bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
From Dream to Reality
Authors: Apter Dianne S.
Published: December 2008

Part H of P.L. 99-457 (reauthorized in 1991 as IDEA) established “a new Federal discretionary program to assist states in developing and implementing a comprehensive, coordinated, interdisciplinary system of early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families.” Part H made considerable promises concerning the way the system was to be designed and the way services were to conceptualized, funded, and delivered. The challenges to such sweeping changes were predictable and extensive. This paper is a study of systems change and those forces that work for or against realizing visionary intent. It examines the process of moving from federal legislation to implementation in one state (New York). However, it is clear that the challenges that New York faced and continues to deal with are not unique to that state (Gallagher, Harbin, Thomas, Clifford, & Wenger, 1988; Gallagher, Trohanis, & Clifford, 1989; Garwood & Sheehan, 1989; Trohanis, 1991). Through an examination of systems change in one state, it is hoped that planners involved with Part H efforts in other states or those involved in other major systems change gain an understanding of the complexities of change and leadership. This paper looks at a pool of research that offers practical strategies to change agents in order to maximize successful systemic change.
Assessing the Transition and Adjustment of Preschoolers with Special Needs to an Integrated Program
Authors: Haymes Linda K. , Fowler Susan A. , Cooper Alita Y.
Published: December 2008

This study documents the transition of five young children with special needs into an integrated preschool program. Classroom observations were conducted throughout their first year of preschool to identify their patterns of adjustment to the program. Each of the children was referred to the integrated preschool by the Community Child Find Program due to special needs or conditions indicating risk for developmental delay. Three of the children showed high rates of unoccupied behavior during their first two weeks of school. One child cried for much of the first 7 days of school and another used a pacifier constantly during the first 3 weeks. The teachers used a variety of strategies to assist the children in adjusting to the class.
Contextual Variation of Correspondences Among Measures of Play and Developmental Level of Preschool Children
Authors: Malone D. Michael , Stoneman Zolinda , Langone John
Published: December 2008

Convergent assessment in a multicontext design was used to extend what is known about the development of preschool children with cognitive delays. Twenty-two children were observed during both an independent-play condition at home and a group free-play condition at school. Both categorical and sequential play activity were coded. Cognitive and communicative performance levels were established through the administration of the Battelle Developmental Inventory. Data were examined for patterns of association within and across contexts. Differential patterns of association among play variables emerged across contexts. Assessed developmental age was more predictive of play behaviors demonstrated in the independent play condition than in the classroom free-play condition. The findings highlight the need to consider contextual variation associated with play-based assessment and program development.
Neonatal Intensive Care
Authors: HUGHES MARY-ALAYNE , McCOLLUM JEANETTE
Published: December 2008

Although there are numerous anecdotal reports of parental stress following preterm birth, there are few empirical studies that document parents' perceptions concerning what is stressful. Of the extant research literature, there are even fewer studies targeting fathers as well as mothers. The purpose of this study was to describe and compare mothers' and fathers' perceptions of stress during the initial few weeks of their preterm infant's NICU hospitalization. Thirty-two mothers and 25 fathers were asked open-ended questions concerning the general experience of having a low-birthweight, premature infant hospitalized in a NICU. They then identified all the things they considered stressful, described the stressor they felt had been the most stressful, and rated the stressfulness of the NICU experience. Results showed that numerous stressors were identified across several different contexts (e.g., NICU, work, family). In addition, there were differences between mothers and fathers in the number and types of stressors. However, when asked to identify which stressor was most stressful, the majority of both mothers and fathers chose stressors related to the infant's health and the physical separation due to the hospitalization. The service implications of these results are discussed.
Developmentally Appropriate Practices and Young Children With Disabilities
Authors: WOLERY MARK , BREDEKAMP SUE
Published: December 2008

Since the dissemination of statements by the National Association for the Education of Young Children about developmentally appropriate practices, a discussion has occurred about the relevance of those practices for the early education of young children with developmental delays and disabilities. In this manuscript, contextual issues are described that should be considered when discussing the application of developmentally appropriate practices to young children with special needs and when studying the convergence of those practices with early childhood special education practices. Also, a framework is proposed for addressing the application of developmentally appropriate practices with young children who have disabilities.
Providing On-Site Consultation to Promote Quality in Integrated Child Care Programs
Authors: WESLEY PATRICIA W.
Published: December 2008

