Family-professional partnerships have been recognized through research and supported through legislation as critical components contributing to the positive development of children with disabilities, yet current practices and services need significant improvement. In practice, families and service providers often experience difficulty in…

This paper outlines the main findings of research about online portfolio information systems. This research focused on the educational integrity of these educational systems and the maximisation of value across all stakeholders, in particular the value gained from the automation and interaction potential of the online environment. The findings and…

Typically, guidelines for design of interactive multimedia systems have been based on intuitive beliefs of designers rather than being founded on relevant research and theory. As advances in technology create new opportunities for education, it is important to use a range of theoretical perspectives to optimize use of new technology in teaching…

This final report presents results of the first phase of an effort to develop in detail the resource requirements, operating procedures, and estimated costs for several centralized braille service options at the Library of Congress. Existing procedures and services were analyzed, and three models for centralized braille services were formulated.…

In research and development it is not unusual to find the resources driving the instruction; this approach can be modified to a more acceptable one if the new technology is applied in such a way as to integrate sound instructional methods. Research and development personnel of the University of Victoria (Canada) Language Center often initiate…

Six conference panel discussions on uses of technology in education are presented. The first panel, "The Use of Hypermedia in the Teaching and Learning of Programming" (Tom Boyle, Chair, and others) discusses achievements in hypermedia-based instruction, design needs, and experiences. The second panel, "Virtual Clayoquot Video…

In July 1987, the North Carolina General Assembly enacted legislation to provide funds for public school construction to assist county governments in meeting their capital building needs and to provide additional funds for selected counties with the most critical school facility needs. This document, in accordance with the legislation's direction,…

The planning of conferences that are accessible to people with disabilities involves focusing on the accessibility of all aspects of the meeting, including choosing a site, promotion, registration, presentations, and handouts. Any meetings and facilities that are open to the public must comply with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities…

This publication is designed to help superintendents, local facilities coordinators, and food-service directors in planning the remodeling of an outdated food-service facility or the building of a new one. The introduction describes the roles of the local facility coordinator, the local child-nutrition director, the architect, the food-service…

This publication was designed to provide assistance to California school personnel and architects in the design of new science facilities. Following the introduction, chapter 1 discusses the enhancement of science programs through architectural design. Chapter 2 describes architectural requirements and regulations for science-instruction…

This document contains teacher's materials for an eight-unit secondary education vocational home economics course on interior design. The units cover period styles of interiors, furniture and accessories, surface treatments and lighting, appliances and equipment, design and space planning in home and business settings, occupant needs, acquisition…

Proper planning in the design of new school facilities saves time, money, and resources. The importance of planning increases when funds are scarce, as limited dollars must be put to their best use. A dialogue should be generated in the community and among members of the school planning committee regarding how schools should look. Many questions…

The Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC), an organization charged with providing information services to the Department of Defense (DoD) scientific and technical community, actively seeks ways to promote resource sharing as a means for speeding access to information while reducing the costs of information processing throughout the technical…

A study was conducted to investigate the comprehensibility of microcomputer-generated color graphics that are displayed on monochromatic monitors. Subjects were 64 second, third, and fourth graders who were randomly assigned to one of two conditions. Children in the first treatment were asked to identify, on a monochrome monitor, a figure that was…

As one of a series of topic papers assessing federal laws and programs affecting persons with disabilities, this paper reviews the issue of transportation services. In the area of urban mass transit, four relevant pieces of legislation and public transportation accessibility regulations are cited, and cost issues are explored. Paratransit systems,…