Explains five functions a school can serve in a child abuse and child neglect cases. Notes other sources of help for abused children not yet of school age, such as play groups, family shelters, and crisis nurseries. Explains the flaws in various past methods of treating child abuse. (SB)

The belief that strong initiatives by the federal government are essential to achieving liberal social welfare programs is not supported by the record. What matters may not be which level of government administers the programs, but instead the dynamism engendered by changing relationships among state, local, and federal governments. (Author)

Describes an initiative by one District Resource Team to involve birth parents in ongoing training for approved foster caregivers. The objective was to enhance carers' sensitivity to birth parents' feelings and difficulties, and their ability to empathize with parents. Highlights the current trend in social work decision making toward involving…

Highlights a failure on the part of social services to respond to the current needs of the child welfare system. Strongly advocates a commitment to concurrent planning, defined here as the process of working toward family reunification while at the same time establishing an alternative plan, usually in the form of permanency with a relative or…

This paper urges increased educator and community agency collaboration in preventing failure among students with special needs, including students with disabilities. A chart compares networking, coordination, cooperation, and collaboration and distinguishes among them in terms of types of interaction, examples, impact on students, and impact on…

Reports findings from a survey of 385 supported employment agencies on their use of natural supports in time-lined and extended services. Eighty-five percent reported that their agencies emphasize natural supports and that these supports have been successful. Resistance to natural supports by employers and coworkers is discussed. (Author/CR)

Discusses the evolving role of academic libraries in providing products and services to distance learners. Guided by accreditation standards, libraries are examining how well their services satisfy the unique needs of these students. Gives examples of library policies and procedures, highlights Internet significance, and discusses future trends in…

Presents an account of a research project in rural Malawi that was conducted to help Malawi National Library Service meet the information needs of village communities. The project also examined the chain of communication between providers of information, mainly government agencies; intermediaries who disseminate the information; and ordinary…

Questionnaire and interview results from 24 teachers of preschool children enrolled in both an early childhood special education program and another early childhood program, such as day care, indicated recognition of the need for staff communication across programs but great variation in the actual intensity and nature of such communication in…

This paper describes a collaborative project of several professional dental organizations to systematically respond to the Institute of Medicine's 1995 report concerning the present status and future needs of dental education. It describes the project's goals, objectives, guiding principles, and general findings. It identifies five action areas…

This study examined the multicultural practice perspectives of 170 early interventionists serving African-American children and families in relation to requirements of Part H of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Survey results indicated that respondents were positive about the multicultural nature of their individual and agency…

School districts are finding that demand for community use of school buildings and grounds is increasing. A 1995 series of focus groups explored implications for community access, including effects on facilities, scheduling, and educational programs. The most prevalent activities involved sports and recreation, day care, meetings, adult education,…

Examines the tensions and debates at the heart of the World Bank's desire to become a knowledge agency. Discusses implications of the Bank's changing priorities towards education, trade-off between knowledge sharing versus knowledge development, and use of information and communications technology to create a global knowledge hypermarket called…

Examined whether participating in the North Carolina Quality Enhancement Initiative improved the quality of 26 participating school-age child care programs. Found a significant increase in the quality of child care environments and teacher-child interaction over the 9-month period. State license and smaller group size related to higher quality…

Conversation focusing on the review process used by the Educational Leadership Constituent Council as part of the National Council of Accreditation of Teacher Education program review. Also a criticism of some of the current practices in the standards movement. (WFA)