The Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) enhances perpetuation of indigenous communities through its "Fourth Museum" program that supports living community museums created by and located in indigenous communities of the Americas. Through education and financial and technical aid, NMAI helps community…

The life stories of 17 mothers of African descent were analyzed to find the characteristics that encouraged them to send their children to culturally affirmative schools. These women were aware of the crippling effects of European-imposed culture on their children, and became educators and intellectuals through a conscious effort. (SLD)

This study evaluated a treatment package to improve on-task academic skills by three children with autism. Program components included delayed reinforcement for on-task and on-schedule responding, fading of instructional prompts and instructor's presence, unpredictable supervision, and response cost for off-task responding. On-task and on-schedule…

Explores political, cultural, historical, and economic dynamics of the Asian region. Suggests how English-speaking Australians might begin the process of learning about early childhood programs in Asia. Addresses political and practical challenges that monolingual, English-speaking Australians face when involved in cross-cultural exchanges with…

Argues that two influential studies of multilingualism in India are misleading in that they claim India's situation is unique and cherish this uniqueness as a value. It is proposed instead that this sociolinguistic diversity is inherently conflict-producing and leads to loss of "weak" languages, similar to documented situations in other…

Dr. William Morgan, a Navajo linguist, devoted his career to the development and preservation of the Navajo language. Morgan collaborated with Dr. Robert Young in writing "The Navajo Language," an unabridged Navajo-English dictionary. He also taught Navajo at the Navajo Community College and worked for the Native American Materials…

The director of facilities at a prestigious 75-year-old Delaware school located an easy-to-implement software program to computerize the schools's physical-plant system. The right software helps facilities managers oversee schools' physical plants, including budgeting and maintenance. (MLF)

Surveys the linguistic attitudes and cultural identity of Cajun speakers stratified by age and sex from four communities in Louisiana. Findings reveal that Cajun identity rests fundamentally in the linguistic ability of the speakers and that the criteria established has created considerable tension within the cultural Cajun community. (32…

The Seminole Department of Genealogy and Anthropology exists to serve the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Its core work is the reconstruction of families and clans throughout Seminole history. As a non Indian, the department director describes how she has earned tribal members' confidence by learning their ways and showing respect for the information…

An annual survey of college maintenance and operations (M & O) funding concludes, among other detailed findings, that college spending held steady this year, even in tough economic times. (EV)

Discusses the Tamil language situation in Singapore, which lends itself ideally to the study of minority-language maintenance. Examines attempts to maintain Tamil, a highly diglossic language in emigration and concludes that the well-meaning bilingual education system actually produces a situation of subtractive bilingualism. (Author/VWL)

Two autistic children were treated for specific fears. Children were exposed gradually to fearful situations, with mothers serving as therapists and reinforcers. Five-month and one-year follow-up assessments with one child showed maintenance of treatment effects. (Author/DB)

Reviews language planning theory and discusses language planning in South Africa, both historically and in a postapartheid context. A politically minimal approach is suggested for the postapartheid state, where individuals would receive instruction in English, while being encouraged or allowed to maintain their native languages. (21 references)…

Two learning-disabled, three educable mentally retarded, and two trainable mentally retarded senior secondary students were trained to count money rapidly. All subjects significantly improved their counting rates, maintained a 90 percent level of accuracy, and maintained their skills across settings and over time. (Author/JDD)

The paper argues that behavioral research with children might have more impact if experimenters paid more attention to assessment of long term maintenance effects, dissemination, and social validity of behavioral programs. Selected illustrative studies from the child behavior modification literature are reviewed and suggestions offered. (DB)