The main parameters of state self-employment assistance (SEA) programs for unemployed workers were tested in two experimental demonstrations authorized by the North American Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act. The Washington State and Massachusetts Unemployment Insurance (UI) Self-Employment Demonstrations evaluated the ability of the…

Most midwestern states have experimented with some type of interactive video for educational purposes, but Nebraska has developed a statewide system to transmit educational programs, mainly via satellite telecommunications. Other states may find Nebraska's experiences helpful in considering their own educational telecommunications plans.…

Many colleges and departments at Tennessee Technological University, as well as most other major universities, are progressing toward more interactive instructional materials. The benefits of implementing instructional technology are numerous and diverse. However, because of increasingly austere budgets, a focused and cost-effective approach to…

This report discusses forces that are shaping alternative approaches to the delivery of postsecondary education, particularly distance education and open learning. One of these forces is the ever-changing composition of the student body, whose demands are increasing and whose needs are becoming more disparate because of a more and more…

This guide outlines strategies to be used by rural school districts when applying for grants in New York State. The first section addresses the impact of recent federal program reductions and restructuring that have significantly reduced overall federal spending on state education programs. Both federal and state governments are moving away from…

The move by training and educational institutions in Australia toward the use of multimedia to facilitate effective and cost effective training and professional development has grown at a substantial pace. This paper focuses on the impact of multimedia on the areas of training and professional development. Benefits of the technology are described,…

This collection of nine papers summarize research on the economics of university functioning including production processes, incentives and governance structures, cost and supply behavior, student attendance demands, and funding environments. The nine papers are: (1) "The Higher Education Production Function: Theoretical Foundations and Empirical…

A project examined effective methods of delivering education and training to the residents of rural Australia through a literature review and five interview case studies of formal and nonformal training. Findings with regard to access were as follows: potential participants must be aware that the program exists and is for them; the program must be…

This federally-funded study examined the effect of two early intervention settings on the social behaviors and development of 46 toddler-aged children with disabilities in Connecticut. The toddlers received early intervention services in natural group environments in the community or segregated center-based programs servicing only children with…

This report considers the situation of the Illinois public schools and provides an affirmative argument summarizing the most recent research in four key areas where research has demonstrated that money clearly makes a difference in the quality of the education product: (1) establishing classroom sizes that meet the individual needs of students;…

The effectiveness of "Investors in People," which was launched in October 1991 as the United Kingdom's national standard for training and development, was evaluated through a 3-year longitudinal study that included interviews with a sample of 1,804 employers and a series of case study interviews. Of the 1,804 employers interviewed, 76.6%…

This report reviews the facts underlying the debate about delinquency in the United States, focusing on evidence of how well various approaches to crime succeed in practice. Do youth programs such as family therapies and recreation initiatives actually make a cost-effective contribution to controlling crime? Research supports a strong foundation…

A study used a special supplement of the Current Population Survey to examine the age, race, gender, and income effects of the unemployment eligibility and job tenure provisions in the Reemployment Act of 1994 (REA). Findings indicated that, at most, 45 percent of all dislocated workers would be eligible for income support during training. Because…

Twenty-three transition programs for high school students with disabilities in Minnesota are profiled. These programs were selected because they applied a set of 10 quality standards developed to improve the transition process and adult outcomes for students, as well as to increase the cost effectiveness and efficiency of transition services and…

This report presents a course of action that California and its higher education campuses could pursue in response to economic conditions that have undercut the quality and equality of the system. California's higher education system is described as being in a state of emergency due to unique features: the staggering increase in its college-age…