The current meta-analytic review analyzed 43 studies published in English, Chinese, and Japanese to determine the effects of caregiver involvement for promoting communication skills of individuals with ASD and IDD. Tau-U effect sizes, the Kruskal-Wallis H test, and the Dunn post hoc test were employed to calculate for moderator analyses: child…

Models of collaboration among disciplines and among agencies have been developed in the early intervention field in response to the need for service coordination for young special needs children and their families. Case management is seen as a mechanism for effectively coordinating these services, and encompasses the tasks of assessing client…

The paper was written to document the importance and efficacy of comprehensive early intervention services for children with special needs and their families; to serve as a resource to a wide range of agencies, organizations and individuals concerned about the needs of special needs children and the families; and to advocate support at all…

This article examines factors associated with underutilization of early intervention services, outlines the prevalence of these factors in the population of families with young children, presents statistics on the sociodemographic characteristics of families with children under five, and suggests policies that may facilitate the participation of…

To illustrate the principles and conflicts inherent in ensuring the self-determination of individuals with disabilities, this paper discusses the challenges faced by the parents of Shari, an adult with developmental disabilities. Throughout Sheri's 30 years, her parents have sought to create the kind of supports and opportunities that will put…

This document is part of a series of monographs on community-based services for children and adolescents who are severely emotionally disturbed. The series is the product of a national study of community-based service approaches, which identified over 200 programs serving emotionally disturbed children and included visits to several programs…

The book defines and discusses eight key elements of a family-centered approach to care for children with chronic illnesses and special health care needs: (1) recognition that the family is the constant in the child's life, while the service systems and personnel within those systems fluctuate; (2) facilitation of parent/professional collaboration…

This article summarizes findings from the Macomb Project's 15 years of research and provision of model demonstration computer application services to young children with disabilities, their families, and service delivery staff. Staff training, administrative support, technology assessments, family involvement, and transition services are all…

This article begins by defining family-centeredness and then reviews and integrates available evidence about family-centered practices in early intervention, preschool, and elementary and secondary schools. For each educational level, findings from studies that investigated program models, practitioner behaviors, family-oriented practices rating…

Discusses the role of pupil personnel workers and educators in providing services for handicapped children of low-income families. Parents need to be aware of their children's rights and the services available in the community and the school. Parent involvement should be encouraged. (JAC)

The procedural safeguards required by the Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities Program (Part C) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) are intended to protect the interests of families with infants and toddlers with special needs and of the early intervention system. Early intervention system personnel are legally obligated to…

This final report describes a demonstration project in Addison County, Vermont, to increase the capacity of families, educators, and other service providers to serve children and youth with serious emotional disturbances in their homes, schools, and community settings rather than in residential settings. The project developed, field-tested, and…

This paper examines the legal mandates as well as the definitions and indicators for a family-centered early childhood system of care for children with special needs. Legislation discussed includes the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant (Title V of the Social Security Act). Various definitions…