bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Improvement on Water Retaining and Agent Distribution of PET Non-woven Fabrics Treated with the Low Molecular Weight Polyurethane Solutions
Authors: Sun Chang-Jung , Suen Maw-Cherng , Chen Hung-En , Chen Cheng-Chi
Published: December 2008

In this study, diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI), 2,2-bis(hydroxymethy)-propionic acid (DMPA), and polytetramethyleneglycol (PTMG) were employed to polymerize the low molecular weight polyurethane (LMWPU). The mole ratios for the LMWPUs were 4.0:1.5:0.5, 4.0:1.0:1.0, and 4.0:0.5:1.5, respectively. The three LMWPUs were dissolved in lithium chloride/tetrahydrofuran (UCV THF) to prepare the finishing solutions. The water retaining values of the treated non-woven fabrics with the solutions increased by the increase of the component of the PTMG contained in LMWPU. This higher content of PTMG in LMWPU resulted in a lower add-on value and a lower degree of the blocking deposited in the gaps among fibers. Both of these could significantly improve the water retaining property. The water retaining values for the LMWPU solutions were dramatically higher than those for commercial water soluble polyurethane and LMWPU emulsions. The functional groups of LMWPU were confirmed with the analyses of the spectra of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The average molecular weights of the three LMMTUs ranged from 2000 to 3800 g/mole and the average particle sizes ranged from 140 to 1140 nm. The degree of polymer crystals obtained from LMWPU solutions is lower, which could also significantly improve the water retaining property.
Research on the Breaking and Tearing Strengths and Elongation of Automobile Seat Cover Fabrics
Authors: Pamuk Gülşah , Çeken Fatma
Published: December 2008

The automotive industry is a major customer of the technical textiles market. In this industry, seat covers are the most important application area of technical textiles. As the customer demands increase and competition among original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) becomes more intense, the test standards for technical textiles are gradually being raised and becoming more thorough. Higher breaking and tearing strengths and breaking elongation are specifications required for advanced seat covers. It is a fact that deficiencies in these specifications have some effect on field returns (the return of failed cars to field service), raising costs and loss of confidence in the product and the producer. This paper investigates breaking and tearing strengths, and breaking elongation performances of the technical textiles used for automobile seat covers. The fabrics used in this research were supplied from seat cover fabric manufacturers who produce these fabrics for multinational automotive companies. The data obtained from the tests are evaluated statistically. The results indicate that flat woven and woven velour seat cover fabrics are the best in terms of breaking and tearing strength performances. Circular knitted automobile seat cover fabrics give the greatest elongation measures.
Comfort Analysis of Woven Cotton/Polyester Fabrics Modified with a New Elastic Fiber, Part 1 Preliminary Analysis of Comfort and Mechanical Properties
Authors: Verdu P. , Rego Jose M. , Nieto J. , Blanes M.
Published: December 2008

This study aimed to establish the effect on comfort of introducing the DOW XLA™ fiber in woven polyester/cotton fabrics used for professional wear end use. The comfort elements analyzed in this study were thermal and moisture sensations, tactile sensations, and pressure sensations. A fabric elasticized with the elastic fiber polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) was also included in the study for comparative purposes. This study was also devoted to establishing how the fabric mechanical and comfort properties change with repeated laundry washes (which is denoted here as the maintenance study). The results indicated that the use of DOW XLA™ fiber inside a core spun yarn to elasticize fabrics for professional wear provided additional comfort over non-elasticized fabrics by adding stretch and an improved hand feel. These fabrics showed a thermophysiological and sensorial comfort that remained constant with washing cycles. The differences in performance found when compared against traditional non-elasticized and PBT-elasticized fabrics were explained as a result of having an elastic fiber in the core of the core spun yarn that had moderated elastic response after yarn and fabric finishing processes.
Nonlinear Buckling of Woven Fabrics Part II: Recovery from Buckling and Experimental Verification
Authors: Anandjiwala R.D. , Gonsalves J.W.
Published: December 2008

In the first part of this paper, the fabric buckling model proposed by Grosberg and Swani was modified by incorporating Huang's bilinear bending rule. This buckling theory is further extended to model the recovery behavior by incorporating the bilinear bending rule. This model removes the obvious inconsistency of earlier approaches. The recovery behavior computed from the proposed theory appears realistic and consistent with typical experimental results. The experimental validation of both buckling and recovery models is compared with similar models proposed by Grosberg and Swani. The agreement between experimental and theoretical behavior is fairly good and mostly consistent. Possible reasons for certain observed discrepancies are summarized.
Do University Centers Produce Comparable Teacher Education Candidates?
Authors: Locklear Christopher D. , Davis Mary Lynne , Covington Vivian Martin
Published: December 2008

