Describes the development, roles, and achievements of the office of the Ombudsman for Children in Sweden which is under the auspices of Radda Barnen (Save the Children) rather than the state administration. Five staff members share the responsibilities of the Ombudsman office. (RJC)

Characteristics/roles of the National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME) were compared to those of other, similar professional organizations, using data from 24 completed informal surveys. The other organizations include American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association, and Association for Measurement and…

Describes the roles of case manager and home visitor in relation to handicapped infants, toddlers, and their families. Strongly advocates combining the roles in this service. (SAK)

Describes the Refugee Data Center (RDC) (New York City), a hub for linking refugees with voluntary resettlement agencies. The RDC maintains a database on refugees as they progress toward final resettlement in the United States. At present, RDC files include refugees from Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America. (SLD)

The evolution and functions of Australia's Copyright Agency Limited are described. The agency is a copyright collecting organization which collectively administers the rights of authors and publishers whose works are copied in education, and enters into blanket agreements with educational authorities outside the existing statutory license. Some…

This study reports the very different reactions and choices of legally blind twin sisters who were provided services through the Mississippi Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind agency. Emphasis is on the importance of individual differences and variables, such as personality, over which the rehabilitation agency has no control. (DB)

The American Association of University Professors' (AAUP) new policy authorizing sanctions against colleges when investigation discloses serious departures from accepted governance norms is examined. Issues discussed include the existence and general relevance of governance norms, evidence of violation of those standards, and the AAUP's right to…

The paper describes rehabilitation services provided by the Royal National Institute for the Blind (United Kingdom), focusing specifically on its Employment Rehabilitation Centers. Current vocational rehabilitation policy of the Institute is described, and a study in progress to determine the Institute's role in future programs is discussed.…

The style of most public university governing boards is perfunctory policymaking, when it should be concerned with making dynamic improvements to create a more responsive institution. Many public university trustees are simply unaware of the sweeping nature of their governance responsibilities, and many important issues never show up on board…

Interviewed private adoption agency staff in 1987-89 and 1993 to examine the impact of open adoption on practices and services. Found that over time, agencies offered a greater range of openness options. Client demand, changes in agency philosophy, and competition from independent or private adoptions were among the most salient reasons for…

Study asks adult members (including elders) of a rural Paiute tribe in Nevada about issues affecting local youth for the purposes of determining program needs and developing and implementing new programs or program changes. Describes the role that agencies providing services to reservations can play in assisting Native American communities with…

There have been calls to increase the autonomy of higher education institutions in Europe for a number of years. They have been counterbalanced by demands for increasing accountability and a European quality assurance system. In London in 2007, the European ministers of education decided to implement a European register of accredited quality…

The article reports on the findings of a comparative case study of six projects that operated in Israel between 1980 and 2000. The study findings identify characteristics of the programs, the host organizations, and the social and political environment, which differentiated programs that are sustained from those that are not. The findings reaffirm…

Purposes of this report are to: (1) describe the extent of the childhood injury problem relative to diseases and other conditions affecting children in Maine who are 1 to 19 years of age; (2) give an overview of what is known about the incidence of childhood injuries in Maine; and (3) offer recommendations to improve the state's ability to control…

The handbook is designed to help teachers and administrators develop or improve vocationally oriented programs for moderately retarded students. The major topics addressed in the book were identified through a Delphi data gathering approach. Seven sections are arranged in the order that activities should occur in program modification and/or…