Recent legislation has supported the right of young children with special needs to receive the specialized services they need within the most natural setting possible. For an increasing number of families, this setting is the child care center. As the need for community programs to integrate young children with disabilities increases, so does the staff's need for new ideas and skills to prepare them for inclusion. The Infant-Toddler Care Project was developed to provide child care programs with on-site consultation that reinforced and emphasized aspects of quality care for all children and provided knowledge and skills to support the inclusion of infants and toddlers with disabilities.
Recommended Practices in Early Childhood Special Education
Authors: ODOM SAMUEL L. , McLEAN MARY E. , JOHNSON LAWRENCE J. , LAMONTAGNE MARGARET J.
Published: December 2008

The purpose of this paper is to describe the process used for identifying recommended practices in the field of early intervention/early childhood special education (EI/ECSE). Work groups were established for 14 areas of EI/ECSE. Participants in these work groups followed a set of 6 criteria in identifying recommended practices in each area. To validate the practices identified by the work groups, a national sample of randomly selected DEC members, persons in higher education, and family members indicated their level of agreement with items representing recommended practices and indicated the frequency of their current use of the items. Ratings from the validation questionnaires indicated substantial agreement that practices identified by the initial work groups would be recommended practices. The discrepancy between recommended practices and current use of the practices was examined.
Satisfaction and Struggles: Family Perceptions of Early Intervention Services
Authors: McWilliam R.A. , Lang Linda , Vandiviere Pat , Angell Robbie , Collins Laurie , Underdown Gayle
Published: December 2008

This study was commissioned by the North Carolina Interagency Coordinating Council (NC-ICC) at the request of its Children and Families Committee. The views expressed in this article are not necessarily those of the NC-ICC. We thank Lynn Curkin, Doris Cothard, and Susan Robinson (fellow members, with the authors, of the Children and Families Committee) for their contributions to the design of the study and creation of the questionnaire. Thanks are also extended to Ron Craig and Bill Parise for quantitative data analysis, to Wayde Johnson, Karen Applequist, Lisa Clifton, and Craig Pohlman for qualitative analyses, to Cayle Underdown and Gladys Whitehouse for conducting the interviews, to Cina Walker for graphics, and to Duncan Munn for contributing to the questionnaire. We are most grateful to the families who took the time to participate; many of them wrote long answers to the open-ended questions. Appreciation is extended to the direct-service professionals who distributed the questionnaires and followed up with families. Finally, special thanks are due to the six families who allowed us to interview them.

One method of evaluating early intervention services is to ask its consumers. The mixed-method approach in this study involved a written survey (quantitative) and in-depth, semi-structured interviews (qualitative). The survey was completed by 539 parents of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers receiving any type of early intervention service. Results showed overwhelming satisfaction with most services, but some concerns were noted in the choices of available mainstreaming options. Interviews showed that families ascribed most of their positive experiences to the supportive behaviors of individual professionals. Bad experiences were most often related to difficulties in finding out about, getting, and monitoring services. Families spent much time and energy in securing more services, particularly therapies, for their children. The discussion focuses on implications for family-centered services and for providing specialized services.
Predicting Children's Response to Prelinguistic Communication Intervention
Authors: YODER PAUL J. , WARREN STEVEN F. , HULL LYLE
Published: December 2008

The present study tested the hypothesis that pretreatment level of play would predict the rate of increase in prelinguistic, intentional requesting during prelinguistic communication intervention. The participants were 8 children with developmental disabilities. A negative relation was found between the amount of person-only engagement observed during baseline sessions and later rate of change in the number of prelinguistic, intentional requests children made to interventionists during the intervention period. In contrast, a positive relation was found between the amount of transitional or symbolic play observed during baseline sessions and the rate of increase in the number of prelinguistic, intentional requests children directed to interventionists. The implications of the results for individualizing interventions and for predicting children's responses to prelinguistic communication intervention are discussed.
Preschoolers Exposed to Cocaine
Authors: CHAPMAN J. KEITH , ELLIOTT RAYMOND N.
Published: December 2008

A survey was completed by 85 Early Childhood Special Education and 88 Head Start educators in the 5 southeastern states of Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, and South Carolina. The study sought to provide state-of-the-art descriptive information regarding preparation experiences and educational needs of 2 education-based groups who provide preschool opportunities and experiences to young children (3 to 5 years) identified as prenatally exposed to cocaine. The results suggested common preservice and inservice opportunities for both groups, and concerns and additional preparation areas were identified. Furthermore, a variety of descriptive information was reported regarding service patterns to this population. These results seemed to have implications for preservice/inservice preparation, coordination of services, and research.
The Cost-Effectiveness of Home Visiting Versus Group Services In Early Intervention
Authors: WARFIELD MARJI ERICKSON
Published: December 2008

