A study explored the perceptions of 397 parents and 26 service coordinators on early intervention program practices that affected collaboration. Factors included program philosophy and climate, service delivery (including options for service delivery), teaming approaches, administrative policies and practices (including quality of program…

This article describes the Walden Toddler Program, a comprehensive early intervention model designed to be used for toddlers with autism in the natural environments of a child care center and children's homes. It reviews the program's philosophical foundations and describes key components of the model's incidental teaching. (Author/CR)

Several concepts from the adult learning literature are described that relate to working with parents of young children who are deaf. Three areas are discussed: the context for adult learning; learning related to transitions in the adult life cycle; and transformative learning. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

This commentary summarizes four major themes emerging from this special issue: (a) Consultation with nonmainstream families involves empowering parents to navigate the public education system, integrating cultural considerations into consultation and intervention, and educating families and school personnel; (b) a participatory process that brings…

This case study explored perceptions of friendship of an adolescent with Asperger syndrome. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, photographs taken by the adolescent, and quality of life and friendship measures. Data were analyzed using grounded theory principles and organized into three themes: (1) characteristics of a friend;…

The daily educational experiences of a young child affect not only the child but also the family. The time and energy a family invests to achieve optimal educational experiences will likely impact the whole family system. As such, early education service providers are responsible for decreasing the challenges that parents experience so that…

Early adolescence is a period of intrapersonal and interpersonal transformation; thus, middle school counselors need to provide services that appropriately match their students' and families' developmental needs. A collaborative, systemic approach is one way that counselors can work with other school-based professionals to support…

The purpose of this study was to examine changes in family involvement following a relative's move to a long-term care facility as well as factors associated with these changes. Qualitative data, using in-depth, active interviews were gathered from 35 family members at two points in time following a relative's move to a facility. Findings showed…

Research on parent risk factors, family environment, and familial involvement in the treatment of depression in children and adolescents is integrated, providing an update to prior reviews on the topic. First, the psychosocial parent and family factors associated with youth depression are examined. The literature indicates that a broad array of…

The increased prevalence and seriousness of antisocial behavior displayed by today's youths have become serious concerns for parents, educators, and community members. Antisocial behavior has a developmental course that starts with minor offenses in preschool (e.g., whining, teasing, noncompliance) and develops into major offenses (e.g.,…

Early childhood educators must realize that children are in their care at a critical time. Children learn to make decisions and develop the foundation for a healthy lifestyle during their early years. Many children spend a large number of their waking hours in early childhood settings. Family lives are very busy, and it is understandable that some…

Despite the fact that anorexia nervosa is a debilitating disorder with serious psychological and medical sequelae, few psychological treatments have been studied. Of these, interventions that involve the parents of the adolescent have proved to be most promising. This is especially true for those cases with a short duration of illness (less than 3…

This study investigated the potential of an approach to involving families in regular integration of math into home life, addressing the following: When families are given math-related games unconnected with children's school, does what parents believe impact the extent to which their families play the games, and how do parents describe their…

Responding to disruptive or troubled pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD) remains a highly topical issue. The challenges these children present relate to wider issues of continuing political concern: the perceived declining discipline in schools; school and social exclusion; the limits to inclusion for children with special…

This paper has been developed by the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) of the Council for Exceptional Children to serve as a companion document to the 2003 joint position statement "Early Childhood Curriculum, Assessment and Program Evaluation-Building and Effective, Accountable System in Progams for Children Birth through Age 8" of National…