The purpose of this qualitative study was to expand the scarce information available on how mothers first observe their children's early development, assess potential problems, and then come to recognize their concerns. In-depth knowledge about mothers' perspectives on the discovery process can help social workers to promote identification of…

In 2014-2015, children with delays or disabilities who received services under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) showed greater than expected developmental progress. Many children exited the program functioning within age expectations, and most made progress. States' Part C and Part B Preschool programs report data annually on three…

Including children with learning difficulties and disabilities in regular classrooms continues to be a challenge for teachers. This study investigated the perceptions of kindergarten teachers and learning support educators (LSEd) towards including children with developmental needs and or learning difficulties in pre-schools in Singapore. A total…

This article aims to analyze early intervention programs in Israel according to the Developmental Systems Model (Guralnick, 2001), in an attempt to identify strengths and areas for further development for service delivery for young children with disabilities in Israel. Early intervention in Israel is part of a comprehensive healthcare model…

Aim: The effects of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) are often complicated by additional disabilities, but the epidemiology of associated disorders is not clearly defined. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency and type of additional neurodevelopmental disabilities in a sample of children with SNHL and to investigate the relation…

The purpose of this study is to examine and compare kindergarten and special kindergarten teachers' perceptions of their own competence in early childhood special education (ECSE) in Finnish day care. This comparison is based on the kindergarten teachers' and special kindergarten teachers' self-evaluation. Teachers evaluated their theoretical and…

The extent to which the influences of family-systems intervention practices could be traced to variations in parent-child interactions and child development was investigated by meta-analytic structural equation modeling (MASEM). MASEM is a procedure for producing a weighted pooled correlation matrix and fitting a structural equation model to the…

The 30 papers in this collection are arranged in five sections which address general issues, neurodevelopmental disorders, other neurological conditions, non-neurological pediatric disorders, and psychiatric disorders. The papers are: (1) "Sleep Disturbance: A Serious, Widespread, Yet Neglected Problem in Disorders of Development"…

Used growth curve analysis to describe the development of 186 preschoolers with vision impairments. Found that mental retardation and developmental delay were associated with lower developmental ages and slower growth rates. Visual function of 20/800 or worse was associated with lower developmental ages and slower growth rates in personal-social…

Investigated the criterion-related validity of the Battelle Developmental Inventory (BDI) when used with 70 handicapped children less than 30-months-old. Compared scores with those on the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. Supported the validity convincingly using multivariate data analyses. Commends the BDI's value in assessing delays in…

Investigated feasibility of teaching socio-dramatic play through the use of a verbal script to increase sophistication of free play behavior in preschoolers with developmental disabilities. Found support for the clinical utility of scripted play as a teaching strategy for such children. (SD)

Offers suggestions to kindergarten teachers for creating a more accepting environment in their classrooms for children with disabilities. Three key influences in attitude formation are discussed--indirect experiences, direct experiences, and the child's primary social group--and ideas for examining these influences and adapting them are suggested.…

The manual is intended to provide preschool educators who work with exceptional children with both theoretical background and practical guidance in teaching children with attentional deficit disorders, oppositional disorders, conduct disorders, autism, developmental learning disorders, childhood depression, borderline personality disorders, and…

Describes a program for a project approach in inclusive classrooms which balances the needs of children with and without developmental delays and provides effective and efficient learning. Provides guidance in choosing the project topic, introducing ideas, implementing project activities, completing the project, and evaluating the experience. (SD)

These three papers report preliminary findings of an early intervention collaboration study on developmentally vulnerable infants and their families in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Subjects, 190 infants with Down syndrome, motor impairment, or developmental delays of unknown etiology, were recruited from 29 community-based early intervention…