This study investigates the effectiveness of a two-plus-two university center teacher education program. In this program, the entire curriculum is delivered on community college campuses; community college faculty members deliver the general education coursework, and university faculty members deliver coursework in the teacher education program area. A comparison of university center teacher education graduates with graduates who completed their programs on the university campus yielded no significant differences across several measures, including grades, assessments of dispositions, progress reports, and self-assessments of competence. The findings suggest that the university center model is a viable alternative to traditional, on-campus teacher education programs and may help address the teacher shortage—especially in rural areas—by reducing geographic and fiscal barriers to baccalaureate teacher education programs.
Effects of intradialytic exercise training on health-related quality of life indices in haemodialysis patients
Authors: Ouzouni Stavroula , Kouidi Evangelia , Sioulis Athanasios , Grekas Dimitrios , Deligiannis Asterios
Published: December 2008

Objective: To assess the effects of intradialytic exercise training on health-related quality of life indices in haemodialysis patients.

Subjects/patients: Thirty-five patients on haemodialysis, with a mean (SD) age of 48.8 (13.9) years, volunteered to participate in the study. They were randomized either to rehabilitation group (group A: 19 patients), following a 10-month intradialytic exercise training programme or to control group (group B: 14 patients). After the randomization, two of the patients, one of each group, withdrew from the study for reasons unrelated to exercise training.

Method: All patients at the beginning and the end of the study underwent clinical examination, laboratory tests and a treadmill exercise testing with spiroergometric study for the evaluation of their aerobic capacity (Vo2peak). A formal psychosocial assessment, which included affective (Beck Depression Inventory), health-related quality of life (Quality of Life Index, Living Questionnaire of Minnesota, Life Satisfaction Index and Short Form-36 questionnaire) and personality (Eysenck Personality Questionnaire) parameters, was evaluated at beginning and end of the study. The dose of erythropoietin was changed as needed, according to the level of the haemoglobin, aiming to keep it at 11 (2) g/dL during the study.

Results: Baseline values were similar between the two groups. After training in group A, Vo2peak was increased by 21.1% (P<0.05) and exercise time by 23.6% (P<0.05). Moreover, group A showed a decrease in self-reported depression (Beck Depression Index) of 39.4% (P<0.001). In addition, trained patients demonstrated a significant improvement in Quality of Life Index (from 6.5 (1.8) to 9.0 (1.3), P<0.001) and Life Satisfaction Index (from 44.8 (8.6) to 53.0 (5.6), P<0.001), and an increase in the Physical Component Scale of the SF-36 (from 40.5 (5.6) to 44.5 (5.5), P<0.05), while the Mental Component Scale remained unchanged. Multiple regression analysis indicated that the improvement in quality of life depended on the participation in exercise programmes, the effects of training and the reduction in the level of depression. No changes were observed in Eysenck Personality Questionnaire by the end of the study, while all the above parameters remained almost unchanged in the controls.

Conclusion: The results demonstrated that intradialytic exercise training improves both physical functioning and psychological status in haemodialysis patients, leading to an improvement of patients' quality of life.
Therapeutic aquatic exercise in the treatment of low back pain: a systematic review
Authors: Waller Benjamin , Lambeck Johan , Daly Daniel
Published: December 2008

Objective: To examine the effectiveness of therapeutic aquatic exercise in the treatment of low back pain.

Design: A systematic review.

Methods: A search was performed of PEDro, CINAHL (ovid), PUBMED, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register and SPORTDiscus databases to identify relevant studies published between 1990 and 2007. Population: Adults suffering from low back pain. Intervention: All types of therapeutic aquatic exercise. Comparison: All clinical trials using a control group. Outcomes: Oswestry Disability Index, McGill Pain Questionnaire, subjective assessment scale for pain (e.g. visual analogue scale) and number of work days lost as a direct result of low back pain. Methodological quality was assessed using the PEDro scale and the SIGN 50 assessment forms.

Results: Thirty-seven trials were found and seven were accepted into the review. Therapeutic aquatic exercise appeared to have a beneficial effect, however, no better than other interventions. Methodological quality was considered low in all included studies. The heterogeneity among studies, in numbers of subjects, symptoms durations, interventions and reporting of outcomes, precluded any extensive meta-analysis of the results.

