This study investigates whether extension of a caregiver-led interactive language program may enhance its effectiveness in supporting communication. Caregiver-led language programs, which focus on establishing responsive interaction patterns to support opportunities for communication between caregivers and young children within natural settings,…

Many early childhood educators struggle to meet the communication needs of children with delays and disabilities. The purpose of this study was to examine the functional relation between bug-in-ear coaching and the frequency of educators' correct use of targeted communication strategies, as well as associations with children's expressive…

Although comparison studies are important in early intervention/early childhood special education (EI/ECSE), results of well-designed comparison studies are likely to be unpublished because of undifferentiated or differently differentiated results across participants. The purpose of this article is to highlight the utility of comparison designs in…

A significant population of foster care infants and toddlers access early special education services under the parameters of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)-Part C. A dearth of literature exists about special education interventionists' services for this particular population. In response, we conducted a government-funded…

Nearly half a million children in the United States are currently being served by the foster care system. Infants and toddlers represent the largest single group entering foster care. While these very young children are at the greatest peril for physical, mental health, and developmental issues and tend to spend the longest time in the foster care…

The authors investigate the nature of child play for young children with disabilities using two different research models--the traditional psychoeducational research paradigm and the more recent interdisciplinary approach of the childhood studies paradigm. They base their discussion on a research study of toddlers with disabilities, and they…

This article applies four theoretical perspectives to the development of Group Action Planning, which supports infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families in inclusive environments. Practical suggestions for implementing Group Action Planning are offered, as is a longitudinal vignette of its application with one individual with…

Principles of program evaluation and strategic planning are discussed and applied to a case example of the Anne Arundel County (Maryland) Infants and Toddlers Program. This program contended with issues of increased referrals and enrollment, evolution from a child-centered to a family-centered paradigm, and change to community-based provision and…

Encourages early-intervention practitioners to recognize the benefits of applying management concepts to the field of social work. A five-function model of management is presented that includes the concepts of planning, organizing, staffing, leadership, and control. Case studies illustrate relevance of the five-function model for improving…

Describes a program that addresses social, emotional, and behavior issues along with the developmental problems of infants and toddlers with developmental delays. Steps the early-intervention program in Montgomery County, Maryland, took to incorporate infant mental-health services are discussed and case studies are provided. (CR)

Presented observational and descriptive data on the attachment and sensitivity between mothers and teachers and children with severe disabilities. Attachment data from mothers and teachers were obtained for four children with severe disabilities. (Author/RWB)

The purpose of this study was to inform early intervention practice by exploring the various adaptations families make to promote their child's learning, the supports they perceive as helpful in creating adaptations, and the supports they perceive as still needed. Holistic case studies were developed for 5 families of infants and toddlers with…

This book presents the theory and application of the Supportive Play Model (SPM), an intervention approach that incorporates best practices of the therapeutic, educational, and mental health fields. The model provides a systematic process for observing and understanding the play and development of young children with special needs and a…

In-depth case studies were conducted in six states, concerning interagency service coordination in implementing Part H of Public Law 99-457, which calls for a comprehensive and coordinated system of service delivery to developmentally delayed infants and toddlers and their families. Major findings included: (1) states were unable to answer…

A case study approach was used to examine the complexities of service utilization in early intervention with infants, toddlers, and young children with disabilities. Seventy-two families of children (ages birth to 4) participating in nine early intervention programs in three states (Colorado, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania) and their service…