People who have both autism spectrum disorder and complex communication needs require specialized, multidisciplinary interventions and supports to boost their independence and quality of life. Find up-to-date, evidence-supported information and strategies in this book, the newest volume in the respected Augmentative and Alternative Communication…

The Promising Practices Network (PPN) on Children, Families and Communities (www.promisingpractices.net) began as a partnership between four state-level organizations that help public and private organizations improve the well-being of children and families. The PPN website, archived in June 2014, featured summaries of programs and practices that…

The broad array of data presented each year in the "KIDS COUNT Data Book" is intended to illuminate the status of America's children and to assess trends in their well-being. By updating the assessment every year, KIDS COUNT provides ongoing benchmarks that can be used to see how states have advanced or regressed over time. Readers can also use…

Individuals with Down syndrome typically have low fitness levels and obesity despite data that indicate physiological gains from physical activity and exercise interventions. Low fitness levels and obesity in individuals with Down syndrome may be related to sedentary lifestyles, social and recreational opportunities, or low motivation to be…

Family-school partnerships are increasingly touted as a means of improving both student and school improvement. This recognition has led to an increase in policies and initiatives that offer the following benefits: improved communication between parents and educators; home and school goals that are mutually supportive and shared; better…

Analyzes age and sex differences among children and adolescents who call KIDLINE, a community telephone service that provides information, support, and assistance to latchkey children. Finds that most calls come from younger children, are conversational in nature, and are from females. Recommends hotlines only as supplements to organized child…

The United Nations' Convention on the Rights of the Child is a major achievement in the struggle to extend human rights to children. Its antecedents include the efforts of Dan Mulock Houwer, Eglantyne Jebb, Gustave Ador, and the work and words of Janusz Korczak (pioneer in residential care and director of an orphanage in Warsaw between 1912 and…

Describes a sex education program that offers classes for four groups: (1) mothers and their 9- to 12-year-old daughters, (2) mothers and their 13- to 17-year-old daughters, (3) fathers and their 9- to 12-year-old sons, and (4) fathers and their 13- to 17-year-old sons. Curricula relevant to the two age groups and classroom activities are…

Faults Lawrence J. Schweinhart and David P. Weikert's article in this "Educational Leadership" issue for concluding that disadvantaged preschoolers taught by direct instruction have twice the teenage delinquency rate of children experiencing the High/Scope program. Accuses the authors of exaggerating statistical differences, research…

Criticizes Lawrence J. Schweinhart and David Weikart's article on early childhood development in this "Educational Leadership" issue for overemphasizing inadequacies of the direct academic approach. Claims that findings were based on insufficient data and disclosed no significant differences in self-esteem, locus of control, suspension,…

Defends the authors' conclusions in this "Educational Leadership" issue that the High/Scope preschool program produced teenagers with half the delinquency rate of those experiencing teacher-directed instruction. Counters Russell Gersten and W. White's claims of research bias, defending the study's use of appropriate blind data…

The goal of the Texas Reading Club is to encourage the children of Texas to become library users and lifelong readers. This manual was created for the 2002 Texas Reading Club, a program of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. The theme, "Read Across Texas!" invites children to explore the history, geography, and culture of…

Family stress and coping behaviors of 90 mothers with moderately mentally retarded children exhibited no significant differences across 3 age groups: school entry, early adolescence, and young adult. Differences in perceived stress were found for race and maternal age; differences in coping behaviors were found for race, marital status, and…

Discusses results of a longitudinal study comparing three models of preschool education for disadvantaged children: a teacher-oriented DISTAR program, a High/Scope collaborative model, and a traditional nursery school program. While all three programs improved IQ scores, participants in the DISTAR model reported twice as much delinquency as those…

Developed by the 1986-1988 Youth Services Advisory Committees to the North Carolina State Library, the competencies suggested in this manual are presented under 11 headings: (1) General Knowledge of Library Policies, Procedures, Goals, Etc.; (2) Youth Services Department Goals and Objectives; (3) Knowledge of Client Group; (4) Library Materials;…