Demonstrates how an information systems plan can be successfully developed and implemented within an academic setting. Six guidelines for information systems planning are provided; problems are identified and recommendations to address the problems are suggested; and information systems objectives are discussed, including business communications,…

Attempts to reflect the highly realistic world that many parents confront after the death of their child. Describes adjustment as harsh, complex, and long lasting. Explores factors influencing the parents' situation and possible counselor responses. Looks at the grieving process, societal attitudes, family life, and counseling strategies.…

Argues that values imposition involves unjustifiable pressure to force norms on people. Although opposing imposition, contends that it occurs within monocultural, cross-cultural, and multicultural settings. Views the problem as an opportunity to engage students and teachers in judgments that are at the heart of educative activities. (Author)

Notes that ample evidence exists that standardized tests may not adequately reflect student achievement and may be harmful to the educational process and student development, especially for young children. Presents developmentally appropriate alternatives that are available for use in the classroom and on district and state levels. (Author)

Investigated self-esteem, achievement, and career choices of 218 high school students in small rural school. The Self-Esteem Inventory scores tended to be low. Most students selected occupations traditional for their sex, regardless of their self-esteem scores. Young women were more likely than young men to consider nontraditional occupations.…

This article presents a rationale and recommendations for developing generalized outcomes in instructional objectives for learners with mental retardation. Examples of objectives that include generalized performance are presented, and a checklist is provided to facilitate the preparation of objectives that target the use of functional skills in…

This paper presents the beliefs of Israeli residents of Oriental (North African or Middle Eastern) origin regarding children who are mentally retarded. Based on written materials and interviews with 40 mothers, the paper discusses beliefs about mental retardation's causes, blame, treatment, and recovery. Methods of dealing with parents of pupils…

Using 41 students (ages 6-10) with moderate mental retardation as subjects, 3 different forms of academic integration are compared: special classes using a functional curriculum, special classes using a traditional curriculum, and regular classes. After the first year, no significant intergroup differences appeared for measurements of cognitive…

Two students (ages 18 and 20) with moderate mental retardation were taught to use a pocket calculator to make purchases. Progressive time delay and general case programing methods were used. Results indicated that the purchasing behaviors generalized to two untrained community sites and to untrained items and were maintained four weeks after…

Perceived quality of life was compared among 10 individuals with disabilities in supported community employment, 10 individuals in sheltered workshops, and 9 individuals without disabilities. Supported community employment was positively related to number of leisure activities, self-esteem, use of leisure time, involvement in activities, mobility,…

A system of graduated guidance was used to teach three children (ages six through nine) with severe multiple disabilities to don and remove their jackets and coats independently. The training approach involved initial use of oversized garments, fading of guidance, and individualized reinforcement. Skill maintenance and generalization were also…

A five-second constant time delay procedure with recipe cards was used to teach drink preparation to five intermediate-aged elementary students with moderate mental handicaps. The procedure was effective in teaching all students how to complete the task; 12-month followup showed at least 81 percent accuracy. (Author/JDD)

This paper identifies a rationale for leisure education for young adults with mental retardation and outlines the structure, content, and evaluation strategies of a leisure education model. The leisure instruction is intended to instill self-determination, leisure appreciation, self-awareness, decision making, social interaction, knowledge and…

It is argued that a shift from impressionistic measures of assessment to criterion-referenced measures provides a more detailed profile of the writing abilities of young adult writers. The usefulness of the Staged Assessments in Literacy (SAIL) scheme developed at the University of Manchester as a measure in multilingual settings is described. (45…

A stage of research is reported in which teachers assessed the performance of 15 boys and girls who participated in group discussions as part of the General Certificate of Secondary Education English oral examination. Teachers were found to use different criteria to evaluate the contributions of boys compared to girls. (nine references) (Author/LB)