As the number of students on the autism spectrum rises, educational services and social support for this population continue to develop and expand. Parents of those diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) receive information, guidance, and support as they work closely with K-12 teachers, therapists, medical professionals, and social service…

A mother discusses her family's experience in transitioning her daughter from early intervention services to an early childhood program. Helpful strategies that the early childhood staff used are identified and include introducing families to teachers during the transition process and allowing parents to visit the program before sending their…

This volume presents a comprehensive plan for transition of children with special needs and their families between infant or early intervention services and preschool services, and between preschool services and kindergarten. It aims to help in bridging these services to minimize the stress and increase the promise of early childhood transitions.…

In the early childhood field, the word "transition" is used to describe the period of time that falls between two different types of activities, as well as the time periods in which children move from home to school, from school to after-school activities, from one activity to another within a preschool, or from preschool to…

An ethnographic study examined school-community relationship and its effect on program implementation in six rural South Dakota towns serving as sites for the South Dakota Head Start/Public School Transition Demonstration Project (SDTP). SDTP is part of a national project to test whether providing continuous comprehensive services to Head Start…

Transition projects have emerged to address Head Start fade-out effects, that is, the disappearance of gains made by Head Start program children by the third grade. The Nebraska Transition Project is one of 31 across the United States providing Head Start-like services to families with children in public elementary school, kindergarten through…

Information on the implementation of services for preschool children with special needs and their families, acquired from a survey of 60 states and jurisdictions is presented. The information is organized into nine sections reflecting major state activities related to the Part B--Section 619 portion of the Individuals with Disabilities Education…

The Family, Infant and Preschool Program (FIPP) is an outreach unit of Western Carolina Center located in Morganton, North Carolina. Using a needs-based, social support approach, it provides and mediates child- and family-level resources and services for approximately 300 families of handicapepd and at-risk children, 0-6 years old. The conceptual…

Project Head Start has recently expanded into elementary schools through the National Head Start/Public School Transition Project (NTP), a school-based intervention program designed to improve outcomes for at-risk students. The SDTP (South Dakota site of NTP) is attempting to improve life chances for children by improving home and school…

This manual on development of transition planning programs/services for high school youth with disabilities and their families is based on the premises that both youth and family members need to be actively involved in every step of the transition planning process, that empowered families can access necessary transition and adult services needed…

This paper highlights specific issues surrounding implementation of Titles I and II of Public Law 99-457, and illuminates how federal rules and regulations and the states' positions on the law should reflect the needs of rural and remote communities. The issues include: legislative planning and appropriations to meet the needs of rural handicapped…

This training module on transitioning young children with disabilities into preschool programs is from the Mississippi Early Education Program for Children with Multiple Disabilities, a program designed to train Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Part H service coordinators and service providers to use family centered strategies.…

This final report discusses the activities and outcomes of a 4-year federally funded project designed to provide effective practices in the delivery of educational services to Pennsylvania children and youth with deafblindness from birth through 21 years of age and to their families and service providers. Outcomes of the project included: (1)…

Information on the implementation of services for preschool children with special needs and their families is presented, based on current or previous surveys of 50 states, the District of Columbia, and eight outlying jurisdictions. The information is presented in tabular form and is organized into nine sections related to the Individuals with…

The compilation of Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Title VII bilingual education programs in New York State lists, alphabetically by school district, the federally funded bilingual projects designed to assist children of limited English proficiency. Programs are listed in these categories: transitional bilingual education; special…