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Assistive devices and assistive software make it possible for the impaired to use computers with all of its processing programs and to access the Internet. Assistive software and assistive devices are described that are specifically intended for students and adults who are blind or visually impaired, students and adults who are deaf or hard of hearing, and students and adults who are motor impaired. Recommendations and conclusions are drawn.

This paper discusses the outcomes of a 1997 survey of 171 Iowa public school districts on programs offered to gifted students. The survey evaluated whether the school districts offered the following programs: enrichment in the regular classrooms, part-time special classes, full-time special classes, independent study, itinerant teacher, mentorships, resource rooms, special schools, early entrance, continuous progress, nongraded schools, moderate acceleration, radical acceleration, advanced placement, fast-paced courses, or concurrent or dual enrollment. Results found that Iowa school districts are using the following flexible programming techniques: early entrance (20.5 percent), advanced placement (40.9 percent), concurrent enrollment (55 percent), fast-paced courses (12.9 percent), continuous progress (27.5 percent), moderate acceleration (46.2 percent), and radical acceleration (17.5 percent). Except for enrichment in the regular classroom, part-time special classes, concurrent or dual enrollment, and independent study, findings indicated that not even half of the Iowa school districts are providing adequate programs for their gifted students. This 1997 study is compared to a 1990 study by the same person. Several recommendations are made for enhancing gifted programming and include: (1) providing flexible programs; (2) consolidating school districts to enable schools to provide gifted educational programs; (3) setting special requirements for teachers in gifted programs; and (4) providing and funding inservice programs for teachers in gifted programs. (Contains 23 references.) (CR)

This study used the questionnaire previously developed and used by the national Richardson Study to survey Iowa school districts concerning the standards, resources, and procedures used in providing special educational services to gifted students. The study focused on comparing the largest and smallest school districts and on comparing districts that offered a large number of 16 possible program types and those that offered a small number of types of gifted programs. The chi-square statistic was used to analyze the comparison. Results indicated that the largest school districts and those that offered a large number of programs were superior to the smaller school districts and those that offered a small number of programs, respectively, in standards, resources, and procedures. The study concluded, however, that even the better school districts offered inadequate programs and all four groups fell short of the principles of excellence. The questionnaire is appended. (Contains 19 references.) (DB)

This study was a follow-up to a 1993 study which surveyed Iowa school districts to compare types of programs for gifted students in Iowa with the 16 types found in a 1985 national survey (the Richardson study). The present study examined the five program types which the 1993 study identified as having a large number of characteristics significantly different from expectation, given the proportion of results. Significant characteristics of the following five program types are identified: (1) part-time special program; (2) independent study gifted program; (3) itinerant teacher gifted program; (4) mentorship gifted program; and (5) full-time special class gifted program. Characteristics that the programs shared are identified and recommendations offered. The paper concludes that: these five program types as used by Iowa schools fall short of principles of excellence; the part-time special class (pull-out program) should be replaced with the full-time special class; a version of the full-time special class should be provided for intellectually above-average students; and modular programs and supplementary materials should be used in teaching science to K-8 gifted students. The survey questionnaire is appended. (DB)

Using a questionnaire developed for a 1985 national survey of educational practices for gifted students in both public and parochial schools (the Sid W. Richardson Study), this study surveyed 273 Iowa school districts in 1993 to determine types of programs in existence in Iowa schools and how Iowa schools differed from the nation's schools in its responses. The study gathered information on 16 program types which constitute practices or approaches judged appropriate for gifted students. Program types are: (1) enrichment in the regular classroom, (2) part-time special class, (3) full-time special class, (4) independent study, (5) itinerant teacher, (6) mentorships, (7) resource rooms, (8) special schools, (9) early entrance, (10) continuous progress, (11) nongraded school, (12) moderate acceleration, (13) radical acceleration, (14) College Board and Advanced Placement participation; (15) fast-paced courses, and (16) concurrent or dual enrollment. Comparison with the Richardson findings suggested that, overall, Iowa schools had more negative significant results than positive significant results. These negative results included significantly fewer supervisory staff responsible for gifted programs, significantly lower per pupil expenditures, and significantly fewer schools with special funding for gifted students. Positive results included significantly more schools in which all teachers participated in inservice training and significantly more use of libraries. The questionnaire is appended. (Contains 15 references.) (DB)

To gather data on the satisfaction of community college students with their faculty academic advising, a survey was conducted in winter 1989-90 of a random sample of 750 full- and part-time students at an urban multi-campus community college in Iowa. Specifically, the survey sought information on student characteristics and levels of satisfaction on a 5-point scale with overall advising, the frequency and length of advising meetings, and the ease of making appointments. Study findings, based on 398 returned surveys that had all the questions related to advising answered, included the following: (1) regarding overall satisfaction with advising, no significant differences were found between full- and part-time students; (2) for both groups, the more frequently students and advisors met, the higher the students' satisfaction with the advising process; (3) full-time students were significantly more satisfied if their advising sessions were between 15 and 30 minutes, while part-time students were significantly more satisfied if their advising sessions were more than 30 minutes; and (4) full-time students were significantly more satisfied with their advising than part-time students if it was easy to make appointments and significantly less satisfied if it was somewhat difficult to make appointments. Includes recommendations for improving advisement, data tables, and the survey instrument. Contains 12 references. (KP)

Reviewed was research on the application of operant conditioning techniques to the modification of the classroom behavior of learning disabled students. The methodology and results of the studies were examined and each study summarized. It was concluded that there was little common interpretation of the term "learning disabilities" and that all of the studies had violated one or more of the following requirements of good experimental design: (1) adequate description of subjects, (2) proper sampling techniques, (3) adequate control procedures, (4) statistical analysis of the data, and (5) evaluation of long-term gains. (Author/IM)

This experimental study compared the use of Belcastro rods with the use of traditional methods in teaching addition and subtraction of whole numbers to five blind students. Results showed a significant difference favoring the use of Belcastro rods. (Contains 30 references.) (MKR)

Describes a study conducted at an urban multicampus community college comparing day and evening students' perceptions of their faculty academic advising. Indicates that daytime students were generally more satisfied than evening students and that ease of making appointments influenced both groups' level of satisfaction. (DMM)