The Internet is an important resource for health information, among younger and older people alike. Unfortunately, there are limitations associated with online health information. Research is needed on the quality of information found online and on whether users are being critical consumers of the information they find. Also, there is a need for research investigating online use among adults aged 65 and over - a rapidly growing demographic of Internet users. The current study presents important descriptive data about the search patterns of older adults seeking online health information, the types of health topics they research, and whether they consider credibility issues when retrieving online health information. A comparison is also made between search strategies used in printed text and hypertext environments. The results, which have implications with respect to credibility issues, highlight the need to increase awareness about critical searching skills among older adult Internet users.

As a curricular approach to language arts instruction, whole language has gained prominence in the last decade. Many researchers and practitioners working in the field of learning disabilities have questioned the appropriateness of whole language for students considered to be learning disabled. In this article a rationale is presented for how the whole language approach provides the type of environment that is particularly suitable for these students. This is developed by analyzing the documented characteristics of these learners and the implications of those characteristics within a whole language curriculum.

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