Conclusion: There was sufficient evidence to suggest that therapeutic aquatic exercise is potentially beneficial to patients suffering from chronic low back pain and pregnancy-related low back pain. There is further need for high-quality trials to substantiate the use of therapeutic aquatic exercise in a clinical setting.
The feeding process and the nutritional needs of handicapped infants and preschoolers
Authors: Mills Yvonne L. , Hedges Cynthia Ambis
Published: December 2008

Problems in feeding are frequently encountered with infants and preschoolers who have handicaps. Their handicaps may affect one or more aspects of the total feeding process, such as sucking, biting, chewing, or swallowing. Since eating is necessary for survival, their handicaps influence their health status. The feeding process and nutritional needs of these children must be assessed, and any problems must be remediated. In a hospital or clinic, the speech-language pathologist and dietitian combine their expertise to address feeding problems. Their coordinated efforts can help solve feeding problems and fulfill nutritional needs of handicapped infants and preschoolers.
Lead, trace mineral intake, and behavior of children
Authors: Blouin Arthur G. , Blouin Jane H. , Kelly Teresa Conrad
Published: December 2008

Exposure to lead and nutritional inadequacy have been found to be related to learning and behavioral disorders in children. The bulk of the research on this relation is correlational, however, rendering the existence (and direction) of causality unknown. The treatment studies in this area generally have not included appropriate placebo controls or double-blind conditions. In addition, studies of lead exposure tend to exclude consideration of dietary factors in spite of the fact that competition between lead and trace minerals has been demonstrated. This article examines the cumulative effects of mineral insufficiency and exposure to lead.
Early labeling of children
Authors: Leigh James E.
Published: December 2008

The issue of labeling young children identified as at risk for academic failure is explored in this article. The author, while strongly supporting early identification and treatment efforts, discusses limitations of using both the generic label “at risk” and the specific categorical label “learning disability” with such children. An orientation to assessment which yields information pertaining to abilities, skills, and knowledge directly related to later academic functioning is recommended. Such assessment is conducted for the purpose of delineating specific strengths and concerns in preacademic behaviors rather than to classify children using diagnostic labels.
Early identification
Authors: Keogh Barbara K.
Published: December 2008

Assumptions and practices in early identification of at-risk or high risk children are discussed from a developmental perspective. Content includes distinctions among risk categories, conceptual and measurement issues, influences on children's performance which affect early identification results, and the links between identification and services. Particular emphasis is given to the screening component of early identification programs because screening is widely practiced and affects large numbers of children. Six questions to be considered before implementing early identification programs are posed: How accurate is the screening system? Are the conditions of the screening adequate to ensure validity and reliability of findings? Does the level of inference drawn from screening data match the level of measurement employed? Are the specific procedures workable and efficient? Does the program provide for reasessment in order to document possible change? Does the identification lead to appropriate services? Given positive answers to these questions, we argue vigorously for the importance and value of early identification and prevention practices, suggesting that early identification be viewed as a comprehensive set of services, not just a test or assessment procedure.
The warning signs of school failure
Authors: Simner Marvin L.
Published: December 2008

A review of the research findings dealing with the traditional warning signs of school failure showed that many of these signs have little actual bearing on later school achievement. Five warning signs were located, however, that teachers should find useful as aids in helping them to identify kindergarten children who are truly at-risk for later school failure.
Effects of psychotropic drugs on the behavior of preacademic children
Authors: Zentall Sydney S.
Published: December 2008

This article briefly reviews the psychotropic drugs, and discusses their effects, and applicability to different types of children. The major focus is on the preacademic behavior that differentiates young (3–6 years) hyperactive children from nonhyperactive children. Evidence indicates that stimulants are less useful for young children and they precipitate a significant number of unwanted side effects. It is suggested that the difference in drug effectiveness observed between younger and older children can be attributed to differences in adaptation to environment and task requirements.
Primary health care aspects of learning problems in young children
Authors: Hayman Laura L.
Published: December 2008

This article discusses the development in primary health care of a holistic orientation in which all aspects of child development—including learning and behavior—are considered part of the health care provider's domain. The health care community is challenged to develop more effective approaches to the identification of children at-risk, assessment, and intervention and evaluation of outcomes.
Efficacy of early intervention on preacademic deficits
Authors: Reynolds Lynne , Egan Rosemary , Lerner Janet
Published: December 2008

A survey of the literature on the efficacy of early intervention with preschool handicapped children was conducted to analyze the results of such intervention on preacademic deficits. The survey includes a review of published efficacy articles from 1939 through 1982, an historical overview, and a discussion of the significance of federal funding on the number of demonstration models. Positive results for over-all program effectiveness were found, and individual child gains were demonstrated. Limitations of efficacy studies and implications for future research were discussed.
Bridges to academic success for young at-risk children
Authors: Dettre Judith H.
Published: December 2008