This paper examines the cost-effectiveness of providing early intervention services to individual children and families in their own homes versus providing services to small groups of children and families at an early intervention program site. The analysis estimates the amount of change in adaptive behavior, mother-child interaction, and parenting stress associated with each service for subgroups of children that vary by age at entry into early intervention and by severity of disability. The results suggest that the service identified as more cost-effective varied by subgroup and outcome measure. The findings are reviewed in light of the strengths and weaknesses of the methodology used. Critical issues for future research are discussed.
Validity of an Observation Screening Instrument in a Multicultural Population
Authors: ALBERTS FRANCINE M. , DAVIS BARBARA L. , PRENTICE LINDA
Published: December 2008

Due to the increase of linguistically and culturally diverse young children in our society, accurate screening for communication disorders is becoming increasingly difficult. The Davis Observation Checklist for Texas (DOCT) is an observational teacher checklist used to screen preschool children for communication disorders in Head Start programs in Texas. The goals of this study were to assess the sensitivity and specificity of the DOCT and to evaluate the concurrent validity of the DOCT with a multicultural population. Fifty-nine English-speaking children (20 Mexican American, 19 African American, 20 Anglo) were evaluated using an assessment battery that included the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities (1970), the Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation-Revised (1986), and an informal checklist to assess voice and fluency. Concurrent validity was evaluated by obtaining the percent agreement between the outcome of the assessment battery (administered by speech pathologists and graduate clinicians) and the DOCT (administered by Head Start teachers). Results of this study show the DOCT demonstrates adequate sensitivity (80%) and specificity (98%) values and agrees well with the criterion measure in identifying children with communication disorders in the 3 populations studied.
The Challenge of Inclusion
Authors: BRICKER DIANE
Published: December 2008

The integration or inclusion of young children with disabilities into public school and community-based educational and child care programs is a topic of importance to the range of personnel working in early intervention/early childhood special education. This paper takes the position that many of these personnel embrace inclusion at the conceptual level but ignore or discount its implications at the applied or child level. A discussion of the policies and practices of inclusion as they may potentially affect individual children and families serves as a basis for offering a series of recommendations for fostering successful inclusion.
Social Goals and Objectives of Preschool IEPs
Authors: MICHNOWICZ LAURA LENT , McCONNELL SCOTT R. , PETERSON CARLA A. , ODOM SAMUEL L.
Published: December 2008

Social competence is an important developmental task in early childhood, and children with disabilities are at risk for developing deficits in social competence. Yet little research as been conducted to analyze how individualized educational programs (IEPs) for preschoolers in early childhood special education (ECSE) settings address social development. This study examined the content of social goals and objectives abstracted from early childhood students' IEPs. Three federal criteria for IEP objectives were examined to evaluate quality of objectives: specification of setting, measurability, and criterion for success. Overall results showed IEPs are lacking both in the quantity of social goals and objectives and in the quality of information necessary for instructional guidance.
Critical Skills for Kindergarten
Authors: JOHNSON LAWRENCE J. , GALLAGHER R. J. , COOK MARGARET , WONG PATRICK
Published: December 2008

The purpose of this study was to examine the views of kindergarten teachers regarding those skills children need to be successful in their classes. One-hundred seventy-six kindergarten teachers ranked 149 skills within 5 domains: gross motor, fine motor, general knowledge and school readiness, language, and social. A factor analysis was employed on these ratings revealing the following 5 factors: Academic Readiness, Language Competence, Social Competence, Motor Competence, and Self-Help Skills. These data suggest that items related to academic readiness were not seen as critical as skills related to independence.
Functional Analysis of Disruptive Behavior in an Inclusive Classroom
Authors: UMBREIT JOHN
Published: December 2008

Nate, a 5-year-old boy with mild mental retardation (I.Q. = 60), frequently displayed disruptive behavior at school. Assessment and intervention involved a brief functional (analog) analysis, a curriculum-based assessment, and an intervention implemented by teaching staff in the classroom. The intervention virtually eliminated all disruptive behavior and resulted in appropriate behavior nearly all of the time. Furthermore, the effect occurred almost immediately and lasted for at least several months. Treatment acceptability ratings completed by the teaching staff indicated that the assessment-based intervention had very high acceptability, whereas the interventions they had previously used (brief redirection and ignoring) had very low acceptability.
SOCIAL PRETEND PLAY ENTRY BEHAVIORS OF PRESCHOOLERS WITH AND WITHOUT IMPAIRED HEARING
Authors: ROBERTS S. B. , BROWN P. M. , RICKARDS F. W.
Published: December 2008

