Many parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have reported general discontent with the services offered by the education system and have advocated for increased ASD-specific services to better meet their children's educational needs. The elements of best practice offer an ideal model for educational support. There are, however,…

This commentary on "The Effects of Family-Centered Service Coordination: A Social Validity Study" (Romer), discusses the challenges of implementing family-centered service coordination and variables such as caseload size, models of service coordination, and models of staff development that might have an impact on these challenges. (CR)

Project STEPS (Sequenced Transition to Education in the Public Schools) was a federally funded demonstration grant to develop a community-wide interagency process for the transition of children with disabilities from preschool to the public schools. Participants were the local public schools and seven programs serving preschool children with…

This technical assistance manual describes school-based outreach strategies that involve parents in preparing youth with special needs for postschool jobs and independence. A model of preventive education is featured which stresses that postschool problems of unemployment and community adjustment can be anticipated and can, therefore, be treated…

This manual provides guidelines for early childhood programs and public school systems wishing to establish or formalize a transition process to meet the needs of preschool children moving into the public school system, based on the STEPS (Sequenced Transition to Education in the Public Schools) model developed in Kentucky. The manual begins with…

This paper describes a proposed model for providing educational services to students with autism and other pervasive developmental disorders (PDD). The model was developed by special education administrators in response to significant increases in the number of students diagnosed with PDD. Services that are necessary to support a classroom for…

This study looks at Canadian families' efforts to begin an inclusive life for their children with disabilities--and for society--"right off the bat," in the child care arena. It examines quality child care situations that welcome children with disabilities. It explores needed reform of public policy and programs to build on those…

This final report describes a demonstration project in Addison County, Vermont, to increase the capacity of families, educators, and other service providers to serve children and youth with serious emotional disturbances in their homes, schools, and community settings rather than in residential settings. The project developed, field-tested, and…

This information packet was produced as part of outreach activities of Project STEPS (Sequenced Transition to Education in the Public Schools) which was created to develop an early childhood transition model for young children with disabilities. The model is intended to assist state and local agencies and covers four major component areas of…

This project was designed to provide training to personnel serving infants and young children with disabilities and their families. The outcome was increased capacity for state and local service agencies in Oregon, California, and Idaho to deliver quality home-based services for young children (birth through six) with disabilities and their…

The Family Consultant Model (FCT) was designed to provide training to personnel serving infants and young children with disabilities and their families. This was accomplished through the replication of the FCT Model within local programs presently serving infants, toddlers and their families. Training in the FCT model was provided to…

The Ninos Especiales Outreach Training Project was a 3-year federally funded project to provide information, training, and evaluation related to a culturally sensitive, family-focused model of early intervention services for infants with severe disabilities and their families of Puerto Rican heritage. Implementation occurred through three major…

This book provides an introduction to early intervention programs, focusing on programs that reflect a transactional model of family-centered services employing collaborative and interdisciplinary techniques. Chapter 1 presents the historical context of early intervention services. Chapter 2 defines the various disabilities and risk conditions.…