A survey of the states was conducted, focusing on coordination of services and financing for Part H of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. On average, states reported using some 21 different sources to support the service delivery system, with each of the 44 funding sources listed being used by at least one state for at least 1…

This guide to alcohol and other drug abuse prevention for individuals with disabilities begins with a discussion of Congressional intent in enacting the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), the stressful demands experienced by Americans with disabilities, and the ways in which these stresses may predispose people with disabilities to…

Early Prevention of School Failure (EPSF) is a nationally validated program designed to prevent school failure by identifying the developmental levels and learning styles of children 4 to 6 years of age, and providing materials and teaching strategies to address students' needs and develop their strengths. In 1986-87, EPSF was introduced to the…

This literature review focuses on approaches to measuring and improving the self-concept of young children with special needs. Two particular models dominate the debate on the self-concept construct: the perceptual model (in which self-concept is equated with a self-description formed during the preschool years) and an operational model (in which…

The Bernard van Leer Foundation sponsors nontraditional, nonschool programs designed to improve the chances that preschoolers will enroll in school. In these programs and other informal education efforts, the community facilitator plays an important role. Typically, the facilitator is a member of the community who works without remuneration as a…

This document uses a question-and-answer format in clarifying the meaning and use of the term "informed clinical opinion," which appears in the regulatory requirements for the implementation of Part H of the Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments 1986 (Public Law 99-457) as an integral part of an eligibility determination. The paper…

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…

This report addresses problems associated with school readiness and offers recommendations intended to help the 15 member states of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) meet goals that were adopted in 1988. After discussing the importance of school readiness, the report lists some obstacles to readiness that are especially prevalent in the…

This paper discusses the interagency collaboration between a clinical assessment and intervention program for toddlers offered through the psychiatry department of a large metropolitan west coast medical center and a group home for infants and young children who are positive for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The paper presents the case…

This report, the third annual publication of Iowa Kids Count, proposes that, by building upon effective system of support, and moving decision-making to the family and community level, solutions to the problems confronting today's youth can be found. The first section of this report summarizes the framework paper developed for the Kids Count…

This report describes a program for improving academic productivity in an elementary school in Rockford, Illinois. Students were unmotivated, unproductive, and uninvolved in academic life, as measured by teacher observation and student behavior. Examination of teacher records revealed that the learning disabled or behavior disordered resource…

This document, the result of the collaborative efforts of the members of the Prime Study Group of the Institute on Rehabilitation Issues, provides information concerning techniques, strategies, models, and resources for rehabilitation professionals who are working with persons with coexisting abuse problems and disabling conditions. Chapter I, an…

This collection of essays, in honor of child psychiatry pioneers Stella Chess and Alexander Thomas, focuses on their idea that important life outcomes are the product of ongoing interactions between a child's behavioral style and the complimentarity or lack of fit of the parenting environment. Following an introduction, the remaining chapters are:…

Public schools in Manitoba (Canada) are encountering an increasing number of students who are considered to be educationally at risk. This paper addresses the provision of effective services relating to at-risk youth and the prevention of early school dropouts. The paper's first section covers the circumstances and conditions associated with early…

Two "early alert" pilot projects were established at Antelope Valley College, in California, to develop a follow-up system to ensure regular monitoring of student progress for early detection of academic difficulty. Two committees were established to explore and develop early alert strategies; the first focusing on basic skills courses…