Over the past decade, a newer class of interventions has emerged specifically designed for young children with or at high likelihood of autism, which are called Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs). NDBIs are particularly well-suited as a discipline agnostic, primary intervention for young children with autism and other…

School psychologists in Baltimore (MD) City Public Schools are engaged in efforts to expand their professional roles from a traditional to a more comprehensive model. In Baltimore, school psychologists had been in the traditional role as a special education-specific gatekeeper and service provider. Starting in 2013, a group of school…

This publication is part of the "Leading by Exemplar" project, a multi-year study conducted by Bellwether Education Partners. In this project, every aspect of the Head Start exemplars' program design and practice was closely examined in an effort to understand each program's "secret sauce." Leading by Exemplar has three goals:…

The Division for Early Childhood (DEC) lists 11 recommended practices for assessment, including "Practitioners report assessment results so they are understandable and useful to families" (DEC, 2014, p. 8). This article examines high-impact practices designed to make meaningful and understandable assessment reports to facilitate…

The professions of social work (SWK) and speech language pathology (SLP) often involve the provision of services to a diverse group of client populations in a variety of settings; this is particularly true when meeting the complex needs of children and their families. It is widely accepted that collaborative treatment approaches utilizing…

Using collaborative teamwork to build unique response-to-intervention (RTI) systems responsive to the needs and strengths within their separate schools and communities, two Montana elementary schools forged a trail for other schools. Each school encountered different obstacles along the way as well as distinctive ways of defining success. How can…

Although knowledge about the efficacy of behavioral interventions for children with ASD is increasing, studies of effectiveness and transportability to community settings are needed. The current study conducted an effectiveness trial to compare distance learning vs. live instruction for training community-based therapists to implement the Early…

This paper describes the impetus for creating the Expanding Opportunities Interagency Inclusion Initiative and achievements to date in identifying and implementing effective and efficient inclusion strategies in the participating states. In March 2004, the Child Care Bureau (CCB) (renamed the Office of Child Care) and the Administration on…

Students with Emotional Disturbances (ED) possess unique characteristics that require additional care from school counselors, teachers, and other school personnel. Information pertaining to the prevalence of ED among students and the common characteristics of students with ED is reviewed. Additionally, ideas and effective approaches that will aid…

A naturalistic study of Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) development included an examination of parent-professional relationships. Relationship quality and control issues emerged as significant factors in parent-staff interactions. A model is presented that can be used to monitor progress in implementing family-centered approaches.…

This article discusses the observations and experiences of a multidisciplinary team at the Blind Childrens Center in Los Angeles, which works specifically with children from birth to 5 years of age who have been diagnosed with optic nerve hypoplasia and may have septo-optic displasia. Strategies for educational interventions are explained.…

This final report discusses the activities and outcomes of a 3-year project designed to replicate a uniquely successful training model for involving physicians in community early intervention systems. The Caring for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities: New Roles for Physicians (CFIT) model includes three replicable components: state planning,…

This article offers an historical perspective and evaluation approach for technical assistance efforts provided by U.S. based agencies in the Pacific and two studies of outcome evaluation at the regional and local level. The Palau Interagency Model is discussed in depth as a model for change and improved interagency coordination. (Contains…

Although feeding difficulties in infants with Down syndrome are described in the literature, the experiences of parents regarding the feeding problems of their infants are largely omitted. In order to promote closer collaboration with families and speech-language therapists in early communication intervention, the study investigated some…

Project SHARE (Staff Helping Attain Relevant Education) designed and implemented a consultative/assistance team approach to assess and meet the instructional needs of handicapped students with limited English proficiency enrolled in kindergarten through grade 2 in New York City Public Schools. The program sought to develop the students'…