Supplemental Instruction (SI) is a student academic assistance program that increases academic performance and retention through its use of collaborative learning strategies. The SI program targets traditionally difficulty academic courses, those that typically have 30 percent or higher rate of D or F final course grades or withdrawals, and provides regularly scheduled, out-of-class, peer-facilitated sessions that offer students an opportunity to discuss and process course information (Martin, Lorton, Blanc, and Evans, 1977).High-Risk Courses Versus High-Risk Students. SI thus avoids the remedial stigma often attached to traditional academic assistance programs, since it does not identify high-risk students but identifies high-risk classes. SI is open to all students in the targeted course; therefore, prescreening of students is unnecessary. Since the SI program begins the first week of the academic term, the program provides academic assistance during the critical initial sixweek period of class before many students face their first major examination. Attrition is highest during this period (Blanc, DeBuhr, and Martin, 1983; Noel, kvitz, and Saluri, 1985).Historically difficult or high-risk courses often share the following characteristics: large amounts of weekly readings from both difficult textbooks and secondary library reference works, infrequent examinations that focus on higher cognitive levels of Bloom's taxonomy, voluntary and unrecorded class attendance, and large classes in which each student has little opportunity for UNDERSTANDING THE MODEL 13The service is attached directly to specijc courses. Reading, learning, and study skills instruction are offered in the context of course requirements and as an outgrowth of student questions and concerns. Thus instruction has immediate application. While many students may self-report their need for academic assistance, only a small group will voluntarily attend workshops that feature instruction in isolated study skills.

Developmental education is an essential part of the community college mission; McCabe and Day (1998) estimate that more than two million students each year would drop out of postsecondary education without participation in one or more developmental education activities. To provide effective developmental education, community colleges should implement best practices that have been proven effective through rigorous research and evaluation based on strong theoretical foundations. This chapter discusses the primary theoretical perspectives that have shaped the profession and provide the foundation for today's professional practice, presents current research that reflects both student and institutional perspectives in evaluating a wide array of developmental education models, and concludes with recommendations for future research.

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The Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) program at the University of Minnesota is a primary academic support program for historically difficult, introductory college courses that serve as gatekeepers to academic degree programs. Based upon operating principles of other academic support programs and educational theories, PAL is integrated into the courses it serves. The PAL groups review essential course content, model cognitive learning strategies to deepen understanding, and promote metacognitive awareness so students are autonomous learners in courses without academic support services. The PAL approach operates at the confluence of collaborative learning, cooperative learning groups, and learning communities. This article provides a detailed overview of the PAL model, educational theories upon which it is based, and how variations of it are implemented at the institution. Quantitative and qualitative studies reveal academic and personal benefits for participating students and those serving as PAL facilitators. The studies validate the role of PAL with closing the achievement gap between students of different ethnicities and levels of academic preparedness for rigorous college courses in mathematics and science.