This study explores a program designed to revolutionize developmental mathematics at the college level using the new handheld computer algebra systems and new information about the ways in which students learn mathematics. Students in one class of developmental algebra worked with the new approach to learn algebra by building on their intuitive…

Labette Community College (LCC), Parsons, Kansas, a public comprehensive community college, received a 5-year Title III grant from the U.S. Department of Education to strengthen their academic programs through the implementation of computer-assisted basic skills instruction coupled with a comprehensive retention program. To study the progress…

This paper provides an overview of a discussion about the establishment of a basic skills discipline at the Spring 1990 Session of the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges. The Ad Hoc Basic Skills Committee heard arguments and concerns on both sides of the issue. Arguments for the opposition included concern about the fragmentation of…

This book presents a description of Direct Instruction and a meta-analysis of research on Direct Instruction. The term "Direct Instruction" as used in the book refers to instructional programs developed by Siegfried Englemann and his colleagues, including DISTAR (Direct instruction System for Teaching Arithmetic and Reading) and DISTAR…

The records of 27 sixth-grade students who were receiving special services were studied. A survey was conducted in three separate elementary schools to see if these same students were recipients of Basic Skill Instruction during the second grade. The data collection form included information about current reading grade levels and types of special…

This paper provides a review of the theoretical discussions and practical studies relating to fluency instruction and reading development. The basic research strategy was to survey the range of definitions for fluency, the primary features of fluent reading, and studies that have attempted to improve the fluency of struggling readers in one of…

Twenty-five community colleges participated in a study that tracked 71 percent of 592 students who successfully enrolled in a remedial program in 1990. Follow-up interviews of program completers gathered information about further education, employment, family, and facts about post-remedial life. A criminal justice search was also conducted on the…

During the summer of 2001, the Wake County Public School System, North Carolina, conducted a Summer Academy for students in grades 3 through 8 scoring at Level 1 or Level 2 in the states achievement testing program, the End-of-Grade tests. An evaluation explored how the schools implemented the Summer Academy program and the impact on students.…

In keeping with 1997 Nevada legislation, the University and Community College System of Nevada (UCCSN) provides to the school districts of the state information about enrollments in remedial courses within the UCCSN and the costs associated with providing that instruction. Although remedial courses are provided to both recent high school graduates…

This study investigated the effect of two different approaches to practical work on the procedural understanding of foundation level students at two historically similar universities in South Africa, the University of Cape Town (UCT) and the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), both of which run programs to improve the access of disadvantaged…

This policy brief reviews research on the effectiveness of summer-school programs. It begins with a short history of the current school calendar, including how 19th century agrarian life required children to stay home during the summer to attend to crops or livestock. Next, a meta-analysis of 13 studies brings to light the effects long summer…

This examination of remedial instruction in institutions of higher education provides an analysis of the functions and purposes of remediation; a discussion of the types of remediation, who participates, and how well it serves them; an examination of the financial costs of remediation; an appraisal of the economic and social consequences of not…

The author describes her findings in teaching Health Education to remedial students at Queensborough Community College. She found that remedial students should receive assignments at the first class meeting and that they should use one textbook (which contains a summary and questions at the end of each chapter) rather than several. Frequent tests…

Discusses the importance of pre-college, developmental remedial programs for students who lack adequate skills for success in the engineering technology study. A description of remedial course work in algebra, geometry, basic English, reading skills, and physical science is included. (CC)

Part I of the paper describes three methods for estimating reading demands of jobs. Part II describes Project FLIT with the objective of developing a program to achieve minimal job reading requirements. (AG)