A primary effort in early intervention and early childhood special education (EI/ECSE) is to use science to discover the most effective approaches for promoting positive outcomes for infants and young children with disabilities and their families. Syntheses of the literature are identifying practices having empirical support, but a gap still…

In the present study, the authors investigated the effectiveness of a sibling-mediated intervention in supporting the social behaviors of young children with autism. They used a multiple-baseline design across four sibling dyads to examine the effectiveness of the intervention. The researchers taught the typically developing siblings ways to…

Cost information was collected from five local education agencies that provided inclusive and traditional special education service options for preschool children with disabilities. Within-agency comparisons suggested that inclusive models were generally less expensive or comparable in cost to traditional forms of special education. Specific cost…

This article presents a conceptual framework based on an intervention hierarchy to assist in deciding how to promote the peer interactions of young children with peer-related social competence difficulties in natural environments. It discusses making developmentally appropriate and inclusive early childhood programs the foundation for improved…

This article reviews outcomes of inclusion at the preschool level, social integration patterns, placement, definition, quality, instruction, teacher and family attitudes, community participation, policy factors, and cultural influences. The concluding discussion addresses ongoing issues related to definition, quality, intensity and instruction,…

A multimethod assessment (i.e., direct observation, observer impressions, teacher rating, peer ratings) of children's social competence was conducted with 222 preschool children with and without disabilities. Principal component analysis yielded four factors, the first of which accounted for the largest percentage of variance. (Author/CR)

A study compared the effects of different intervention approaches designed to promote peer-related social competence of 83 preschool children with disabilities. Analyses indicated that the peer-mediated condition had the greatest and most sustained effect on children's participation in social interaction and on the quality of interaction.…

Seventeen rating scales to assess parent-infant interactions are reviewed. A table provides identifying information, descriptive information, and psychometric qualities. Discussion includes implications for practice in the assessment of infants with disabilities and directions for future research. (Author/DB)

Suggestions are offered for building classroom-based social skills programs for young severely disabled children. Scheduling, ecological, and instructional factors are examined. Among conclusions drawn are that peers can be effective teachers and that toys, materials, and play activities can significantly influence the success of social skills…

Naturalistic inquiry is an alternative to traditional assessment and experimental methodologies for measuring the effects of early intervention programs with young handicapped children. Discussion focuses on (1) the inductive nature of the naturalistic method; (2) potential strengths and weaknesses; (3) procedures for data collection. (Author/JW)

The authors advocate a performance-based approach to assessing social competence in which multiple staff and parents evaluate the adequacy of the child's behavior in social interactions with peer and adults. An example illustrates the approach in an early childhood special education setting. (CL)

The role of theory-based research in early childhood special education is examined, including the relevance of such research at different phases of teachers' careers. It is recommended that professional education provide teachers with skills to construct personalized theories of effective educational practices and to evaluate their theories.…

This article compares recommended practices identified by the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Similarities and differing emphases are noted in the areas of inclusion, family involvement, assessment, program planning, curriculum and intervention strategies, service…

Professional and bureaucratic barriers to implementation of mainstreaming at the preschool level include philosophical and theoretical differences between early childhood education and special education, differences in personnel preparation, staff attitudes, issues related to current state regulations and monitoring, and provision of related…

The article examines the transition to parenthood that occurs for parents of full-term healthy infants and the similarities and differences in the experiences of parents of technology-assisted infants. Implications for early intervention practice for technology-assisted infants and their families are then discussed. (Author/JDD)