The attainment of curricular goals, rather than improved IQ scores, was the basis for evaluation of the effectiveness of a program for disadvantaged preschoolers. Featured is the development of an Inventory of Cognitive Skills and Visual-Motor Functioning to evaluate the child's level of functioning in curriculum-related areas. (KW)

The following major variables in preschool intervention programs for disadvantaged children, and the effects of these variables on intellectual development of the children involved, are examined: curriculum models, home intervention, age for intervention, and length of intervention program. (KW)

Personnel (N=115) from 14 professional groups working with young children with disabilities and their families assessed their current and future inservice training needs in the areas of typical/atypical development, family systems/family involvement, assessment, program implementation/evaluation, administrative/team process, professional…

The study examining the validity of statistical conclusions of 49 early intervention studies found that 4 percent had adequate power to detect medium intervention effects and 18 percent to detect large intervention effects. Low statistical conclusion validity has practical consequences in program evaluation and cost-effectiveness determinations.…

A constant-time-delay procedure was used to teach a generalized response to the lures of strangers to four preschool children with disabilities. Only after also providing in vivo training did instruction result in acquisition, maintenance, and generalization of the response with novel lures, strangers, and sites. (Author/DB)

Factors that either facilitated or inhibited development of inclusive preschool programs were identified through interviews with 201 direct service and administrative personnel in four U.S. geographical regions. Key personnel were identified as the strongest facilitators of inclusion. Other important influences were provision of training, external…

A qualitative research design was used to study decision making regarding the participation of young children with disabilities in inclusive preschool and early elementary placements. After the 5-year follow-along period, 60 percent of the children remained in some level of inclusive placement. Factors influencing placement decisions were…

The associations among classroom quality, classroom percentage of children with special needs, and child outcome measures were tested in low- and high-quality classrooms using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM). No main effect on child outcomes for the classroom concentration of children with special needs was observed. However, an interaction…

Initiation and continuation of preschool inclusion is a challenging task. Through interviews and focus groups of school district and special education personnel, researchers in this study examined how 5 programs in 1 Midwestern state provided such services. The investigation used a multiple-case study methodology to examine how these programs…

The article discusses the effect of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (P.L. 94-142) on the education of preschool handicapped children. (DLS)

Fifty states and the District of Columbia were contacted by questionnaire to survey preschool handicapped children teacher certification guidelines. (IM)

A study of four children with disabilities and six children without disabilities in an integrated preschool investigated the effects of pairing children with disabilities with trained peers for school activities and teaching interaction skills to all the children. Results found interactions between the children significantly increased after…

Two hearing-impaired children, aged three and five, were observed in free play as they alternated between integrated and segregated settings. Results indicated that the level of cognitive play was not consistently influenced by the social setting, and that the children engaged in more socially advanced play in the integrated setting. (Author/JDD)

The out-of-seat behavior of a highly disruptive 4 year old with severe disabilities was substantially reduced using differential reinforcement of incompatible behavior. The boy's in-seat behavior expanded from less than a minute to 20 minutes. The providers' use of physical restraint decreased to near-zero levels, and the boy's appropriate toy…