The author points out weaknesses in the services provided by the state of Wisconsin for young children with exceptional educational needs. Among the areas considered are reimbursement for early intervention, teacher certification, and pre- and inservice teacher training. (SBH)

Briefly reviews recent trends in research on writing; introduces theory-based model being developed for differential diagnosis of writing disabilities at neuropsychological, linguistic, and cognitive levels; presents cases and patterns in cases that illustrate differential diagnosis of writing disabilities at linguistic level; and suggests…

Many states are developing regulations for serving handicapped infants based on P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, which was written to cover ages 3-21. As a result, confusing and discrepant practices are occurring that do not necessarily address the unique nature and needs of infants. (Author/VW)

Early identification of handicapped rural children is difficult due to the scarcity of rural preschools, medical and human services, and education about the handicapped. This article defines early identification, delineates its four steps and the significant and divergent approaches to it, noting advantages and disadvantages of developmental…

Presents a model that identifies the adjustment process following the birth of a less-than-perfect newborn. Outlines specific counseling intervention strategies that guide the counselor and family through the process towards acceptance. Emphasizes that early counseling leads to more complete adjustment and acceptance, with positive implications…

An historical analysis of early intervention efficacy research documents the need for longitudinal studies of early intervention with handicapped children. Sixteen such studies were recently funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The article describes the issues they will address, discusses their design characteristics, and summarizes their…

This study addressed concerns of Pennsylvania legislators and government departments by examining coordination between education and other human service agencies in three program areas: early intervention (for preschool handicapped children); student assistance (for drug and alcohol abuse and other teenage problems); and teenage pregnancy and…

The paper briefly describes Public Law 99-457 (The Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments, 1986) with emphasis on implications for families, service providers, and early childhood educators. Among the law's components are the following: all the rights and protections of Public Law 94-142 (Education for All Handicapped Children Act) are…

Discusses various adjustment reactions displayed by some parents in the process of crisis resolution when they are informed by school psychologists that their child is handicapped. Presents implications for the school psychologist's role with parents of exceptional children within a crisis intervention framework. (Author/ABL)

The articles in this booklet were developed as part of the Infant/Parent Education Project, operated by the Pediatric Department of the Charles R. Drew Postgraduate Medical School (Los Angeles, CA) and funded by the Bureau for the Education of the Handicapped. Under the project, a model program was developed to serve handicapped minority infants…

This paper provides a brief review of the issues regarding families in early intervention programs for handicapped children and proposes the assessment of family needs as a first step in designing family-focused interventions. While traditional approaches to early intervention tend to be exclusively child-focused, professionals are encouraged to…

This article explores how providing early intervention in natural environments reinforces family-centered care, discusses benefits for all parties when therapy is provided within daily routines and settings, describes a decision-making process for embedding natural environments within intervention, and concludes by identifying challenges and…

This fact sheet uses a question-and-answer format to summarize early intervention services for children (birth through age 2) provided by Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 (Public Law 105-17). Questions and answers address the following topics: the purpose of Part C (early identification and intervention with…

An overview is provided of a 5-year project conducted by the Early Intervention Research Institute (EIRI) which focused on the effects and costs of early intervention for young handicapped children. The bulk of the document consists of research reports of 14 investigations: (1) meta-analysis of the early intervention efficacy literature; (2)…