This paper reports on a study evaluating a graduate-level distance education program that provides special education teacher preparation at rural sites throughout Utah. The program was developed by the University of Utah to address problems associated with teacher recruitment and retention in rural areas. The program uses an "integrated"…

During the spring of 1993, a needs assessment was conducted in rural Kansas communities to determine existing services and community strengths available to special needs children. Interviews were conducted with a cross section of the community regarding community resources, collaboration, parent and family involvement, planning processes, and…

A needs assessment instrument was developed to identify training competencies for rural special education teachers in Louisiana. The 49-item questionnaire addressed such issues as the curriculum offered by the teacher education program as well as the personal and professional characteristics necessary for success in the rural classroom. The…

The Queensland Primary Itinerant Teacher Service assists home tutors with the education of primary school children on correspondence education, supplementing the efforts of the Primary Correspondence School (PCS) and the Schools of the Air (SOTA). Primary means of service delivery is the home visit. The role of the itinerant teacher encompasses…

A study was conducted in 1981 by the State Board of Directors for Arizona Community Colleges to define the missions of the colleges in specific operational terms and to assess the support for these missions by the colleges' constituencies. Specifically, the study sought to determine the services, clientele, and purposes of specific college…

Staffs of 32 small Western rural high schools with fewer than 200 students were the focus of a study designed to: generate attitudinal "profiles" of teachers and principals about rural teaching, teachers, and students; compare profiles of teachers with those of principals to determine possible sources of conflict; learn schools'…

This study originated as a result of public concern about standards of behavior. The purposes of the study were to ascertain what school discipline was in fact like and what it should be like, and to provide information to practitioners. An extensive review of the literature was conducted. Nine groups--principals, vice-principals, teachers,…

The first 27 pages of this report summarize the efforts to develop a favorable climate toward career education in the schools of an eight-county area of Kentucky. The area is beset by occupatioanl, housing, educational, and geographical problems. Orientation meetings were held for superintendents and directors, career education coordinators,…

In 1971, the Appalachia Educational Laboratory initiated a comprehensive Needs and Feasibility Study designed to present an overview of the educational needs of Appalachia and to pinpoint critical problems the region's educators will face in 1976. The study consisted of 5 independent components: a review of pertinent literature, analysis of data…

As rural schools prepare for the inclusion of students with disabilities in general classrooms, teachers must be equipped to modify curriculum and adapt classroom environments. This paper reports the results of an analysis of a series of instructional seminars for their applicability to curriculum and classroom environment adaptation. The series…

Survey of 141 rural special education teachers from Washington State indicated that teachers were unfamiliar with telecomputer networks and their potential use in the classroom, rarely used computer technology at home or at school, and perceived lack of knowledge as the biggest obstacle to using telecomputer networks and resources in the…

Evaluation of a program that traveled to various sites in rural New Mexico to evaluate special education students for augmentative and alternative communication needs revealed that parents and teachers were positive about the quality of services provided. Additionally, graduate students involved in providing services were positive about their…

Examines the use of collaborative instruction and its effectiveness for delivering two courses in special education to rural graduate students over interactive television. Emphasizes three innovative practices: collaborative planning and coteaching; combining two courses with similar content into one timeslot; and incorporating on-campus meetings…

This paper describes the successful implementation of an inclusion program which placed students with mild disabilities in regular education classes in a rural Louisiana school system. A unique quality of this program is that it utilized only existing staff. Advantages and disadvantages of such a program and the seven-step program development and…

This paper describes a process that empowered special education teachers in Greenville Independent School District (Texas) to begin moving toward an inclusive model of special education. Specifically, the paper examines special education teachers' levels of concern regarding inclusion during this process. During the summer, 26 special education…