This study identifies the behaviors used by children with impaired hearing (n = 12) and their peers with normal hearing (n = 30) to enter social pretend play in the home corner area of an integrated kindergarten. Entry behaviors and group responses were coded from videotaped observations during free play sessions. Results showed that both groups of children had a similar rate of entry attempts; predominantly used single, rather than strings of entry behaviors; used a similar range of entry behaviors; and made more frequent use of, and experienced the greatest success with, indirect entry behaviors. Compared to their peers with normal hearing, children with impaired hearing predominantly used 3 entry behaviors, used primarily nonverbal versions; experienced success with only a few entry behaviors, and tended to be less persistent. Implications for early intervention programs are discussed.
School Placement of Children With Nonspecific Developmental Delays
Authors: KEOGH BARBARA K. , COOTS JENNIFER J. , BERNHEIMER LUCINDA P.
Published: December 2008

Eighty-seven children with developmental delays identified in the preschool years (CA 3-4) were followed through elementary school in order to document regular or special education placement, child characteristics associated with placement, and preschool characteristics associated with placement. More than 3/4 of the children were in special education programs through the primary grades, and over 1/2 remained in separate placements throughout their elementary school years. Regular and special education placed groups differed on cognitive, communication, and daily living scores assessed in preschool and at entrance to elementary school. Groups also differed in teachers' perceptions of competencies and problems gathered over the elementary school period. Differences among special education placed groups were limited primarily to cognitive and learning abilities rather than to social/behavioral characteristics.
Community Forums
Authors: WESLEY PATRICIA W.
Published: December 2008

A major challenge in the field of early intervention is to develop strategies for collaboration across programs, agencies, and disciplines. This article presents one model for bringing together diverse community members to learn about and collaborate on early childhood inclusion. The history and critical features of community forums are described along with basic principles of community change supporting the model. Participants' demographic data and their satisfaction with the forum are reported for the 1,647 people who completed evaluation forms out of more than 2,000 attending 36 forums during 1992-95.
Children Enrolled in Multiple Programs
Authors: DONEGAN MARY M. , OSTROSKY MICHAELENE M. , FOWLER SUSAN A.
Published: December 2008

Many preschool children with special needs who require full-day child care are dually enrolled in a special education preschool and another early childhood program. The purpose of this descriptive study was to obtain information regarding current practices in staff communication across these programs in 6 communities. A sample of 24 teachers of children enrolled in more than 1 program completed a questionnaire and participated in a structured interview. Findings indicate that teachers recognized the need for staff communication; however, the intensity and nature of their communication varied. Teachers communicated most frequently across programs when behavior problems were evident and when time and resources were available. A comparison of actual to ideal practices yielded differences in both frequency and method of communication.
The Initial Growth of Expressive Vocabulary Among Children With Down Syndrome
Authors: HART BETTY
Published: December 2008

Longitudinal data on the unstructured interactions at home of 9 children with Down syndrome were used to compare individual differences in initial expressive vocabulary growth to group data identically collected longitudinally on children without disabilities. The overall pattern of vocabulary growth was similar in all the children. Among the children with Down syndrome, differences in initial learning strategies, an asynchrony between growth of vocabulary and MLU, and differences between individual children of as long as 2 years in producing the first 50 words of expressive vocabulary were seen. Implications for intervention are discussed.
Use of the Acceptance Scale to Measure Attitudes of Kindergarten-Age Children
Authors: FAVAZZA PADDY C. , ODOM SAMUEL L.
Published: December 2008

The Acceptance Scale for Kindergartners (ASK) was developed to assess the attitudes of kindergarten-age children toward children with disabilities. It was administered to 188 kindergarten children, some of whom had contact with children with disabilities in their school and others of whom did not have contact. The ASK provided evidence of criterion-related validity by discriminating (a) between children who did and did not have contact with children with disabilities in their schools and (b) between male and female respondents. Children who had contact with individuals with disabilities were significantly more accepting than children who did not. Girls were significantly more accepting than boys. An overall alpha coefficient of .79 and a Spearman-Brown Split Half coefficient of .76 were found, suggesting that the ASK is reliable for children of this age.
Parallel Block Scheduling
Authors: SNELL MARTHA E. , LOWMAN DIANNE KOONTZ , CANADY ROBERT LYNN
Published: December 2008

