Parent involvement is a predictor of postsecondary education and employment outcomes, but rigorous measures of parent involvement for youth with disabilities are lacking. Hirano, Garbacz, Shanley, and Rowe adapted scales based on Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler model of parent involvement for use with parents of youth with disabilities aged 14 to 23.…

On any given day, early intervention (EI) providers must manage the individual needs of children with a range of disabilities in a variety of contexts and with varying caregiver/family priorities. Recommended and evidence-based practices as defined by Part C policy (Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act, 2004) and the Division…

This report summarizes the findings and recommendations of Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) research and technical assistance activities that were completed between 2007 and 2013. The purpose of these activities was to investigate whether ILPs should be considered a promising practice for youth with and without disabilities and to identify…

In this webinar, Dr. Joyce Epstein, Director of the Center on School, Family, and Community Partnerships and the National Network of Partnership Schools, discussed what the research says about effective family engagement. The webinar and PowerPoint presentation are also available. A brief list of resources is included.

As part of the federal Preschool Development Grant Program in late 2014, the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) was awarded a Preschool Expansion Grant (referred to as the Massachusetts PEG program) to expand high-quality early childhood education to four-year-old children from low-income families. The Massachusetts PEG…

Medical technology continues to improve, increasing life expectancies and capabilities of children with chronic illnesses and disabilities. Pediatric health issues have an impact on children's academic, emotional, behavioral, and social functioning. This article reviews a consultative Biopsychoeducational Model, based on a problem-solving process,…

Strong working relationships with diverse families and children are the foundation of successful early intervention. Discover fresh, practical ways to build these relationships in this essential guidebook, every professional's blueprint for working with children and families within the specific context of their culture, family structure, and risk…

Youth with emotional and behavioral (E/BD) and other disorders, who in many cases have not received needed interventions and supports in school, are overrepresented in the juvenile justice system. This article considers how parents of youth with E/BDs can become more involved in the process when their child is referred to juvenile court, thereby…

This researcher addresses whether transition planning with classified special education students is being implemented in accordance with the Kohler model for successful transition planning. Using archival data available from two high schools, one with a specialized on campus program and the latter as an excluded site specializing in classified…

This article begins with a vignette about Carla, a 4-year-old girl with a diagnosis of developmental delays. It then describes a model to facilitate inclusion of young children in early childhood settings. The authors developed this model as they worked with practicing early childhood professionals. The model places emphasis on the following…

Three criticisms of family-centered models of early intervention for individuals with disabilities are put forth: the definition of family is indeterminate; early interventionists bring their own conceptions of the meaning of family to their work; and empirical research about family processes and their relationship to individuals' development is…

This 43-minute videotape demonstrates a six-step family-centered transdisciplinary arena approach to assessment and service plan development for young children with disabilities. The early intervention transdisciplinary team consists of the family and professionals from various disciplines, working together to share information and skills across…

Models of collaboration among disciplines and among agencies have been developed in the early intervention field in response to the need for service coordination for young special needs children and their families. Case management is seen as a mechanism for effectively coordinating these services, and encompasses the tasks of assessing client…

This article presents a triadic interaction model that builds on and expands the strengths of the parent-infant dyad by providing contextual and interpersonal support for their interactions. The model gives explicit attention to the interactions among the three members of the early intervention triad: child, parent, and interventionist.…

This guide was developed to accompany a 43-minute video that introduces early intervention personnel to the transdisciplinary (TD) assessment process. The transdisciplinary team consists of the family and professionals from various disciplines, working together to share information and skills across disciplinary boundaries in assessment, program…