (1) what action learning is; (2) how action learning works; (3) action learning and training--key differences; (4)…

This paper is designed to provide school social workers with a conceptual framework that will help guide their participation in state and local level planning for implementing functional behavioral assessments (FBAs) and behavioral intervention plans (BIPs) for students which school personnel propose to suspend for more than 10 days in any school…

Targeted to educators and parents of gifted children, this issue is divided into three sections that address differentiating curriculum for the gifted. The following articles are included: (1) "The Essential Assumptions Regarding Differentiation of Curriculum for Gifted Students" (Susan Winebrenner); (2) "Curriculum Differentiation…

The Rural Community College Initiative (RCCI) is a national program that supports the efforts of community colleges in distressed rural areas to move their people and communities toward prosperity. RCCI's goals are increasing access to education and developing regional economies. RCCI demonstration sites have produced a wealth of information about…