Young at-risk children can enter a group academic setting as confident learners well prepared for assimilating academic skills. If careful attention is given to prioritizing prerequisites and providing underlying preparedness, direct bridges to academic success may be built. The article describes strategies of major interest to preschool/kindergarten teachers and clinicians.
Early Intervention
Authors: Greenberg Mark T. , Calderon Rosemary
Published: December 2008

This article concerns research and clinical issues in the provision of early intervention to young deaf children and their families. The existing outcome literature on the use of Oral-only and Total Communication approaches is reviewed. Then, the methodological and practical difficulties of outcome research are explored. The authors propose a developmental/transactional, clinically-based process model for evaluating the effectiveness of early intervention on the basis that we need to better understand how the interactions of both family and therapist/intervenor attributes relate to more or less beneficial outcomes of intervention.
The Uses of Social Routines to Facilitate Communication in Visually Impaired and Multihandicapped Children
Authors: Rogow Sally M.
Published: December 2008

The visually impaired young child with additional handicaps experiences great difficulty in learning to communicate. Self-stimulation, withdrawal, and other maladaptive behaviors accompany the failure to develop communication and social interaction. Social interactions encourage and develop awareness and attention to others; anticipation and intention enable the visually impaired multihandicapped child to communicate with his or her social environment. Social routines based on rhyming verses combined with co-active participation with adults were developed to permit these children to associate communicative responses with attention to and action on objects.
Starting Right
Authors: Truan Mila B.
Published: December 2008

Selecting the most appropriate first grade placement for a handicapped child is difficult. If the child is blind, placement choices may be even more difficult. This article identifies the range of educational supports required for full services to visually impaired students entering school, describes key characteristics of young blind children, and presents guidelines for assessing school-age blind children for purposes of program selection.
Social Policy and Young Handicapped Children
Authors: Garwood S. Gray
Published: December 2008

The focus of this discussion is federal social policy; a conceptual overview of social policy is provided and serves as the framework for a discussion of social policy decision making as it affects young handicapped children. This policy base is examined in light of factors and strategies that affect its development. The article concludes with a discussion of the need to include policy making and policy issues in the education of all those who work with young handicapped children.
The Contribution of Handicapping Conditions to Child Abuse
Authors: Starr Raymond H. , Dietrich Kim N. , Fischhoff Joseph , Ceresnie Steven , Zweier Debra
Published: December 2008

The literature on the contribution of low birthweight, perinatal problems, congenital disorders, and mental retardation to child abuse is reviewed. While existing transactional and ecological theories suggest such child factors should contribute to abuse, a careful analysis of studies indicates handicapping conditions are not major causal factors. Results of prospective, longitudinal research suggest that minor deviations in child behavior rather than major handicaps are related to the occurrence of abuse. Efforts to help families adjust to having a handicapped child, while helpful in alleviating the stresses in such families, will not have a major impact on the incidence of abuse.
The Neonatal Intensive-Care Unit
Authors: Raye John R. , Healey Joseph M.
Published: December 2008

Among the many recent health-care issues attracting public attention, few have been as emotionally charged and have generated as much concern as that of treatment decisions in which care has been withheld from seriously ill and handicapped infants. This attention has resulted in a movement to establish more direct federal and state regulation of these care decisions. The complexity of these decisions, each unique with varying degrees of uncertainty, limits the effectiveness of a regulatory scheme based on generalizations. The decision-making process must focus on the best interests of the individual infant and maintain the responsibility for pursuing that interest within the parent-physician relationship. This goal is best served by mandating the development, within the individual institution, of policies for the process of decision making and for review of these decisions. Existing law should be used as a positive force to encourage parents and physicians to exercise these responsibilities in a just manner.
Environmental Constraints Affecting Services for the Handicapped
Authors: Hatch Orrin G.
Published: December 2008

Social policies that affect handicapped infants and preschoolers should assure that families have the necessary resources to meet the needs of these special children and should not usurp the authority or responsibilities of parents to their children. Aspects that affect the formulation of policy include economics factors, tax policies, geographic factors, prevention efforts, and current progress in early-childhood special education. The cost-effectiveness of programs must be a criteria in outlining how to best serve the handicapped child. The emotional strain a family must cope with in caring for a handicapped child should also be addressed by educating the parent as well as the child. Public policy that deals with handicapped citizens should explore preventative measures as well as remediation. Education should stress prevention of birth defects and the effects of substance abuse on the fetus. Federal funding for programs serving handicapped persons has consistently registered moderate increases even in times of decreased revenues that have produced cuts in nearly all other federal education programs. There is a bipartisan commitment to at least keep funding levels for these special programs in line with inflation whatever the impact of tax and economic policies in general.
Language Problems of Learning Disabled Children
Authors: Johnson Doris J.
Published: December 2008

