This paper describes work being conducted at the Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center of Rutgers University, focusing on the center's research findings which support the value of group-focused, language-based, integrated programing for preschool children with autism. (Author/JDD)

This introduction to the special issue summarizes issues raised in the nine subsequent contributed papers, which discuss research findings on communication and language development in persons with mental retardation or developmental disabilities. The paper stresses the direct relevance of the research for prevention, assessment, intervention, and…

Strategies to facilitate the language development of children with deafness or hearing impairments are presented, including capitalizing on the linguistic opportunities provided in particular environments; rearranging environments; responding to indications that children have comprehended messages and are open to risk communication; and…