Teacher shortages are a pervasive global issue that is expected to continue, especially in low-performing, high-needs schools [O'Connor, E. A., Malow, M. S., & Bisland, B. M. (2011). Mentorship and instruction received during training: Views of alternatively certified teachers. "Educational Review," 63(2), 219-232]. In an effort to…

Although numerous online family life education programs have been developed over the past few years, there has been little discussion about best practices in the development of these programs. This article presents a framework to assist family life educators in the development and improvement of online programs from the initial problem analysis…

Needs assessment is the first step in developing a leadership education program. During the spring of 2008 researchers and program planners conducted focus groups sessions with representatives from Virginia's agricultural community with the goal of assessing the leadership development interests and needs of that community. As one focus group…

This article describes efforts in Colorado to develop collaborative relationships among educators to better meet needs of students with disabilities. The article stresses the importance of developing common understanding, developing a full array of services within the delivery system, and addressing school scheduling issues. (JDD)

A general service delivery needs assessment was conducted in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area to determine a need for a cooperative inter-district delivery system for low incidence handicapped students. Secondary hearing impaired students were the primary focus of the study. Data obtained via needs assessment questionnaires from 20 school…

A model program for severely emotionally disturbed hearing-impaired adolescents evolved in Santa Cruz County (California). A private day school program integrated its activities with a group home; Individualized Education Programs were designed jointly with residential treatment plans; and residential and school staff maintained a behavioral…

Representatives of 20 professional education associations were surveyed through questionnaires and interviews regarding their membership, their perceived needs in the education of handicapped students, professional development and dissemination activities, and collaborative efforts with other groups. This report from the National Inservice Network…

Individualized service planning for handicapped individuals requires a formalized tracking mechanism to determine the effectiveness of services, tools for encouraging interagency cooperation, systematized intervention, communication, coordination, and accountability procedures. A three-tiered system is presented that illustrates separate processes…

Alternative certification programs continue to increase as school districts, institutions of higher education, and commercial companies share common educational expectations. In Kansas, a state-wide collaborative of eleven partner institutions, governed by an advisory board, designed a conceptual framework, a standards-based program, curriculum,…

This joint position paper of the International Labour Organization, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and the World Health Organization is presented in booklet form and urges cooperative approaches to promoting community-based rehabilitation (CBR) of people with disabilities. A definition of CBR is offered. It…

This handbook illustrates and discusses organizational options for the delivery of employment and training services within service delivery areas (SDAs) mandated by the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) of 1982. Addressed primarily to members of private industry councils (PICs), representatives of local governments, and employment and training…

Participation by agencies in a network can provide access to a wider range of services and resources for the handicapped and can enable additional agencies to take advantage of information regarding specialized resources and services to the benefit of unlimited others. The major obstacle to effective networking is the fear that participation in a…

This cooperative agreement among the North Dakota Department of Human Services (Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and Division of Developmental Disabilities), explains the necessity of providing a coordinated continuum of services to individuals with disabilities and outlines procedures to be followed. Addressed in the individual sections of…

State and local efforts at interagency collaboration for handicapped children are examined in a report that first describes the mandates of P.L. 94-142, The Education For All Handicapped Children Act. Effective approaches to state-level interagency collaboration in Louisiana, Delaware, Maine, New Jersey, Michigan, Rhode Island, Massachusetts,…

Guidelines are offered for implementing collaborative models to meet the needs of students with special needs, including clarifying the need for collaboration, identifying the stakeholders of change, identifying the purpose and format of respective structures, setting targets for collaborative change, designing an implementation process, and…