The article focuses on the nature of language problems in learning disabled children. Since language can be delayed for various reasons, the examination includes a study of sensory acuity, intelligence, and experience. All symbol systems including oral language, reading, and written language are evaluated to study interrelationships between areas. Analyses of nonverbal processes as well as verbal functions are assessed to determine the sources of the problems.
Natural Environment Language Assessment and Intervention with Severely Impaired Preschoolers
Authors: Halle James W. , Anderson Stephen R.
Published: December 2008

The literature on language assessment and intervention with severely handicapped populations has emphasized the acquisition of skills while neglecting the role of the environment. Recent recognition of generalization problems has forced language researchers and practitioners to reexamine the role of the environment in language remediation. The present paper represents a more balanced approach to assessment and intervention that surveys both the learner's skills and the context in which the skills are displayed. The essence of this approach is that the natural environment is adopted as the setting for assessment and training. This paper will first provide a rationale for the importance of assessing and intervening directly in the natural environment. Three prerequisites for language will be identified, and means for assessing each will be discussed. Procedures for restructuring or rearranging the natural environment to occasion and support language use are surveyed. In the final section of the paper, three natural environment language training procedures are described in terms of application, empirical support, and objectives. Throughout the paper the assessment and intervention procedures are discussed in terms of their implications for and applications with severely impaired preschoolers.
Yes/No Answers and the Verbally Delayed Child
Authors: Fay Warren H.
Published: December 2008

Verbally delayed children can usually be taught to say the words yes and no. Such utterances are of questionable value, however, unless the concepts of interrogation and affirmation/negation are appreciated. This paper describes the linguistic/cognitive challenge of answering yes/no questions appropriately. The coping strategies of normally developing children are used as the basis for tutorial suggestions for intervention with the developmentally delayed.
The Efficacy of Early Intervention For Severely Handicapped Infants and Young Children
Authors: Bailey E. J. , Bricker Diane
Published: December 2008

This article evaluates the impact of early intervention on severely handicapped infants and young children. On the basis of a specific set of criteria, 13 programs were selected for this analysis. Although these programs differed considerably in terms of population characteristics, intervention approaches, and evaluation methodology, all programs reported some form of positive outcome data. Further, although several of these studies lacked adequate controls, the reported outcomes must be evaluated in light of the methodological limitations imposed by target populations. In addition, early intervention evaluation has been underway little more than ten years. When viewed in the context of such constraints, the outcomes reported here appear to offer promising evidence for the effectiveness of early intervention with severely handicapped infants and children.
Effective and Efficient Procedures for the Transfer of Stimulus Control
Authors: Wolery Mark , Gast David L.
Published: December 2008

This paper describes and reviews procedures for transferring stimulus control. Assumptions for using these procedures are included. Four response prompting and two stimulus manipulation procedures are discussed. The response prompting procedures are most-to-least prompts, graduated guidance, system of least prompts, and time delay. The stimulus manipulation procedures are stimulus shaping and stimulus fading. Recommendations concerning the use of these procedures by teachers are made, and questions for further research are noted.
A Responsive Curriculum for Severely Handicapped Preschoolers
Authors: McCormick Linda , Noonan Mary Jo
Published: December 2008

This article provides a rationale and procedures for development and implementation of a curriculum to shape functional skills for SMH/SPH preschoolers. Five response levels of increasing complexity and sophistication are suggested. Teachers are urged to be sensitive and responsive to child-determined instructional occasions in early assessment and intervention. Application of educational validity criteria to program evaluation is also discussed.
A Functional Model of Social Competence
Authors: Bailey Donald B. , Simeonsson Rune J.
Published: December 2008

This article describes a functional model of social competence involving a stimulus situation, a behavior, and a set of outcomes. Socially competent behaviors are assumed to be affected by functional capacity, social awareness, temperament, and learning history. Four outcomes are suggested as requirements for socially competent behaviors: behavioral, communicative, instrumental, and affective.
Social and Nonsocial Determinants of Acceptability in Handicapped Preschool Children
Authors: Strain Phillip S.
Published: December 2008

Various social and nonsocial behaviors of 72 severely handicapped preschool children were assessed. One-half of these children were judged to be more highly rated sociometrically (by normal peers) than their handicapped counterparts. While clear social behavior differences emerged between more and less accepted children, equally powerful differences were noted in certain nonsocial skills and attributes: physical attractiveness, toy play skill, level of disruption in class, and athletic skill. In fact, social and nonsocial variables were found to contribute equally important information for predicting sociometric status.
Multiple Models for Administrator Preparation in Early Childhood Special Education
Authors: Wimpelberg Robert K. , Abroms Kippy I. , Catardi Carol L.
Published: December 2008