The parallel block scheduling (PBS) approach is a flexible method of scheduling that addresses student grouping, time for teacher planning, and scheduling of subjects, support services, and staff. PBS allows both small instructional groups to be scheduled for subjects like directed reading and math and larger groups for other subjects. Support services, which may have been pull-out remedial or enrichment programs, are scheduled primarily during Extension Center time, thereby reducing class interruptions and the stigma associated with leaving the class for special services. Students with disabilities are supported in classrooms alongside their nondisabled peers. The special education teacher serves as a consultant to the base teacher, a co-teacher, an Extension Center teacher, and a member of collaborative teams.
Social and Emotional Development in Early Childhood
Authors: WITTMER DONNA , DOLL BETH , STRAIN PHIL
Published: December 2008

The early identification and remediation of social and emotional disabilities is crucial for young children's immediate well-being and their long-term quality of life. To better identify young children with social and emotional delay and disability and ensure adequate program planning, professionals and families need information concerning available norm-referenced and qualitative measures. This article presents an analysis of existing norm-referenced measures of social and emotional competence and disability for young children birth-to-5 to determine the degree to which these indices satisfy both technical and conceptual requirements. It is recommended that methods for assessing social and emotional competence and disability that allow for informed clinical opinion supplement norm-referenced measures.
Young Children's Exposure to Community Violence
Authors: VIG SUSAN
Published: December 2008

Exposure to community violence can affect young children's development, even when the children are not direct victims of violence. This review explores the impact of community violence on young children, discusses some of the processes through which early development can be affected, and suggests the potential vulnerabilities of young children with developmental disabilities. Characteristics of young children's responses to stress and trauma are reviewed. Child, family, and community factors contributing to resilience are noted. Intervention approaches are described and suggestions offered for supporting children and families in order to reduce the negative impact of exposure to violence.
Effects of Play Group Variables on Language Use by Preschool Children With Disabilities
Authors: McCABE JOAN ROTH , JENKINS JOSEPH R. , MILLS PAULETTE E. , DALE PHILIP S. , COLE KEVIN N. , PEPLER LINDA
Published: December 2008

Two experiments addressed the effects of play group composition (segregated or integrated), type of play materials (functional, constructive, or dramatic), and group size (2 or 4 children) on the amount and diversity of peer-directed language used by preschool children with disabilities during play. Twenty-four children with disabilities, along with 12 peer playmates with disabilities and 12 typically developing playmates participated in each experiment. Dependent variables were rate of utterances, number of different words, and mean length of utterance transcribed from videotaped play sessions. Group composition and type of play materials had no significant effects. Group size had a significant multivariate effect on utterance rate and number of different words, with the children speaking more often when playing in dyads, but using more different words when playing in quartets.
Expanding Future Directions in Our Second Decade of Services
Authors: FEWELL REBECCA R.
Published: December 2008

This keynote address was delivered at the International Early Childhood Conference on Children with Special Needs, December 8, 1996.
Project BLEND
Authors: BROWN WILLIAM H. , HORN EVA M. , HEISER JOANN G. , ODOM SAMUEL L.
Published: December 2008

The purpose of this article is to describe Project BLEND, a model demonstration project that provided inclusive early intervention services to young children with developmental delays and their families. Whereas the initial focus of Project BLEND was to provide inclusive services to young children with developmental delays, collaborative partnerships among significant adults became the underlying foundation that influenced the development and implementation of the model. The conceptual framework for the project is described in terms of 3 interrelated components: service coordination, family-child care-early intervention partnerships, and transition services. Challenges encountered while we implemented the model and strategies to address those challenges are also presented with initial evaluation information.
Providing Individual Supports to Young Children With Autism and Their Families
Authors: Fox Lise , Dunlap Glen , Philbrick Leigh Ann
Published: December 2008

Young children with developmental disabilities, including autism, are at great risk for futures characterized by restrictive and socially isolated lifestyles. Although the past generation has produced practical gains and conceptual advances, there is still a great need for programmatic interventions based on current knowledge, promoting meaningful progress, and offering longitudinal benefits in social adaptation and community functioning. This article describes a model of comprehensive, individualized support based on a triad of essential elements, consisting of (a) the development of functional communication skills, (b) supported participation in socially inclusive environments, and (b) multifaceted family support.
The Effects of Family-Centered Service Coordination
Authors: ROMER EILEEN F. , UMBREIT JOHN
Published: December 2008

