This article provides a rationale for the use of choice in home and school environments, advocates for the systematic and careful use of choice as an intervention strategy, provides examples for embedding choice, and discusses guidelines for use and factors that may limit the use of choice. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

This article provides an overview of the family information gathering process in early intervention and the effect of cultural and linguistic diversity on family information gathering. Practical strategies that early intervention providers can use in interviews, surveys, and observations are discussed, as well as implications for personnel…

This article describes PIIE (identify Preference, choose Intervention, Implement, and Evaluate), a new approach designed to promote the communicative behaviors of young children with autism and pervasive developmental disorder. Two case examples are included to illustrate the process and its utility with toddlers and preschool age children.…

This article discusses the role of temperament in the development of young children with disabilities and the five dimensions of temperament: activity level, intensity, mood, persistence, and reaction to new experiences. Types of behavioral tendencies that exemplify each temperament dimension are described, along with interaction adaptation…

This article reviews routine-based teaching and monitoring and offers guidelines for using these strategies to track the progress of individual children with disabilities. The Individual Activity-Objective Matrix and the Group-Objective Matrix are explained as ways to help teachers to structure opportunities for a child to learn and practice…

This article discusses the increased emphasis on providing early intervention services within natural environments and how to maximize natural learning opportunities by using everyday activities that children experience and embedding intervention in daily routines. Guidelines for deciding the frequency of services, changing services, and the level…

This article describes resources for supporting parents who have developmental disabilities, including a study on the strategies of parents with disabilities, a video of a couple who moved from an institution to marriage and parenthood, a guide for supporting parents, a resource center, and an online support network. (CR)

This article discusses disability as one aspect of diversity in inclusive early childhood classrooms and offers a framework for evaluating children's books that address disability as a part of diversity. The nine criteria are explained and discussed: illustrations, story line, lifestyles, relationships, self-image, author/illustrator backgrounds,…

This article offers guidelines for writing interagency agreements between inclusive Head Start programs and school districts. Guidelines address what an interagency agreement should be, how to recognize existing "phantom" agreements, the purpose statement, program mandates, key interagency process sections, and closing components. Insets and…

This article offers suggestions on enhancing emotional vocabulary in early childhood education settings. A schematic of children's emotional literacy is followed by ways to build emotional vocabulary by teaching directly, teaching incidentally, or utilizing special activities. Suggestions also address teaching children to recognize feelings in…

This article discusses supporting friendship formation in young children with autism. Strategies for facilitating friendships are discussed and include creating opportunities for displaying special talents and abilities; discovering common interests; adapting the curriculum and available materials; and recognizing the importance of school to home…

This article describes a 4-step protocol for selecting and facilitating production of a first vocabulary in children with specific language impairment using a focused language stimulation approach. Focused language stimulation includes general language stimulation techniques and, in addition, requires frequent, highly concentrated repetitions of…

This article describes specific steps educational teams can follow to embed individualized education program (IEP) goals and objectives into daily activities and routines and, therefore, enhance the likelihood that intervention efforts are effective, individualized, and developmentally appropriate for young children with disabilities. Strategies…

This article lists eight resources for providing effective services to very young children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and their families. Resources address communication options, early intervention, aural-oral and sign options for hearing families in early home programming, cochlear implants, and sharing the joy of storytelling with toddlers…

This article discusses home/family factors related to the development of emergent literacy skills in preschool-age children and presents the Home Literacy Inventory for assessing children's non-print activities, reading activities, writing activities, and current reading and writing abilities. How the information can be used to develop…