Administrator preparation is a developing area in early childhood special education administration. This article argues that, in its nascence, ECSE should approach administrator preparation through a set of models of organizational behavior and management. Four are presented---the technical, human relations, political, and symbolic models---with illustrations from ECSE field experiences. The article concludes by discussing a tendency in ECSE and administrative theory to favor the technical model when an integrated use of several models may better capture the reality of ECSE programs and practices.
Administration of Private versus Public Early Childhood Special Education Programs
Authors: Hanson Marci J.
Published: December 2008

Administrative issues in privately and publicly funded programs are contrasted across six areas: funding, philosophy and services, population served, parent involvement, staffing practices, and standards and governance. Key differences between these types of programs center around funding stability and administrative flexibility. A service system featuring a continuum of services and active interagency coordination is advocated to overcome potential administrative drawbacks associated with both privately and publicly funded programs.
The Efficacy of Early Intervention
Authors: Meisels Samuel J.
Published: December 2008

Although data concerning the efficacy of early intervention have been available for more than two decades, questions concerning the effectiveness of these programs continue to be raised. This paper examines four basic assumptions of intervention programs that must be clarified before the global question of efficacy can be meaningfully addressed: the implicit theory of human development, the conceptualization of the specific interventions, how developmental change is measured, and the strategies used for selecting program participants. A final discussion highlights the role played by the child's family in effective intervention programs.
Evaluation of a Three-Year Early Intervention Demonstration Project
Authors: Bailey E. J. , Bricker Diane
Published: December 2008

This article reports the methodology and results of a two-year program evaluation effort to determine the effectiveness of an early intervention program for handicapped infants and preschool children. The primary outcome variable was child change as measured by two dependent measures. Other outcome variables included documentation of population characteristics, parent satisfaction, and program operation costs. Overall, the results indicate the intervention program had a positive impact on participating children and their parents.
The Evaluation of Two Levels of a Center Based Early Intervention Project
Authors: Wolery Mark , Dyk Linda
Published: December 2008

This paper describes the evaluation of two levels of a center based early intervention project. In one level, toddlers received services 2 days per week, and in the other level preschoolers received services 5 days per week. All children had mild or moderate cognitive delays. The effects of services were assessed in terms of developmental change and the number of objectives achieved. Threats to the internal validity of the evaluation study are noted, and suggestions are provided for documenting the quality of services when threats to internal validity are present.
The Efficacy of Intervention at Outreach Sites of the Program for Children with Down Syndrome and Other Developmental Delays
Authors: Oelwein Patricia L. , Fewell Rebecca R. , Pruess James B.
Published: December 2008

This article describes a study undertaken to determine the effectiveness of the Model Preschool Program for Children with Down Syndrome and Other Developmental Delays at 11 outreach sites. Program staff and teachers at the sites used the Developmental Sequence Performance Inventory (DSPI) to assess the performance gains of 164 handicapped children (aged 11 months to 14 years) in five skill areas. Results showed that gains in child performance were significantly greater than predicted in four out of five skill areas. In spite of certain limitations in the study, these results offer positive support for the efficacy of the program and provide additional evidence for both early intervention and outreach as effective approaches in serving large numbers of young children with Down syndrome.
Infant Special Education: Interactions with Objects
Authors: McCune Lorraine , Ruff Holly A.
Published: December 2008

Nonhandicapped infants exhibit a number of manual strategies in their explorations that are suited to examining the salient aspects of particular objects. With maturity, simple strategies, such as mouthing, are replaced by more complex behaviors, such as fingering object surfaces, transferring objects from one hand to the other, and rotating the object with both hands. High-risk pre-terms exhibit the complex strategies less than full-terms and low-risk pre-terms. Object manipulation at 9 months predicted Bayley Mental Scale scores at 24 months. Suitable interventions can enhance the development of manipulation skills.
Parents' Perspectives on the School Experiences of Children with Cancer
Authors: Chesler Mark A. , Barbarin Oscar A.
Published: December 2008

Interviews with 59 parents of school age children with cancer indicate problems children encountered in returning to school: missing significant amounts of school due to illness and treatments, teasing by classmates and peers, and strained relations with teachers. Most parents report that despite missing much school their child was caught up with schoolwork, suggesting that academic difficulties are not paramount. Most parents also report receiving substantial help from sympathetic and competent educators. However, parents also indicate that some teachers were insensitive to their child's condition, while others were overprotective, suggesting the need for a delicate balance in defining appropriate teacher behavior. A responsive yet normalizing school environment can be facilitated by vigorous and proactive partnerships among the medical staff, family, and school system.
Issues in the Financing of Care for Chronically III Children and Their Families
Authors: Butler John A. , McManus Margaret A. , Newacheck Paul W.
Published: December 2008

