This study provides concurrent and predictive validity and test-retest reliability evidence for scores from the preschool teacher-completed Preschool Learning Behaviors Scale (PLBS; McDermott, Green, Francis, & Stott, 2002) using two regional samples of preschool children aged 3 to 5.5 years (Ns of 61 and 70). Teacher ratings of social skills…

This paper explores issues and implications for diagnosis and treatment, stemming from the growing number of children identified with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Recent developments and innovations in special education and Medicaid programs are emphasized. Eligibility determination policies, innovations in diagnostic practices, the cost and…

Assessing impairment is an explicit component of current psychiatric diagnostic systems. A brief parent and teacher rating scale for assessing impairment was developed and studied using attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as an exemplar disorder. The psychometric properties of the Impairment Rating Scale (IRS) were measured in 4…

The term "pilot study" has been used over the years to describe the evaluation of the many elements involved in deciding whether a proposed condition should be added to a newborn screening (NBS) panel, and until recently, was unilaterally used to describe the evaluation of the assay to be used before the condition was officially adopted by a state…

The value of identifying permanent hearing loss during the first few months of life and providing effective treatment to ameliorate or even eliminate the negative consequences has been recognized for many decades. Unfortunately, improvements in achieving this goal were very gradual until the early 1990s. At that time, the combination of…

A Response to Intervention (RTI) model proposes identification of students with reading difficulties on the basis of a series of progressively more intensive instructional interventions over extended periods of time. Learners with serious reading difficulties are those whose difficulties are not resolved by the interventions. Three advantages of…

A two-stage protocol for screening for autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) was evaluated in a random population of 31,724 children aged 14-15 months. Children were first pre-screened by physicians at well-baby clinics using a 4-item screening instrument. Infants that screened positive were then evaluated during a 1.5-h home visit by a trained…

The information needs of regular elementary teachers concerning the special needs of students who have Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE) were assessed. A literature review covers means of identification of these disorders, intervention, effective instructional strategies, and issues involved with FAS and FAE.…

This parent guide provides information concerning the diagnosis of attention deficit disorder (ADD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), explains how parents can be involved in diagnosis, and examines possible concerns of parents. Two case studies are included. Possible signs of ADD or ADHD are identified, as are additional criteria…

This guide is designed for adults who suspect or know they have a learning disability and for family and friends who wish to help. It is intended to provide a starting point for gaining information that can lead to obtaining services at the state or local level. It provides information on assessing the problem, a learning disabilities checklist,…

This book highlights 10 preschool education programs for children with autism, focusing on each program's structure and content, diagnosis and assessment, staffing and administration, curriculum, integration, use of aversive behavior modification techniques, family involvement, and outcomes. The book consists of 11 chapters, the first of which is…

This report describes a project in Utah to investigate the feasibility of using transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE) as a tool for screening for hearing loss in children with developmental disabilities (DD). Study participants included 336 students (ages 5 to 7) with no identified DD and 765 students (ages 3 to 7) with one or more DD.…

This policy brief examines the role of ethnicity in special education by reporting on a study of the impact of base rates of ethnicity on the identification, placement, and graduation rates of children with disabilities. Emphasis is on system characteristics rather than individual student characteristics. The study explored the relationship…

A problem exists in the lack of assessment coordination between monolingual psychologists and bilingual psychologists when working with language minority children referred for evaluation of special needs. This practicum was designed to improve the psychological assessment coordination between monolingual English psychologists and the bilingual…

This digest defines attention deficit disorders (ADD), provides the attention span, hyperactivity, and impulsivity criteria for diagnosing ADD, and identifies successful strategies for teachers working with children with ADD. Strategies are provided for: (1) establishing the proper learning environment, including seating students with ADD near the…