Programs to identify young children with special learning needs should incorporate ongoing classroom observation and provide educationally relevant information rather than labels. The early identification procedure used in London (Ontario) for students in kindergarten through grade three uses a school program team to assist the classroom teacher…

The author warns of dangers associated with Ontarios's Kindergarten Early Identification Program, including hasty and incomplete assessment of children who will then be labeled exceptional, biases affecting children with cultural differences, and inadequacy of many screening and assessment instruments. (CL)

Information about early intervention was disseminated via mass media and group meetings. Findings revealed that parents attending group meetings learned specific information about available services and legal educational rights. Mass media stimulated requests for information but did not measurably affect parents' knowledge of early intervention.…

The accuracy of 3 developmental screening tests administered to 89 young children was compared. The Battelle Developmental Inventory Screening Test was more accurate than the Academic Scale of the Developmental Profile-II and the Denver-II, identifying correctly 72% of children with difficulties and 76% of children without diagnoses. (Author/JDD)

The Abridged Health History Inventory (AHHI) has been used by public health nurses to promote early identification of children at risk for learning problems. The AHHI, based on adapted material from the system of Multi-Cultural Pluralistic Assessment, has shown modest reliability and validity as well as utility. (CL)

The need for reliable, valid, and economical preschool screening measures to identify psychoeducational problems as mandated by P.L. 94-142 (the Education for All Handicapped Child Act) led to the development of the Minneapolis Preschool Screening Instrument (MPSI). (SW)

This paper discusses early intervention issues that all members of the early intervention team should become familiar with, including epidemiology; who should provide intervention services; and the importance of early identification and caregiver involvement for the efficacy of intervention services. (JDD)

This article describes a comprehensive approach to identifying children needing evaluation for exceptional education needs while providing support to parents. Professionals from education, public health, social services, and child care collaborate to provide parents with information, observe children in play, and respond to parents' concerns.…

This article describes community-based developmental assessment (CDA) sites as one means for early identification of infants and toddlers with disabilities. At CDA sites, developmentalists assess referred children for developmental status and serve as liaison between the referring physician and the early intervention system. CDA sites are cost…

Important aspects of legislation establishing the right of individuals to health protection and health promotion are highlighted. Examples from the Federal Republic of Germany are used to illustrate efforts to implement systematic measures for the prevention, early detection, early treatment, and medical rehabilitation of disabilities. (Author/JDD)

This packet was assembled to share the contents of an audio conference sponsored by the National Early Childhood Technical Assistance System (NECTAS) on October 1, 1997. The purpose of the audio conference was to identify strategies for improving communication and working relationships with the health care community, including HMOs, to ensure the…

This document provides guidelines for preferred practice for the Child Identification Process for Colorado children, birth through five years of age. The guidelines were developed to be flexible and adaptable in support of individual community needs and in recognition of the variable resources throughout the state; however, the basic underlying…

This one-page abstract summarizes "The Miller Assessment for Preschoolers: A Longitudinal and Predictive Study" by Lucy Miller, which examined the predictive validity of an early childhood screening instrument to identify children who have or are at risk of developing handicapping conditions. The Miller Assessment for Preschoolers (MAP)…

The status of early detection of handicaps in children as well as teacher/parent awareness and involvement in the intervention process are reported for nine countries as part of a 1978-1979 study conducted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Case studies and an overview of case-study findings are presented for…

This final report describes major activities and outcomes of a one-year project in Birmingham, Alabama, which attempted to utilize quantitative record linkage methodology and a qualitative family interview to increase the available information regarding risk factors associated with special education placement for young children. The project…