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Salisbury State University (Maryland) and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore are offering a joint Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree. The departments of education at these institutions have formed a collaborative MAT program as a response to the challenges of reform in the University of Maryland system. The 2 institutions are 12 miles apart; one is a historically Black institution and the other has been predominately White. The initiative for the collaborative program has led to shared resources, shared faculty, and shared course offerings. Instead of duplication of similar programs at adjoining campuses, the combining of resources has enabled both institutions to offer teacher training at the graduate level for several areas of certification with lower institutional costs. The institutions use the same admissions requirements and similar curriculum except for differences based on the area of specialization for the degree being sought. Much of the document consists of the Memorandum of Understanding between the two institutions and a catalog description of the Master of Arts in Teaching Program. (JLS)

This paper reviews the literature on the effects of preschool attendance on academic success in elementary school and reports on a study designed to investigate the effect of preschool education on the academic achievement of at-risk, minority-group kindergarten children. The Test of Basic Experiences (TOBE) was administered at the beginning of the school year to 30 kindergartners who had attended preschool and a control group of 30 who had not. A comparison of the test results found a statistically significant difference between the achievement of the children who had attended preschool and the children who had not. (Contains 10 references.) (MDM)

The purpose of this paper is to examine the differences between and the effects of hard and soft safety verifications. Initially, the terminology should be defined and clarified. A hard safety verification is datum which demonstrates how a safety control is enacted. An example of this is relief valve testing. A soft safety verification is something which is usually described as nice to have but it is not necessary to prove safe operation. An example of a soft verification is the loss of the Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) casings from Shuttle flight, STS-4. When the main parachutes failed, the casings impacted the water and sank. In the nose cap of the SRBs, video cameras recorded the release of the parachutes to determine safe operation and to provide information for potential anomaly resolution. Generally, examination of the casings and nozzles contributed to understanding of the newly developed boosters and their operation. Safety verification of SRB operation was demonstrated by examination for erosion or wear of the casings and nozzle. Loss of the SRBs and associated data did not delay the launch of the next Shuttle flight.

The dramatic journey of the crippled Apollo 13 vehicle has been heavily documented and popularized. Many people know there was an explosion in the service module which caused the vehicle to lose its oxygen supply. Less well known is the set of circumstances which led to the explosion. This paper examines the manufacturing, processing and testing history of oxygen tank #2, detailing the additive effects which caused the oxygen to ignite and to overpressure the tank.

The dramatic journey of the crippled Apollo 13 vehicle has been heavily documented and popularized. Many people know there was an explosion in the service module which caused the vehicle to lose its oxygen supply. Less well known is the set of circumstances which led to the explosion. This paper examines the manufacturing, processing and testing history of oxygen tank #2, detailing the additive effects which caused the oxygen to ignite and to overpressure the tank.

Summary of Findings: (1) The post-failure investigation determined that extended operation of the heater damaged the wiring inside O2 #2. (2) Apparently during other stir operations prior to the explosion, the damaged wires didn't come in contact enough to spark. The right conditions had to be in position to cause the arcing which led to the blast.

Many studies of mishaps show that human error is a factor in a significant majority of accidents. Trying to decide how to change human behavior to be safer is generally the biggest challenge of any safety program. However, understanding the human psyche is the first step to changing behavior. Many studies focus on the before and after of an accident, but what about the thoughts of a person in the commission of an unsafe act? This is a less understood area. Examining it reveals why it is not well comprehended. This paper attempts to examine a part of the thought process, with an eye to helping influence people to less hurtful actions.

High technology industries with high failure costs commonly use redundancy as a means to reduce risk. Redundant systems, whether similar or dissimilar, are susceptible to Common Cause Failures (CCF). CCF is not always considered in the design effort and, therefore, can be a major threat to success. There are several aspects to CCF which must be understood to perform an analysis which will find hidden issues that may negate redundancy. This paper will provide definition, types, a list of possible causes and some examples of CCF. Requirements and designs from NASA projects will be used in the paper as examples.

The use of Carba-linguaduc equipment (an electronic device that facilitates communication in the nonverbal) in the teaching of basic reading skills was compared to gestural yes/no responses in a study with four severely cerebral palsied/moderately retarded young adults (ages 20 to 30). Results indicated that significant language learning was present, and that the Carba-linguaduc equipment was more effective and objective than the gestural yes/no responses for this population. Among appendixes are sight word lists and forms on physical control evaluation and the placement of letters on display boards. (PHR)