The purposes of the study were to determine (a) the ability of two spontaneous language measures, mean length of utterance in morphemes (MLU-m) and number of different words (NDW), to identify African American preschool children at low and high levels of language ability; (b) whether child chronological age was related to the performance of either…

The purpose of this study was to determine if an intervention consisting of contingently imitating play, modeling expansions of play actions, and describing play actions increased the diversity of object play in young children with disabilities. The multicomponent intervention was introduced in a multiple-probe design across three young children…

The effects of an intervention designed to facilitate interactions between two older, typically developing children and their younger siblings with Down syndrome were investigated using a multiple-baseline design across behaviors and participants. The researchers used written materials, modeling, role play, and oral feedback to teach two…

This study utilized an electronic data linkage method to examine the effects of risk factors present at birth on language development in preschool. The Preschool Language Scale-3 (PLS-3) was administered to 853 low-income children, and cumulative risk data were abstracted from linked birth records. At least one risk factor was present in 94% of…

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…

This study examined effects of an intervention (planned play, use of conversational social interaction strategies, and evaluation of play strategies) on the social-communicative interactions of six preschool children at risk for language delays and behavior problems. The intervention led to increases in social communicative behaviors, use of…

This study examined effects of Enhanced Milieu Teaching on the social communications skills of four preschool children with autism when delivered by trained interventionists. Observational data indicated that all children showed positive increases for specific target language use at the end of 24 intervention sessions, and these results were…

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…

Three older siblings were taught to use two milieu teaching procedures, modeling and mand modeling, with young children who exhibited language delays. Older siblings applied the techniques while playing, and subjects learned to use the targeted utterances both as responses and spontaneously. Additionally, interactions became more positive.…

The article describes a strategy for evaluating alternatives in intervention in families having children with handicaps using the values framework proposed by Nicholas Hobbs. A practitioners' checklist is offered as a guide for assessing the consistency of proposed interventions with the values framework. (Author/DB)

This study explored effects of teaching three novice trainers to teach three parents to implement milieu teaching with their preschool children who had language delays. Results demonstrated improved skills among trainers and increased use of the procedures by parents. Two of the three children showed increases in their targeted language responses…