Existing data do not yet permit a comprehensive understanding of expenditures for the care of chronically ill children. But it is known that the care required by these children is often far more expensive and takes place recurrently over a far longer interval than for other children. It also is known that many families experience significant out-of-pocket expenditures because of serious limitations in private insurance policies and serious inequities from state to state in eligibility criteria for Medicaid and other public programs. These and related issues must be addressed if we as a nation hope to target resources more fairly to this particularly needy group of children and their families.
Promoting Communication between Health Care Providers and Educators of Chronically III Children
Authors: Stein Ruth E.K.
Published: December 2008

Since children with chronic illness need the skills and technical expertise of both health professionals and educators, these groups must learn to work together in a team effort on behalf of the child. In order to maximize communications between the health care providers and educators in special educational programs it is necessary to understand concepts about chronic illness and the ways that health professionals are trained and work within the medical care system and the local community. Suggestions are made about the type of information that educators should obtain from and communicate to health care providers and issues that may enhance effective communication with those in the health system.
The Need for Programs for Young Gifted Children
Authors: Gallagher James J.
Published: December 2008

Effective early education for gifted children must include both special policy and program considerations. Preschool/day-care efforts should be based on the child's needs, special program goals, appropriate placement or grouping, and active parent involvement. Administration convenience must give way to developmental efficacy in order to provide early admittance to school and other possible educational options for our gifted youngsters.
Young Gifted Children
Authors: Silverman Linda K. , Chitwood Donna G. , Waters Jana Leigh
Published: December 2008

A checklist was developed to assist parents in identifying gifted young children. The checklist was refined on the basis of several research studies, then printed in a major daily newspaper. Twenty-one parents who felt that their children fit the descriptors in the article brought their children in for testing. Sixty-six percent of the children were found to be in the gifted range on the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale. Those children who fit the characteristics but tested below the gifted range had all had ear infections in the first year of life, and 75% of these children had had chronic ear infections. When parents' perceptions of their children's abilities are not confirmed by test results, children may, in fact, be gifted/handicapped.
Parenting the Intellectually Gifted Preschool Child
Authors: Chamrad Diana L. , Robinson Nancy M.
Published: December 2008

Parents of gifted preschoolers play an important role in their children's cognitive, affective, and social development and motivation for achievement. While effective parenting of all children is assumed to involve responsiveness to the individual child, it is suggested that the parents of gifted preschoolers are faced with developmental characteristics unique to the gifted child. Also discussed are the difficulties that parents may experience in dealing with individuals outside the family who criticize the parents' abilities to raise their child effectively.
Follow-up Evaluation of the Effects of Involvement in the Fathers Program
Authors: Vadasy Patricia F. , Fewell Rebecca R. , Greenberg Mark T. , Dermond Norma L. , Meyer Donald J.
Published: December 2008

A follow-up study was conducted to determine the longitudinal effects of an innovative program for fathers of handicapped children. Both fathers who participated in the program and their wives completed six measures of stress, depression, social support, family environment, grief, and information needs. Pre-post data were analyzed, and time effects were found on both father and mother variables. Both fathers and mothers reported significantly decreased depression that was unrelated to child age. Fathers reported a decrease in stress and grief over time, and an increase in pessimism about the future. Fathers' information needs decreased over time, which was also unrelated to child age. Mothers reported increased satisfaction with social supports, increased cohesion, and decreased stress and rigidity in family control over time. The findings support the importance of the family as the unit of analysis in research on the outcomes of interventions for parents of handicapped children.
The Maternal Behavior Rating Scale
Authors: Mahoney Gerald , Powell Amy , Finger Iris
Published: December 2008

This investigation presents data on a seven-item short form of the Maternal Behavior Rating Scale, which is a global rating scale designed to assess the quality of maternal interactive behavior with young mentally retarded children. Seven items were used to assess the interactive behavior of a sample of 60 mothers while they were playing with their mentally retarded children who were either 1, 2, or 3 years of age. A factor analysis of the seven items revealed two independent parameters of maternal behavior, child orientedness/pleasure, and control. A least squares regression procedure indicated that the two factors accounted for 20% of the variability in children's level of mental development. These results closely approximated those obtained with the 18-item version of this scale.
Curriculum-Based Assessment for the Young Exceptional Child
Authors: Bagnato Stephen J. , Neisworth John T. , Capone Angela
Published: December 2008