This study examined if a family's level of satisfaction improves when the service coordination they receive adheres to a family-centered model. The participants included three service coordinators and nine families participating in Part H of IDEA. For 1 year, families reported what services they had received and their level of satisfaction with the services. A multiple-baseline design across subjects was used and an individual assistance condition was added when, following training, none of the service coordinators adequately implemented the model. Results indicate a high degree of family satisfaction and a low degree of dissatisfaction when the model was adequately implemented. In contrast, when the model was not adequately implemented, families reported very little satisfaction and a high degree of dissatisfaction.
Use of Assistive Technology With Young Children With Disabilities
Authors: LESAR SHARON
Published: December 2008

The purpose of this study was to provide state-of-the-art descriptive information regarding preparation needs, concerns, and perceived barriers to the use of assistive technology for young children with disabilities. Surveys were completed by 62 early childhood special education professionals in 2 southeastern states. The findings indicated that respondents had frequent and significant concerns about their knowledge and utilization of assistive technology. Furthermore, training areas were identified that address the concerns and barriers regarding assistive technology. Implications for preservice and inservice preparation, service delivery systems, and research are discussed.
Screening for Emotional and Behavioral Delays
Authors: FEIL EDWARD G. , SEVERSON HERBERT H. , WALKER HILL M.
Published: December 2008

Over 2500 preschool children from across the United States were screened for emotional and behavioral problems using the 3 stage, multiple-gating procedures of The Early Screening Project (ESP). Preschool teachers were asked to nominate, rank, and rate children in their classroom on both externalizing and internalizing behavioral dimensions. The behaviors were then independently confirmed through direct observations in natural preschool environments. Gender disparities also were addressed. Significant differences were found between children who did and did not exceed the ESP's normative referral criteria. The ESP can minimize both the time and cost of preschool assessments while providing accurate screening for emotional and behavior problems with less gender bias. Additionally, the ESP can promote early prevention interventions for all young children.
Translating Research on Naturalistic Instruction into Practice
Authors: RULE SARAH , LOSARDO ANGELA , DINNEBEIL LAURIE , KAISER ANN , ROWLAND CYNTHIA
Published: December 2008

Naturalistic instruction procedures have broad philosophical and practical appeal and have been embraced with enthusiasm by many who teach about or practice early intervention. While there is general agreement that a number of intervention procedures may be characterized as naturalistic and there is empirical evidence to substantiate that many have been effectively applied, a number of research issues must be addressed if practitioners are to apply the results. Issues associated with definition of procedures (independent variables) and outcomes (dependent variables) confound the translation of research into practice. This article raises these issues and suggests guidelines for describing independent and dependent variables that might better enable practitioners to apply research in their work with young children with disabilities and with families.
Repetitive Activity in the Play of Children With Mental Retardation
Authors: LENDER WINIFRED LLOYDS , GOODMAN JOAN F. , LINN MARGARET INMAN
Published: December 2008

It has been widely observed that young children with mental retardation engage in more repetitive activity than other children although the meaning and purpose of such activity is unclear. To better understand repetitive play, we investigated amount, quality, and persistence of spontaneous repetitive play and alternative types of play with 14 children with Down syndrome and 14 children without delay. Children with Down syndrome engaged in more repetitive activity, however the quality of repetitive and non-repetitive play was similar. Results suggest that repetitive play may serve the same constructive purposes for children with Down syndrome and children without delay. Educators should evaluate carefully when repetitive play may be useful and when it needs to be interrupted and redirected.
Influential Factors in the Utilization of Early Intervention Services
Authors: KOCHANEK THOMAS T. , BUKA STEPHEN L.
Published: December 2008

The purpose of this study was to examine utilization rates of scheduled early intervention services. Service utilization data reported for 1 week out of every month over a 4-month period were analyzed for a cohort of 146 infants and toddlers. Major findings included: (a) 69% of the families used the majority of their services; (b) child and maternal characteristics were not significantly related to service utilization; (c) providers who were younger and close in age to mothers evidenced significantly higher utilization rates; (d) families in which therapists served as the primary service provider had the lowest utilization rates; and (e) mothers who believed that service decisions should be made by professionals evidenced higher utilization rates. Overall, data reveal that the assignment of a primary $service provider to a family is a critical event in the early intervention experience.
The Effects of a Neurobehavioral Intervention on Motor Skill Acquisition and Generalization
Authors: HORN EVA M. , JONES HAZEL A. , WARREN STEVEN F.
Published: December 2008

