Addresses public policy issues concerned with treatment of children with autism under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Emphasis is on issues raised by the popular, but labor-intensive, Lovaas method, such as whether these therapies are an entitlement under IDEA, the choice of an intervention strategy decision process,…

A study of 52 African-American children with speech/language disorders investigated how a large urban school district implemented recommendations of an early intervention program that fed into its schools. Results showed that the early intervention team's assessment and identification information was highly accurate and that early intervention…

Maintains that school failure can be prevented if at-risk students are provided with a coordinated set of interventions. Presents recommendations for principals and teachers and describes several successful programs that promote at-risk student learning, including cooperative learning, mentorships, instructional technology, and the whole-language…

Discusses the practical implications from Lonigan and Whitehurst's study regarding strengthening the skills of teachers and parents that will subsequently improve language and emerging literacy skills in preschoolers. Maintains that one of the most important outcomes of the dialogic reading intervention is the notion that adults can learn to…

Raises questions concerning the research methodology and related issues arising from Lonigan and Whitehurst's study: (1) degree of parent compliance in implementing the intervention; (2) effect of the parents' education level; (3) potential effects of other manipulations of the home environment to increase access to literacy materials; and (4)…

Describes how a Reality Adjustment Program involving interactions with prison inmates stresses the consequences of decisions made during adolescence and the program's impact on four highly angry students for whom other interventions had failed. Suggests that by offering a variety of anger-related programs, middle level educators can learn what…

To illustrate the impact of research on the performance and quality of life of individuals with disabilities, this article highlights three research areas supported by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): (1) at-risk infant programs; (2) learning strategy interventions for adolescents with learning disabilities; and (3)…

This annotated bibliography lists 38 books, journal articles, handouts, and journals addressing issues concerning Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in adult and postsecondary students. Citations are grouped in these categories: general references, postsecondary students, assessment of adults with ADHD, legal issues, medications,…

Contrasts early childhood education policymakers with researchers to explore ways in which these groups differ and the ways in which the media, private foundations, and advocacy groups can facilitate communication among the two groups and the public. The author reviews her experiences in Florida to show how research can help shape policy for young…

A survey was conducted of 193 directors of agencies providing home visits as part of early intervention programs for infants and toddlers with disabilities. Findings indicated limited coordination with hospitals, medical specialists, and mental health services; insufficient compensation for service coordination efforts; and state support to…

Explored the assessment of family processes for African American kindergarten children, parents, and teachers involved in the EARLY ALLIANCE prevention trial. Regression analyses examined the relationship of family processes to child social and academic competence, problem behavior, and early reading achievement. Family structure, family cohesion,…

A survey of 879 early intervention program providers and parents investigated desired outcomes of service coordination, early intervention, and natural environments practices. Results found only two outcome categories (family satisfaction and improved family quality of life) were considered to be valued outcomes of all three services. (Contains…

Twenty parents/caregivers and 11 professional practitioners reported their perceptions of assessment practices for American-Indian/Alaska-Native children in early intervention programs. Perceptions of ecological validity, treatment validity, and social validity are interpreted in terms of the gap between current and "best" practices.…

In the face of extreme poverty and inequality in South Africa, community mobilization interventions represent an important way in which people can be empowered to improve their life. Successfully conducting community mobilization interventions in rural South African communities requires anticipating and addressing a number of potential barriers in…

This article describes a two-phase community and academic collaboration funded by the California Collaborative Research Initiative to develop and test the feasibility of an innovative HIV prevention program relevant to the needs of the population of inner-city Latino teen parenting couples and realistic for implementation in community settings.…