Case studies of two children (ages 7 and 9) with autism investigated whether they would tolerate virtual reality (VR) equipment and respond to the computer-generated world in a meaningful way. The children accepted the VR helmet, identified objects and their qualities, and located and moved toward objects. (CR)

This report presents the methodology and results of a survey which determined the current level of involvement in literacy-related services of 50 public libraries in British Columbia. The primary areas addressed by the survey are: (1) the degree of "formal involvement" in literacy-related activities; (2) most common literacy activities;…

The manual is intended for use as a practical guide to selecting teaching strategies. Based on compiled research findings, published methodological suggestions, and ideas related to the teaching-learning process, the manual consolidates a review of the results of major research into simplified principles and instructional strategies to be utilized…

Because of the constant increase in knowledge, students can no longer be taught all they need to learn. The focus of education must therefore shift toward assisting them to learn how to learn, how to be independent, and how to equip themselves to cope with an ever changing environment. One of the nine papers presented describes a method by which…

It has been suggested in the existing literature that the use of constructivist approaches in the educational setting contributes to active learning and knowledge transfer for students. This paper provides an overview of constructivist approaches used in a graduate-level instructional media production course at a midwestern comprehensive…

The authors investigated a science course which was divided into two sections, one "student-structured" and one "teacher-structured." Data indicate that the "student-structured" environment enhanced the students' desire to participate in scientific activities, and their belief that they were capable of doing so. (JT)

Presents steps taken in designing, justifying, and implementing an experimental study designed to investigate the effectiveness of distance education as a methodology for developing thinking skills. A discussion reviews major findings of the study by comparing student experiences from multimedia distance education and student experiences from…

High school learning disabilities teachers (n=325) and special education supervisors (n=145) were surveyed concerning secondary learning disabilities programs. Although program emphases have not changed over the past decade, educators' priorities changed, calling for less content area instruction, more career/vocational and learning strategies…

This qualitative study aims to interpret the results of a randomized controlled trial comparing two educational programs (directed learning and self-directed learning) in evidence-based medicine (EBM) for medical students at the University of Oslo from 2002 to 2003. There is currently very little comparative educational research in this field. In…

The purpose of this article is to examine a nationwide effort of educational reform in Peru. Specifically, the authors take a close look at the nation's efforts to change secondary education through the implementation of a 2-year postsecondary learning opportunity called the "bachillerato." First, the authors briefly present the…

The fact that the reform movement in public education has directed greater attention to the needs of underperforming students than to those of gifted and talented (G/T) students is both well documented and not surprising in the current political climate. Some advocates for G/T education greeted the growth of charter schools as promising a more…

A researcher involved with the study of deafness covers such topics as prevalence of deafness, educational placement options, and statistics on special education programs for the deaf and hard of hearing. Among findings of the Annual Survey of Hearing Impaired Children and Youth are that only 10% of special programs report genetic counseling for…

Dealing with profound and severe mental retardation, the final report of Project TRAC (Training, Resources, Acquisition, and Control) describes activities and products of the project in the subject areas of parent involvement, educational/teaching techniques, assessment, and monitoring techniques. The report details the establishment of a resource…

While schools focus on individual learner development, community education should focus on the quality of life in communities. Two research projects are in progress with the purpose of exploring out-of-school learning, particularly for disenfranchised populations, and aimed at community concerns. One is the development of a referencing system that…

This study was generated to design, implement, and evaluate a model to train Junior Service League volunteers to operate a toy lending library for use with young children in local day care centers. Each volunteer attended six 3-hour training sessions organized on a performance-based format and taught by the authors. Pre- and posttesting was done…