This study reports the effects of a neurobehavioral intervention approach on the motor skills of 4 young children with cerebral palsy. The intervention is a hybrid of behavioral and neuromotor and approaches. The behavioral approach used principles of “how to teach” by addressing motivational issues and precise definitions of expected outcomes. The neuromotor approach specified “what to teach” by focusing on underlying movement components. The impact of the approach was assessed with a multiple baseline design. Children demonstrated generalization of the movement component by using it to perform both a treated exemplar skill and an untreated exemplar skill. The study extends previous findings by demonstrating that motor skills can be treated concurrently, thus enhancing the efficiency of the intervention.
The Effects of Motor Skill Acquisition on the Development of Intentional Communication
Authors: JONES HAZEL A. , HORN EVA M. , WARREN STEVEN F.
Published: December 2008

A multiple baseline design was used to investigate the effects of a neurobehavioral motor intervention on intentional communication development of 4 young children with neuromotor impairments. This intervention is based on the premise that early motor skills acquisition may facilitate development of skills across other domains. Related communication skills linked to motor targets were observed during scripted probe sessions designed to provide opportunities for the child to produce targeted motor skills and related communication skills. All subjects increased the use of communication behaviors following implementation of the motor skills intervention. Increases were maintained during follow-up probes. Results indicated modest but stable effects of the motor skills training on the use of related intentional communication skills linked to the targeted motor skills.
Evaluating the Impact of the STEPS Model on Development of Community-Wide Transition Systems
Authors: ROUS BETH , HEMMETER MARY LOUISE , SCHUSTER JOHN
Published: December 2008

This study investigated the effects of training and technical assistance related to a specific transition model on the development of community-wide transition systems. Seven community teams composed of representatives from public schools, Head Start, and early intervention were involved in the training. Personnel were trained using the STEPS model (Sequenced Transition to Education in the Public Schools). Systems development within sites was evaluated using a combination of quantitative and qualitative measures including pre/post surveys, supporting documents, rating scales, a survey, and focus group interviews. Results indicate that change occurred as a result of training and technical assistance provided over a one year period.
Let's Talk
Authors: McNEILL JOYCE H. , FOWLER SUSAN A.
Published: December 2008

Five mothers of preschool children with mild language delays were taught strategies to encourage their children to verbally participate during story reading sessions. Strategies were praise, expansions, asking open-ended questions, and pauses for child initiation. A multiple baseline design was used to evaluate the effects of this home-based intervention. Mothers increased their use of praise and expansions concurrent with the introduction of training on each strategy; 3 mothers showed increases in the use of open-ended questioning with the initiation of training with praise. Children showed corresponding increases in the number and length of conversations. Percentage of initiations to which both mother and child responded during story reading sessions also increased for all mothers and for 3 children whose rates had been low.
Family and Professional Congruence in Communication Assessments of Preschool Boys with Fragile X Syndrome
Authors: JACKSON SANDRA C. , ROBERTS JOANNE E.
Published: December 2008

This study compared family and professional assessments of the communication skills of 34 preschool males with fragile X syndrome. Parents and professionals rated the boys' receptive and expressive communication. Parents also reported on the vocabulary skills of 16 of the boys, whereas professionals assessed their vocabulary diversity using a communication sample. Moderate agreement was found between parents and professionals for expressive communication ratings, whereas agreement for receptive communication ratings was low to moderate. Parents rated their children significantly higher than professionals for receptive communication but not for expressive communication. Parents and professionals rated children at a higher cognitive age as having fewer difficulties with receptive and expressive communication, whereas older children were rated as having more problems.
Differential Effects of Structured Social Integration and Group Friendship Activities for Promoting Social Interaction With Peers
Authors: FREA WILLIAM , CRAIG-UNKEFER LESLEY , ODOM SAMUEL L. , JOHNSON DENISE
Published: December 2008

This study compared the effects of 2 interventions often used to enhance social relationships in preschool classrooms. Social Integration Activities involves a teacher structured play activity along with teacher provided roles, suggestions, and feedback. Group Friendship Activities involves adapting songs and games so that opportunities occur for peers to demonstrate positive, affectionate, friendship behaviors to targeted students. One preschooler with a developmental disability and one at risk for delay participated. Results indicated differential benefits across the 2 approaches, suggesting a need to tailor the selection of interventions to the individual child's characteristics, skills, and interests. Findings stress the importance of closely monitoring children's social behaviors to determine if interventions are achieving desired outcomes.
Sequential Analysis of the Social Play of Young Children With Mild Developmental Delays
Authors: GURALNICK MICHAEL J. , HAMMOND MARY A.
Published: December 2008

