Describes the principles of program evaluation and the technical assistance provided in 1986-87 to North Dakota local educational agencies for evaluating their special education programs. Emphasizes local control of the evaluation activities and includes an example of planning for a local evaluation study on least restrictive environment. (JHZ)

Research indicates that adolescents with disabilities need high-quality transitional programs to make the transition to work and independent living, and that barriers inherent in rural areas and schools make service delivery for transition extremely difficult. Current employment patterns suggest that small rural businesses and rural entrepreneurs…

In a survey of 100 elementary school teachers in rural Tennessee, teachers felt that reducing distractions, positive reinforcement, and frequent monitoring were the most effective techniques for teaching students with attention deficit disorders (ADD). Teachers suggested that many students with ADD were not being identified and indicated needs for…

This article emphasizes the need to develop special education policy and practice appropriate for rural students. The article examines recommended practices for improving delivery of services to rural schools, services readily available to rural families and communities, and the role of the rural special educator. (Author/PB)

Outlines self-management procedures used to teach rural behaviorally disordered students to rate their own classroom behaviors. Describes self-evaluation training, implementation in special education and regular classrooms, and fading of teacher reinforcement. Contains 11 references. (SV)

Statement of American Council on Rural Special Education's Early Childhood Special Education Task Force on rural implementation of federal Titles I and II. Emphasizes need for state planning, professional representation of children, and parent involvement in special education decisions. Discusses family role, service delivery, and teacher…

Evaluates the criterion validity of a curriculum-based assessment (CBA) to identify gifted children in rural areas. Compares CBA and standardized test scores for 286 kindergarten and first grade children. Concludes that the instruments' predictive validity is equivalent, but the CBA has practical advantages for rural school districts. 25…

Considers the role of microcomputers in the education of rural gifted students. In this context, discusses computer methods for accessing content not otherwise available, methods for accessing people, computer-assisted instruction, computer-managed instruction, programing, and software evaluation. 22 references. (SV)

Describes a project to revise university special education training to reflect a more pluralistic approach to teacher education. Discusses the evaluation of the existing program, and the use of unit and infusion approaches to integrate multicultural objectives and content into the curriculum. Contains 21 references. (SV)

Describes a one-day Minnesota conference for special-education secondary students and their teachers that included advocacy and information dissemination allowing students to explore postsecondary education. After participating, an increased number of students could envision a future that includes postsecondary education, and students had more…

Highlights a rural Montana family's experience with limited availability of special-education personnel and services for their severely disabled son. Suggests ways to improve rural special education services, including a flexible planning process, partnerships with university programs, use of information technology, and support networks. (KS)

Distance education is becoming a major delivery mechanism for teacher education programs in special education, especially for rural areas. Whatever the delivery system, telecourses depend on the mutual efforts of an instructor and a producer to satisfy the demands of both academic content and production values. Both instructor and producer have…

The Allegany County School System and the Maryland School for the Deaf (MSD) have collaborated to develop a satellite program that brings MSD educational services to hard-of-hearing and deaf elementary students in rural western Maryland. In the past 5 years, the number of hearing-impaired preschoolers in Allegany and Garrett Counties increased…

Recent provincial educational policy in British Columbia (Canada) supports inclusion of special needs children in the regular classroom and a philosophy of individualized education for every child. These policies have considerable impact on teachers in isolated rural schools. A survey of 32 teachers and 100 student teachers in rural elementary…

Teacher education faculty have recently recognized the need for interdisciplinary preservice training that incorporates collaborative approaches, but such training is usually unworkable within the traditional university department structure. Research supports the contention that a team makes more accurate decisions than do individuals acting…