The paper reviews factors affecting development of early intervention programs for all handicapped infants including changing political and economic conditions and programmatic issues (setting, staffing, identification). Finally, the provisions of P.L. 99-457 creating a discretionary infant intervention program are outlined. (Author/DB)

This report re-evaluates evidence on the issue of age ranges served of handicapped children in Illinois schools, analyzes additional research on the issue, and estimates the cost that would be incurred if the current 3-21 year range were to be lowered to birth. A literature review addresses two broad areas: the identification and effectiveness of…

A child born in Japan, Finland, Hong Kong, Ireland, Australia, Canada, Singapore, or any of 12 other industrialized nations has a better chance of surviving his or her first year than does a child born in the United States. This is because too many babies are born too small, too many are born too soon, and too many mothers never get decent care…

This publication emerged from an invitational meeting held by "Project Zero to Three" to address how best to provide effective, culturally sensitive, and comprehensive early intervention programs to all infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families in an equitable way. Following an overview of the concept of culture and how that…

The report analyzes roles of mental health professionals in implementing Public Law 99-457, the Education of the Handicapped Amendments of 1986, which established the Child and Adolescent Service System Program (CASSP). A December, 1987, conference of administrators, clinicians, policymakers, and parent representatives from federal, state, and…

The final report describes major activities accomplished during the 1981-82 project year to develop a comprehensive plan in New York State for handicapped children, aged 3-5, and to accelerate services to handicapped infants through Regional Early Childhood Direction Centers (RECDC). Briefly discussed are the processes for the following outcomes:…

A review of 40 federally funded personnel preparation projects for infant specialists focused on: demographic information; project scope; project rationale; training content, including competencies, practicum, and coursework; staff; budget; and project evaluation. Areas needing further examination by the early intervention field include training…

The publication is intended to help those wishing to establish educational programs for handicapped preschoolers. Nine topic areas are addressed: (1) assessing local service needs; (2) identifying available funding sources; (3) choosing a program site; (4) locating and accessing referral services (suggested strategies for generating referrals);…

A nationwide survey examined the attitudes and opinions of 203 professionals regarding parent-professional involvement in the planning and implementation of goals and services for hearing-impaired infants and toddlers and their families, as required under Public Law 99-457, the Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments (1986). Respondents…

This study was conducted to measure the progress that states have made with regard to the 14 components in Part H of Public Law 99-457, after about 1 year of funding. Forty-seven State Part H Coordinators completed and returned the State Progress Scale between January and April of 1989. For each of the 14 components, progress was assessed in three…

The booklet contains the U.S. Government Report which accompanied the Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments of 1986 (Public Law 99-457) and a commentary on the law written by the National Center for Clinical Infant Programs. The bill is intended to establish a federal discretionary program to assist states in developing and implementing an…

The plan presents information relating to persons with developmental disabilities and other substantial handicaps in Alaska. A joint effort by state planning and service providing agencies, the plan was developed with input from consumers as well as providers. An introduction to the document is followed by an overview of the state and the…

While the notion of starting education early with children has gained momentum in the public's mind, our public policies and investments still do not reflect society's increasing knowledge of how the human brain grows and how very early experiences beginning at birth affect a child's future. Arguing that if policymakers fail to include the needs…

This final report describes a project in Vermont which developed, implemented, evaluated, and disseminated a program development model for establishing new, and for improving existing, comprehensive early childhood special education services to young (birth to 5 years) children with disabilities and their families in rural settings. The model…

This study assesses progress made by the states, as of 1990, in the implementation of the 14 components of Part H of Public Law 99-457, the Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments, 1986. Fifty out of 51 jurisdictions completed the State Progress Scale, which contains items for each of the 14 components and determines the stages of policy…