The author describes a process through which parents of exceptional children or school personnel in any community can organize a parent group for themselves and their children. (CL)

The paper describes a respite care cooperative in Orange County, California in which parents of handicapped children help other parents by providing a break from continuous care. The model features ongoing training and no cost for services. Goals and principles of the program are delineated, and procedures regarding such aspects as application…

The Paraprofessional Outreach Program shows parents more effective ways of managing behaviors and teaching new skills to their disabled children. The program uses as paraprofessionals other parents of developmentally delayed children living at home. A 10-day training process for parent trainees focuses on such topics as goals of community…

The handbook describes the Home Start Training Center's approach to serving Head Start families. Much of the program is focused on the Portage Project and on early intervention efforts for preschoolers. The first of the major parts of the handbook presents an overview of the approach, reviewing the philosophy of parent-focused home-based…

The booklet describes PARENTS TRAIN PARENTS, a project in which parents of handicapped children help other parents understand their rights and responsibilities under state and federal laws. The booklet is intended to help potential adopters modify program aspects for local settings. The model is analyzed in terms of user concerns, program…

The author describes the parent training model as a viable alternative to delivering services to train parents of handicapped children. (SB)

The article describes a joint competency based training program to enhance cooperation between parents and teachers of handicapped children. Evaluation with 143 participants is noted to support the model's feasibility. (SB)

Parent to Parent programs are described as support programs that match experienced parents of disabled children with new parents. A partial directory of Parent to Parent programs, in alphabetical order by state, lists names, addresses, and telephone numbers for programs from Alabama to Kansas. (JDD)

The report documents the achievements of the Parent Information Center, an information and referral service for parents of handicapped children. Documented are the center's relationships with community agencies, presentations, participation in parent advisory boards at the local level, interagency cooperation, consumer outreach, staff training,…

Presents a rating scale for evaluating programs that are working to include students with high-incidence disabilities. The scale evaluates 12 general components with 47 items. Its use in over 50 schools in Florida to aid in program development, program monitoring, program evaluation, staff development, and parent education is described. (DB)

The manual is intended for training surrogate parents of handicapped children according to Minnesota and federal statutes and regulations. Section 1 provides an overview of the surrogate parent program, noting relevant legislation, functions, rights, and responsibilities. Section 2 reviews the history of special education and related state and…

Describes a program of New York's Keller School (a school for toddlers and preschoolers with communication, cognitive, and emotional disorders), which promotes meaningful family involvement through parent education. Activities to promote parent participation are described, including an annual poster session to present the parents' own data on…

The manual describes the Family, Infant, and Toddler Project for rural handicapped preschoolers and their families. The project, based on an ecological perspective, has three goals: to develop a demonstration service program, to increase the pool of qualified personnel, and to expand educational services to preschool aged mentally retarded…

Family support programs are examined from a preventive perspective which is designed to help families before they are in crisis. Family resource programs are discussed in terms of their history, principles, distinguishing characteristics, relevance for families with children who have special needs, and implications for practitioners. (Author/JDD)

Provides a set of guidelines for conducting successful community resource fairs to help students with disabilities and their family prepare for the future. A countdown of organizational activities, plus follow-up actions, is provided, and a checklist of 30 steps to use when organizing a community resource fair is included. (CR)