The COVID-19 pandemic increased the use of remote service delivery in early childhood intervention (EI), and this increased use is promising for young children with disabilities living in rural communities. However, the increase in remote service delivery requires a greater understanding of using evidence-based practices (EBP) delivered by EI…

The United States is becoming increasingly diverse with the largest growth in Hispanic populations. Diversity also is increasing in rural America. This diversity is reflected in the participants in early care and education programs and K-12 students. Unfortunately, demographics for college and university teacher education programs do not match…

Preparation of high quality personnel to provide educational services to students with disabilities living in rural areas is, at best, challenging. Findings from a comprehensive study concerning the status of the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in rural settings and the issues such implementation presents…

Designed for rural areas in Washington state, the Early Childhood Home Instruction Program for Young Hearing Impaired Children (ECHI) provides an opportunity for hearing-impaired children and their families to receive individual training, acquire information, address concerns, and promote child development within the familiar surroundings of their…

Describes the Wyoming Infant Stimulation Program (WISP) and its numerous collaborative activities with federal, state, and local agencies including the Agricultural Extension Service and maternal and child health programs. Notes that successful collaboration was informal and involved cooperation on specific, discrete joint projects responding to…

The Sensory Impaired Home Intervention (SKI*HI) Model provides services for rural, hearing impaired children at an average annual cost of $1,400 per child. Weekly home visits are provided by nearby or local part time parent advisors, thus minimizing travel costs and eliminating employment problems associated with long travel hours. (JHZ)

Describes Technical Assistance Centers established by the Virginia Department of Education to provide support services to preschool professionals throughout the state. Technical assistance--provided only at the request of the person who will receive it--includes needs assessments, information services, library services, on- and off-site…

Children's developmental progress was studied to determine if location and types of services for handicapped preschoolers (classroom or home and classroom combined) were significantly related to child progress. Data indicated an overall trend for progress for all participating children, but neither service delivery model emerged as the superior…

During 1984-85 New York's 14 Early Childhood Direction Centers responded to 10,609 service requests and assisted 5,283 parents, 376 professionals, and 666 agencies in obtaining services for 5,510 handicapped children aged birth to 5. The network operated at a cost of only $218 per child matched to services. (JHZ)

Project LINCS (Linking Infants in Need with Comprehensive Services) is based on a process orientation to the delivery of comprehensive services for rural handicapped infants and their families. Effective regional-community linkage is developed by community analysis, community entree, formal linkage development, formal structured interaction, and…

Describes a report on New Mexico's public school services for three- and four-year-old handicapped children, focusing on features of special interest to rural educators. Topics are curriculum selection, program models, and program delivery system alternatives. (JHZ)

Describes a program that trains parents as support personnel in classrooms serving handicapped preschoolers, a program that combines computer technology and professional expertise to assist families without access to early intervention programs, and a program that uses parents to mediate an instructional program for handicapped children from birth…

Compares survey responses of rural special education administrators and teachers in Alaska and compares results with previous national studies. Finds issues identified by administrators and teachers differ from those of national studies. Recommends that models designed for one rural environment not be generalized without considering uniqueness of…

Summarizes political, technical, attitudinal, and educational problems affecting delivery of special education services in the largely rural developing nation of Malaysia. Evaluates the possible use of a community-based model of rehabilitation that would rely heavily on parental involvement and volunteers and make the best use of the country's few…

Summarizes factors which make delivery of human services extremely difficult in Micronesia, noting problems of geographic distance and isolation and cultural and linguistic diversity. Presents a plan for providing services to persons with communication disorders using a speech-language pathologist and an audiologist with doctorates to supervise…