Preliminary data from a survey of 51 small, rural public school districts in New Mexico generally indicate that the quality of educational programming for students with severe handicaps is currently satisfactory and would improve with the additional federal funding under P.L. 94-142 (New Mexico was slated to receive funding effective January…

Two questionnaires were developed to assess the knowledge levels and perceived inservice training needs of those working in handicapped preschool programs in New Mexico and in El Paso Independent School District (EPSID). The New Mexico instrument was sent to all personnel in the state identified as having a connection with preschool programs for…

This paper examines the comparable educational histories of the "Hispanos" of a mountainous area of New Mexico and the peoples of southern Appalachia. Presbyterian missionaries entered both regions following the Civil War and soon placed mountain people in the category of "exceptional populations," along with freed slaves,…

This paper examines the knowledge and acceptance level of special and general education teachers and administrators regarding inclusive education within the rural and diverse state of New Mexico. While inclusive education of disabled students has gained widespread support, little attention has been paid to program implementation within a rural and…

Evolution of Northern Arizona University's new Center for Excellence in Education (the former College of Education) is traced and its interaction with the university, schools, and public agencies is illustrated through discussion of two special education training programs. An overview is provided of the numerous changes resulting from the…

This review of articles and facts about microcomputers focuses on the development of hardware and software and the use of microcomputers in education, particularly rural education. In addition to presenting a brief history of microcomputers, the review presents information regarding the costs and brands of microcomputers; the development, use,…

A three-year collaborative, inservice teacher-training program--being implemented by New Mexico State University, the University of Arizona, and rural school districts in New Mexico and Arizona--is designed to improve educational and occupational opportunities of rural girls and young women in the region. The program emphasizes new and less…

Using television as a means of delivery for an educational program in rural areas and looking at the media preferences of young adults, this study was conducted in a non-metropolitan area of northwestern New Mexico to examine the effectiveness of television and videotape to provide basic principles of solar energy to 15 young apprentices in a…

Rural elementary school teachers interested in improving science instruction are frequently hampered by inadequate training in science, lack of information on local natural history resources, and time and curriculum constraints. On the other hand, rural schools are usually located near meadows, forests, or undeveloped land, and rural students…

Rural schools along the New Mexico-Mexico border face unusual challenges in meeting the special education needs of a culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) population. This population includes Anglo Americans, Mexican Americans, Mexicans, and American Indians. Few school districts have an integrated or coordinated bilingual special education…

The University of New Mexico's three-year Computer Assisted Instruction Project established one mobile and five permanent laboratories offering remedial and vocational instruction in winter, 1984-85. Each laboratory has a Degem learning system with minicomputer, teacher terminal, and 32 student terminals. A Digital PDP-11 host computer runs the…

A New Mexico study interviewed 1 special education teacher and 1 administrator from each of 17 small rural school districts, via a 65-item interview guide related to staff development needs. Lack of staff development activities was identified as a critical problem for special educators. Training in instructional technology was the most frequently…

A study of K-12 rural school districts enrolling 900 students or fewer in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona used data gathered during the 1981-82 academic year. These data were compared with those from a nationwide survey using the same questionnaire. Qualifying districts were identified: 626 in Texas (56.9% of all Texas public school districts,…

Collaboration between New Mexico State University's College of Education and three other entities has led to the computer experience microvan program, implemented in 1983, a unique system for bringing microcomputers into rural New Mexico K-12 classrooms. The International Space Hall of Fame Foundation provides the van, International Space Center…

To determine perceptions of school board members, teachers, and principals in rural schools about the quality of their educational programs, the type of preparation they had received in preservice programs, and the inservice opportunities available to them, responses to questionnaires from 2,028 teachers, 119 principals, and 113 school board…