The primary purpose of this study was to determine if a drug testing program could impact or change student drug use at the secondary education level. Secondary purposes were to 1) assess the perceptions of secondary education students toward licit and illicit drugs, drug use, and the newly implemented drug testing program, and 2) to examine why drug use may continue even after a drug testing program has been implemented. Data was collected through the use of questionnaires, discussion groups, and one-on-one interviews. Examination of the questionnaire data indicated that student drug use was not substantially deterred by the newly implemented drug testing program over a three to four month time period. Also, students' perceptions of the newly implemented drug testing program were mainly that of disagreement. Students commented that they felt the drug testing policy was implemented to "catch them" using drugs rather than "help them" with a possible drug addiction. One of the main reasons that the drug testing program did not have a great deterrent effect on student drug use, as suggested by the students, was that the odds were not high enough that they would be selected to be drug tested. In some instances, drug testing was not proving to be a deterrent to drug use, but rather a deterrent to participation in school activities. However, for some students, drug testing was proving to be a deterrent to drug use. As quoted from one of the discussion group members: "It's a step in the right direction." / School of Physical Education

The purpose of this study was to determine if the attitudes of a selected group of American high school students towards a different nation in general and Iranian's in particular would be affected as a result of presenting them with factual information about that culture through the use of audio-visual aids.One hundred and twenty high school students between ages of 13 - 18 who attended Burris Laboratory School in Muncie, IN. were randomly selected and assigned to an experimental and a control group. The number of students who responded to the questionnaire and participated in the study was 77. There were 40 students in the experimental and 37 students in the control group. A new semantic differential scale was developed by the researcher in order to obtain measures of attitude towards Iranians. In order to validate the measurement instrument a pilot study was performed. The study utilized a Posttest- only design.The experimental group received factual information about Iranian culture through a handout and also two series of slide-tape presentations, which were prepared by the investigator. The control group received no treatment. The information on the handout and slides was about Iranian life style, education, religion, art, tribes, industry, clothing, and architecture. The information was intended to be factual rather than political propaganda. Two weeks after the experimental group received the second series of slides the revised semantic differential scale was administered to both control and experimental groups. The data was analyzed by a 2 by 2 by 2 multivariate analysis of variance. The following null hypotheses were tested:1 - There is no significant difference between the means of the experimental and control groups for various outcome factors of the semantic differential scale when considered simultaneously.2 - There is no significant difference between the means of male and female respondents for experimental and control groups for various outcome factors of the semantic differential scale when considered simultaneously. Findings:1- There were no significant multivariate interactions (2 or 3 ways).2- There were no significant sex differences.3- There was a significant treatment difference in a multivariate sense. However the interpretation of the univariates did not permit the attribution of differences to either factor singly. Rather a linear composite of the 2 factors is needed to explain the difference found. Generally these linear composites are not interpretable in a conceptual sense.Conclusion:The results of the study suggest that giving factual information about Iranian culture through use of slide-tape presentation can bring about some change in the attitude of high school students about Iranian people. However the study failed to identify the nature of this change. Further study is needed to identify better the nature of the change as a result of giving factual information. / Department of Secondary, Higher, and Foundations of Education

The purpose of this exploratory study was to look at the perceptions of Indiana’s special and general education administrators and teachers regarding service delivery and instructional models used with secondary students with emotional disabilities (ED) and the transitional outcomes for this population of students. Study participants were provided an electronic survey using Ball State’s inQsit software program. Demographic data (i.e. age, gender, and ethnicity) were collected along with school size and educational roundtable location. Study participants were asked to report which service delivery (placement) and instructional (personnel) models were currently being used with their students with ED and also what transitional outcome (i.e. graduating with a diploma) best summarized their students with emotional disabilities. Respondents rated the effectiveness of current placements and personnel used with their students using a Likert-type scale. The study found that administrators and teachers regardless of specialty area perceived their students with ED being educated in the regular classroom or resource room. They also indicated this service delivery model was effective. In regards to personnel, the teacher with paraprofessional support was still reported as the dominant choice for instructional model and was perceived as being effective. Respondents also reported that their students with ED were leaving school with a diploma or certificate of completion. However, over 15% of respondents indicated their students with ED were dropping out of school. The study recommended follow up research to investigate current curriculums used to provide instruction to students with emotional disabilities. Survey participant size (n=245) was considered too small to make generalizations, but the study provides useful insight into potential future research. / Department of Special Education

The general purpose of this study completed in 1999 was to create an accurate, documented description of the experiences of nine students, three faculty members and two administrators in higher education in Chile during the military government 1973 - 1990.A qualitative approach was selected as the most appropriate methodology to' complete the study. A variety of methods and data collection strategies were used. The major data collection strategies were interviews and reviewing of primary and secondary written sources. The interviews were used to collect evidence concerning interviewees' experiences, as well as their attitudes, and perceptions regarding the events that occurred in higher education during the rule of the military government 1973 - 1990.The researcher decided to use a judgment sample of interviewees from the population based on their knowledge about the topic and their willingness to share their knowledge and experiences. Geographical representation, position within the institutions, kind of institution represented, and gender were major the considerations at the moment of selecting the sample too.Thanks to the U.S.A. Freedom of Information Act, which established an effective statutory right to access by any person or organization to federal government information, the researcher found official information that allowed for triangulation of evidence.The findings showed that the changes the military government implemented through their modernization of the educational system did not follow the historical trend of educational development in Chile. Furthermore, under the military government, policymaking in higher education was circumscribed to autocratic arenas, which usually coincided with government policy. Education was utilized to serve the purpose of the government. The educational system 1973 - 1990 failed to serve those with special needs. Free-market policies profoundly transformed education from a right available to all, to a commodity available in varying quantity and quality according to purchasing power of individuals.The impact of military government on higher education during the military rule was notorious and huge. Even though they were destructive in some aspects the military government did good things for the educational system. The issue in discussion is the price that was paid. / Department of Educational Leadership