Curriculum-based assessment (CBA) is rapidly becoming the preeminent diagnostic approach in applied settings. CBA is grounded in the tradition of programmed instruction and precision teaching. Within early childhood special education, CBA reflects a practical developmental orientation—a direct congruence between testing, teaching, and progress evaluation. This article summarizes a typology of selected curriculum-based methods that are available to early childhood specialists serving handicapped children.
Communicative Competence
Authors: Holdgrafer Gary , Dunst Carl J.
Published: December 2008

A model of communicative development is described that includes seven progressively more complex levels of competence and a set of six criteria (communicative features) for assignment of individual behaviors to particular developmental levels. Research evidence documenting the progressive changes in the genesis of communicative competence is reviewed and synthesized. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of the communication model for assessment and intervention purposes.
Using Information Processing Strategies for Early Identification of Mental Retardation
Authors: Vietze Peter M. , Coates Deborah L.
Published: December 2008

Traditional infant intelligence tests have been notoriously poor in being able to predict intellectual functioning in later childhood. Over the past 25 years, infant behavior researchers have developed or adapted behavioral techniques that measure information processing capacities of infants. These include conditioning procedures, visual attention paradigms, and methods for assessing infant exploratory behavior. Seven techniques for measuring information processing in infants are described and discussed. An outline for an assessment battery based on these techniques is presented and discussed.
Ethical, Practical, and Scientific Considerations of Randomized Experiments in Early Childhood Special Education
Authors: White Karl R. , Pezzino James
Published: December 2008

Although used extensively in other areas of social science and medicine, randomized experiments are used infrequently in early childhood special education programs. Indeed, many administrators, service providers, and researchers have claimed that randomized experiments in early childhood special education are unnecessary, impractical, or unethical. This paper summarizes and presents counter arguments for each of these positions. It is concluded that more frequent use of randomized experiments in early childhood special education would facilitate the advancement of knowledge. Procedures for using such designs more extensively are suggested.
Health Care Delivery
Authors: Starfield Barbara
Published: December 2008

The effective delivery of comprehensive health care service to young handicapped children is a challenge for physicians and the health care profession. The field has attempted to respond to this need by expanding the options for health care delivery beyond single-physician services. New organizational arrangements—such as Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO), Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO), Tax Supported Direct Service Programs, Hospital-Based Services, Ambulatory Care Organizations, and others—have emerged to broaden the available options. This article reviews these emerging health care delivery options and compares cost structures, quality of care, and future prospects.
Behavioral Teratology Comes to the Classroom
Authors: Brackbill Yvonne
Published: December 2008

As an introduction to behavioral teratology, this article discusses types of teratogenic agents, behavioral targets, organismic vulnerability during growth spurts, teratogenic “routing,” exposure, and duration of effects. It also describes some chemical neurotoxins, using lead as a paradigm, that are known to affect cognitive and noncognitive behaviors crucial to learning and appropriate conduct in the classroom. Finally, the article points out two ways in which behavioral teratology is particularly important for special education. First, behavioral teratology balances the tendency to attribute educational problems exclusively to social or environmental antecedents. Second, it provides a much needed subject matter for the educational curriculum of the nation's junior and senior high schools.
Assessment of Preschool Hyperactivity
Authors: Mayes Susan Dickerson
Published: December 2008

Diagnostically, there is a need to combine commonly used hyperactivity rating scales with a more objective determination of Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity (ADDH). The rationale for this recommendation is presented through an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the various assessment methods. Preliminary validity data for a clinically feasible, objective observation system for preschool children in a controlled playroom setting are reported. Mean interobserver agreement for the observation categories was 97%. Hyperactive and normal children were identified with 97.5% accuracy using a discriminant equation based on the observation scores.
Psychopharmacological Interventions with Young Hyperactive Children
Authors: Rosenberg Michael S.
Published: December 2008

The present paper reviews the available research on the effects of drug interventions with young hyperactive children. Following a brief discussion of hyperactivity in young children, several studies pertinent to the difficulties involved in the early identification of hyperactive behaviors and the drugs typically used in the management of such behaviors are summarized. It is concluded that the limited number of investigations does not justify the widespread utilization of stimulant drug treatment with young hyperactive children. Implications for future research and clinical practice are also discussed.
Seizures
Authors: Nichter Charles A.
Published: December 2008

Early childhood educators are servicing an increasing number of children with chronic illness such as seizures. With this central nervous system disorder, there are increasing concerns, frustrations, and fears related to medications and long-term implications. This paper examines recent developments in seizure mechanisms and management. In particular, emphasis is directed toward neurodevelopmental sequelae and important genetic/environmental influences.