A survey of 216 special education teachers examined whether previously identified effective teaching practices for mildly handicapped students were being implemented in special education classrooms in rural Mississippi. Results indicate a high level of acceptance and implementation of best practices. Length of teaching experience was related to…

Discusses the unique problems of accommodating the needs of mildly handicapped students in rural schools and the importance of collegial support in overcoming these problems. Describes peer collaboration, a method of facilitating collegial support and mutual problem solving. Summarizes research evaluating the effectiveness of peer collaboration.…

A survey of 158 rural special education teachers found that 57% expected to be in the same position in 5 years. A predictive model developed through logistic regression analysis suggested that administrative support and job requirements played important roles in teachers' five-year plans. (Author/DB)

This paper reviews the literature on rural poverty in the Northeast relating to rural education and makes suggestions for educators who teach the rural poor. Against the theory of a "culture of poverty," which suggests that the rural poor avoid hard work by choice, the more recent view is that the poor often accept the Puritan work ethic…

This paper reviews selected research studies of multigrade classrooms in Canada, Finland, eight developing nations (India, Korea, Maldives, Nepal, Thailand, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia), and the United States. Based on information about the perceptions of multigrade instruction of principals and teachers, the following issues are…

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…

Over 300 randomly selected teachers in rural Alaskan schools responded to a mail survey including questions regarding their background, community relationships, school social climate, roles in school governance, and evaluations of school conditions. Their average age was 33. Over half were women and 91% were Caucasian, markedly contrasting the…

Because school materials tend to be highly oriented towards metropolitan life, rural schools must take the initiative to provide materials and curriculum guidelines that help students appreciate the rural experience. Rural teachers should be encouraged to incorporate into their relationship with children an understanding of the lives led by those…

The Bureau of Indian Affairs' Chinle Agency is responsible for the education of 3,500 Navajo children; 230 are special education students. A questionnaire revealed that regular teachers felt inadequately prepared to teach the special education student. Project SERT provided 45 hours of graduate level instruction in special education knowledge and…

Addresses problems peculiar to rural areas that impede harmonious working relationship between parents of handicapped children and school personnel--changing characteristics of rural schools, characteristics of rural parents, and attitudes of school personnel toward parents. Offers suggestions to facilitate parent interactions with school…

Argues that the most effective in-service programs for rural schools take place in the classroom with teachers and in-service tutors sharing the teaching, analysis, and evaluation. Describes such a program that helped rural Norfolk and Suffolk (England) elementary teachers gain skill and confidence in teaching science. (JHZ)

Evaluation results are reported for a gifted education consortium, involving seven rural school districts and Purdue University's Gifted Education Resource Institute. Positive change occurred in teachers and other school personnel in knowledge level and attitudes toward gifted education. High satisfaction with goal achievement was indicated by…

A survey of 130 third- and fifth-grade teachers in rural Nebraska revealed that 90% of respondents integrated children's literature in the social studies curriculum, the majority of respondents believed that children's literature is useful as a teaching tool, and most respondents planned to continue integrating literature in the social studies…

Among 336 students aged 4-8 in 4 rural Australian schools, transient students scored marginally lower on ability tests than their residentially stable peers. However, teachers gave more weight to family background and support, as opposed to disruption of schooling, as influencing children's adjustment to change and school achievement. (LP)

Twelve special education teachers in rural Kentucky were trained to use a computer software program to create individualized education programs (IEPs). After 18 months, teachers' initially positive attitudes toward IEP generators had deteriorated; teachers cited problems such as hardware malfunctions and time constraints. (Author/SV)