This study examined the sequential process of social participation with peers for young children with mild developmental delays. Based on measures of sequential dependency, comparisons were made between children with and without developmental delays and across specialized and inclusive settings. The identification of probable and improbable paths from one play state to another also was determined. Results revealed the existence of highly similar sequential play patterns between children with and without mild developmental delays and across settings. The implications of these findings for intervention and the importance of the intrinsic organization of sequential play processes were discussed.
Importance of Practices
Authors: KILGO JENNIFER L. , JOHNSON LARRY , LAMONTAGNE MAGGIE , STAYTON VICKY , COOK MARTHA , COOPER CAROLYN
Published: December 2008

The purpose of this study was to determine general early childhood educators' (ECE) and early childhood special educators' (ECSE) perceptions of the importance of practices when applied to two different populations of young children—those with disabilities or those without disabilities. Of the 250 mail surveys distributed randomly to the membership of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the 250 surveys mailed to members of the Division for Early Childhood (DEC), 169 NAEYC members and 238 DEC members completed the survey resulting in a response rate of 81%. Findings revealed that few differences existed between the two professional groups' perceptions of the importance of these practices. The results of this study suggest that professionals from the two fields have more beliefs in common than different. Hopefully, by learning more about one another's perceptions of important practices, professionals representing the two groups will be able to work towards the ultimate goal of providing appropriate educational experiences for all young children.
Effects of Two Shared-Reading Interventions on Emergent Literacy Skills of At-Risk Preschoolers
Authors: LONIGAN CHRISTOPHER J. , ANTHONY JASON L. , BLOOMFIELD BRENLEE G. , DYER SARAH M. , SAMWEL CORINE S.
Published: December 2008

The effects of 2 preschool-based shared-reading interventions were evaluated with 95 children, ages 2- to 5-years, from low-income families. Language skills of the children were below age-level as measured by standardized tests. Children were pretested and randomly assigned to 1 of 3 conditions: (a) no-treatment control, (b) typical shared-reading condition, and (c) dialogic (interactive) shared-reading condition. For both intervention conditions, undergraduate volunteers read to children in small groups. Following the 6-week intervention, children were posttested on measures of oral language, listening comprehension, and phonological sensitivity. Both interventions produced positive effects. Results favoring dialogic reading were found on a measure of descriptive use of language, whereas results favoring typical shared-reading were found on measures of listening comprehension and alliteration detection.
Lessons Learned From an Elementary School Norovirus Outbreak
Authors: Gomez Eileen Button
Published: December 2008

Outbreaks of norovirus have been on the increase. The virus often spreads quickly through schools and similar institutions. The school nurse may be able to minimize the impact of a school norovirus outbreak by providing accurate information about the disease, the scope of the local situation, and instruction on infection control measures. This article describes a norovirus outbreak experienced by an elementary school in which 41% of students were afflicted. The experience of the school nurse managing the outbreak is examined, and recommendations are offered for use by other school nurses facing similar outbreaks to reduce the spread and impact of the virus. Often the very measures that school personnel instinctively employ, such as the increased use of hand sanitizers and systematic use of disinfecting agents that are actually ineffective against norovirus, can have the opposite of the intended effect and inadvertently further the spread of the disease.
Clinical Education Partnership: A Model for School District and College of Nursing Collaboration
Authors: Kreulen Grace J. , Bednarz Patricia K. , Wehrwein Teresa , Davis James
Published: December 2008

Collaboration between school districts and universities has potential to increase the level of health services available in schools while providing quality public health clinical nursing placements for universities. This article describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of the Clinical Education Partnership Model (CEPM), a dynamic framework that specifies four sets of factors necessary for high-quality clinical learning experiences for nursing students in school settings: essential school district structures, essential college of nursing curriculum and arrangements, the interface of the district and university within the community context, and program outcomes. The CEPM was piloted over three semesters with public health nursing students with positive evaluative feedback and shows evidence of sustainability. The CEPM provides a solid foundation for ongoing mutually beneficial collaborative relationships in which school nursing practice and school health are enhanced and academic programs are enriched.
Bell’s Palsy in Children: Role of the School Nurse in Early Recognition and Referral
Authors: Gordon Shirley C.
Published: December 2008

Bell’s palsy is the most common condition affecting facial nerves. It is an acute, rapidly progressing, idiopathic, unilateral facial paralysis that is generally self-limiting and non–life threatening that occurs in all age groups ( Okuwobi, Omole, & Griffith, 2003 ). The school nurse may be the first person to assess facial palsy and muscle weakness in children. Because facial palsy and muscle weakness may be an indicator of a serious or life threatening condition, the school nurse plays a critical role in early recognition and referral. The Gordon Facial Muscle Weakness Assessment Form is presented as a tool designed to assist school nurses in recognizing children with facial muscle weakness and in determining whether a primary health care provider referral should be considered immediate or urgent.