Early childhood perceptual-motor programs as preventive and remedial measures present three concerns: (1) they have minimal positive effects; (2) funds could be used to investigate more effective educational strategies; and (3) the rationale for these programs does not fit with the Australian Early Childhood Association's Code of Ethics. Play is…

This article evaluates the scientific basis (primarily gained through uncontrolled, descriptive studies) of various sensory and motor interventions for children with autism and concludes that most categories of interventions, including sensory integration, sensory stimulation approaches, auditory integration training, and prism lenses, have shown…

Examined the impact of 2 environmental factors--social class and family risk levels--and 2 biological factors--intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) and medical risk--on the cognitive and motor development of 175 preterm infants. Family risk, early medical risk, and the interaction of family risk and IVH were found to be significant predictors of…

Describes the development of the motor section of Peabody College's preschool orientation and mobility (O&M) project curriculum for children with visual impairments. Theoretical foundations and curriculum design, as well as specific applications of motor skills to the development of formal O&M skills are presented. (SM)

This paper analyzes the methodology and effectiveness of the training approaches implemented in 28 empirical studies on basic motor skills instruction for children with neuromotor delays. For all types of training approaches (neuromotor interventions, sensory integration techniques, behavioral programing, and naturalistic programing), assessment…

Reviews the literature on the relationship between balance and motor skill development as it relates to physical activity levels, physical fitness levels, and overall quality of life. Findings are related to educational programming needs of young deaf children. (Author/DB)

Data from 30 national service centers found the number of assessment instruments endorsed increased as centers adopted a multidisciplinary approach to education and treatment, the largest proportion of instruments fell within intellectual, motor, and language/communication domains, and instruments were used most frequently for diagnostic and…

The purpose of this article is to investigate the effect of an introductory traditional Greek dances programme on the motor proficiency development of pre-school-age children. The sample of this research consisted of 66 students (36 boys and 30 girls) attending public kindergarten in Argolida prefecture (Greece), aged 4-6 years (X = 59.79 plus or…

This report puts forth the position of the Ministry of Education of Alberta, Canada, with respect to the physical development of the elementary school student as the basis for his or her cognitive, emotional, social, and moral development. The report describes normal physical development during the first 10 years of life in the domains of…

In educating children with disabilities, training for independence should begin early, and the "technology" may be very simple. This paper lists activities designed to increase gross, fine motor, cognitive, and eye-hand coordination skills needed for independent living. It encourages caregivers to engage young children in active learning…

Two studies on cognitive performance in mentally retarded children are reported. In the first study, the Bayley Scales of Infant Development were administered to 56 mentally retarded children, aged 2 to 6, to determine the possibility of discerning subsets of items that form a developmental pattern of interrelated subscales, using the SCAMMO scale…

In conjunction with Public Law 101-476, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Head Start programs are committed to including children with disabilities as 10 percent of their student population. This study sought to determine the effects of training on Head Start providers' attitudes toward children with disabilities and their knowledge…

Play therapy can be used to help children with disabilities to develop a sense of strength and competency. Play therapy literature concerning children with disabilities is divided into two distinct approaches: (1) the "I am" attribute which deals with emotional adjustment and helps the child to develop positive self-esteem, personal competency,…

This study explored the way parents use information sources for information about their child's motor, social, and cognitive development. This study sought to identify: (1) variations in parental use of information based on the domain of the child's development for which the parent sought information; (2) the role of parent and child gender in…

This handbook is a guide and reference document for those researching the child data files of the 1986-1990 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, sponsored by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It describes the child data collection procedures, the nature of the child sample, the child data files available, and the specifics of the child assessments…