The practicum report describes a program which established an Early Childhood Special Education Resource Center to serve the parents and teachers of deaf and hearing-impaired preschool children attending an integrated laboratory school associated with the University of Puerto Rico. Program goals included promoting parent-teacher interaction to…

This report of the Preschool Evaluation Project provides developmental profiles of handicapped children who attended preschool special education programs in Montgomery County Public Schools (Maryland), and estimates how effective these programs were in accelerating the development of children with various types of handicaps. The developmental…

This review of early intervention for preschool children with learning disabilities examines: (1) definitions of learning disabilities; (2) characteristics of learning-disabled children and children at risk; (3) identification of preschool children at risk; (4) efficacy of early intervention; (4) phases of an early intervention program, including…

One of the most popular and enduring legacies of President Lyndon B. Johnson's Great Society programs, Project Head Start continues to support young children of low-income families--close to one million annually--by providing a range of developmental and educational services. Yet as Head Start reaches its fortieth anniversary, debates over the…

This final report summarizes the objectives, activities and outcomes of a federally-funded project that was designed to add an interdisciplinary specialization in multiple disabilities for infants and toddlers to an existing Early Intervention Master of Education/Early Childhood Education Certificate Program at the University of Pittsburgh. Seven…

Contrary to earlier views, studies show that preschool children with conduct problems will likely continue to exhibit some maladjustment in adolescence and adulthood. A high rate of aggression and noncompliance in toddlers can be predictive of serious antisocial problems later in life, if not treated. Interventions aimed at changing the disruptive…

This final report describes the objectives, activities and outcomes of a federally funded initiative to train and assist early childhood interagency teams in a model of planning systems and services for all young children, including children with disabilities and other special needs. The project is based on the value of stakeholder ownership in…

This early intervention kit includes a Comprehensive Early Stimulation Program for Infants (CESPI) instruction manual, an early interventionist workbook, and ten parent/caregiver workbooks. The CESPI early intervention program is designed to provide therapists, teachers, other health professionals, and parents with a common-sense, practical guide…

Five parents of children with language delays and emergent behavior problems from low-socioeconomic backgrounds were taught to support their preschool children's communication skills and manage their behavior. Parents learned the strategies, generalized these strategies to interactions at home, and maintained positive changes 6 months after the…

A preschool teacher of children who are deaf or hard of hearing describes her classroom program, which provides children with opportunities to make choices; encourages whole language learning through theme cycles; teaches by means of learning centers, dramatic play, and science investigations; and reinforces the day's activities through use of a…

This follow-up study evaluated 2 programs for 40 preschool children with speech disorders: a home parent training program and a clinic-based, low parent involvement program. The home parent training group performed as well or better on measures of speech, language, personal/social skills, and adaptive behavior. Program costs were similar.…

Describes a model of comprehensive individualized support for young children (ages 24 to 48 months) with severe developmental disabilities, including autism, based on a triad of essential elements: (1) development of functional communication skills; (2) supported participation in socially inclusive environments; and (3) multifaceted family…

This study of 12 parents of preschool children with disabilities trained parents to implement responsive interaction and examined the effects on their child's language and communication skills. Findings indicated an improvement in and maintenance of communication and language skills of the children. Parents were satisfied with their participation…

Conflicting perspectives on the parent's role in the infant/toddler classroom can play a significant role in early educational settings. A recent ethnographic study of an Early Head Start program in New York City focused on conflict of this nature and raised the following set of questions: What sort of power and privilege should parents be given…

This monograph provides an overview of federal laws relevant to the provision of educational services to preschool children with disabilities (as well as additional laws pertaining to children who are homeless) and examines implementation of these laws in New York City. It begins with an overview of federal legislation including the Individuals…