Examines the context of rural communities in Australia and the extent to which inaccurate stereotypes about rurality have misshaped public policy and programs. Advocates developing a rural development plan that capitalizes on the unique attributes of rural Australia and focuses on rural empowerment, environmental concerns, entrepreneurship, and…

Discusses the history, structure, activities, and goals of the Rural Education Research and Development Centre (RERDC), an academic unit of James Cook University (North Queensland, Australia). Since the 1980s, RERDC has conducted educational research, provided training for rural teachers and other rural professionals, and held conferences…

Traces the history of rural education in Australia, including the influence of early British colonists, the emergence and eventual consolidation of state systems of education, and the implementation of distance education. Focuses on the development of education in remote areas of Queensland and government impact on rural education. (LP)

Discusses the historical development of Australia's rural economy and examines ways in which Australia's economic development and current position are reflected in national education policies. Concludes that the current national agenda for education may not fully benefit rural people as it is based on urban models that neglect specific needs and…

Analysis of current Australian educational policy and practice and interviews with 24 teachers newly appointed to small rural schools in Australia indicates a need for specialized training for rural teachers and the development of specific rural staffing policies and selection practices. (LP)

Discusses the impact on rural Australian schools of recent developments in distance education, including new communication technologies, changes in the concept of Distance Education Centres, the advent of open learning ("open" college courses delivered electronically by a consortium of universities), and interinstitutional networking. Research…

The author reflects on his first teaching experience 20 years ago at a residential outdoor and environmental education school in Ontario (Canada). He stresses the importance of documenting outdoor experiences through personal narratives as a means of bringing attention to the value of outdoor learning and connecting learners with their natural…

This third and last installment of articles examining ways to overcome various barriers to program implementation focuses on choosing appropriate curriculum materials, developing teacher and student resource materials, and choosing outdoor learning sites that offer maximum benefit to student learning. (LP)

Reports on a study of reading and writing skills of 110 French and German first-grade students. Finds that the best way to help children to learn to read is to encourage them to read material for content rather than by using training exercises external to reading. (CFR)

Contends that, although early precursors to reading and the first phases of reading acquisition have been extensively studied, the acquisition of different components of the reading process have not been considered. Reviews research from the past 15 years to examine the relationship between decoding and comprehension skills. (CFR)

Reports on an eight-year longitudinal study of Dutch children on the relationship of the development of reading ability in primary schools with general academic success. Finds that young children with reading problems in primary school keep them throughout their educational career. (CFR)

A majority of 625 Nebraska vocational educators surveyed preferred observation, work with peers, and inservice workshops for continuing education. These preferences suggest the practical problem model of continuing education should include active participation, interaction and dialoge, action and reflection, and contextual specificity. (SK)

Eighty-six elementary teachers of students with severe disabilities in Alaska and Washington reported their levels of nonmandated parent involvement, attitudes toward parent involvement, and attitudes toward parents' roles. Results provided indications of low nonmandated parent involvement. Implications are offered for placement practices and…

A survey administered to 91 supported employment job coaches and 86 supervisors revealed that confusion exists over what constitutes an aversive intervention versus a nonaversive intervention for persons with disabilities. When asked to rate 20 vignettes describing interventions, respondents' ratings ranged from nonaversive to severely aversive on…

Parents of students with moderate (n=38) and severe (n=15) disabilities indicated their preferences for the percent of a typical school week spent on functional life skills, academic skills, friendship/social relationship development, and other educational activities. Both groups of parents preferred that the largest percentage of time be spent on…