Surveys of sign language programs in institutions of higher education in the United States, conducted in 1994 and 2004, are compared to reveal changes over time. Data are presented concerning the institutional environment of programs, program administrators, and instructors. Institutions examined in 2004 were on average 5 years older than those…

Purpose: This study explored aspects of stigmatization for older adults who live in residential care or assisted living (RC-AL) communities and what these settings have done to address stigma. Design and Methods: We used ethnography and other qualitative data-gathering and analytic techniques to gather data from 309 participants (residents, family…

This paper describes a case study of 2 departments in a school, where teachers were inquired about their school's needs for improvement and how the institution and their department impacted upon their own professional development. The results show that the teachers' experiences of professional development, their interpersonal relationships within…

Two lines of research have emerged to study the causes and prevention of student failure in virtual (K-12) schools: studies of learner characteristics and studies of learning environment characteristics. To develop a useful model for predicting failure and promoting success in virtual school environments, a study was designed to measure the…

The purpose and theoretical design basis of PUSH (Play Units for the Severely Handicapped) are described. The typical unit with accompanying peripheral equipment and its uses is explained. The PUSH concept has evolved into an architectural design process to fit the needs of institutionalized individuals. (Author/CL)

A former employee of the World Bank discusses the logic behind multilateral development banks and how they operate, bank ideology and the nature of policy formation, educational and other reforms as loan conditions, the inability of development banks to enforce implementation of their policies in countries receiving loans, and whether the banks…

Acoustical characteristics of 18 residences for people with mental retardation were evaluated and compared to ratings of room photographs for apparent homelikeness. Reverberation times in living and dining rooms were negatively correlated with mean homelikeness ratings. High reverberation rates were the result of insufficient sound absorption by…

The decoupling argument--that schools respond to pressures from the institutional environment by decoupling changes in structures from classroom instruction--has been a central feature of institutional theory since the early 1970s. This study suggests the need to rethink this argument. Drawing on a study of the relationship between changing ideas…

This article discusses the changes in Russian higher education policies and the role of international organizations--the World Bank and OECD--in promoting education reforms in this country. General and specific recommendations offered by the World Bank and the OECD expert teams to improve Russian higher education are analysed to determine if any…

Universities currently face new environmental demands and significant internal complexities that appear to challenge their traditional modes of work and organization--and thus their very identities. In this essay, Mark Considine argues that the prospect of such changes requires us to reflect carefully upon the theoretical and normative…

Purpose: It is argued in this paper that opportunities for learning manifest themselves in the form of frictions between the structure-as-experienced by actors and the structure-as-preferred. These frictions are considered as potential triggers of learning processes. The concept of friction promises to contribute to our understanding of factors…

Educational improvement can only be achieved when a school's climate is positive and conducive to learning. The principal must take the lead in establishing an effective climate by being fair, consistent, capable, and--most importantly--highly visible. (PGD)

This study attempts to draw attention to the hitherto neglected, but important, subject of how the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), as a network and promoter of other networks, has sought to foster the spirit of cooperation, understanding and partnership among its various Member States through…

Both White faculty members and Black students bring their own cross-cultural ideology to mentoring relationships. Additionally, institutional culture and type often impact cross-cultural relationships via institutional mission, faculty expectation, and student development. Some researchers have found that race is not a factor in cross-cultural…

The goal of this article is to frame some new directions to social comparison research in organizational settings. Four themes are developed. First, we examine the role of organizational variables in shaping the basic sub processes in social comparison, such as the selection of referents. The second theme focuses on the meaning of level of…