Program administrators and policy makers have placed a priority on expanding access to inclusive, center-based early care and education (ECE) for low-income children with special needs, a "doubly vulnerable" population characterized by academic and social-emotional achievement gaps at kindergarten entry. Yet, no research has documented…

The period from birth to twelve years is crucial in a child's development and can significantly impact future educational success, resilience and participation in society. "Health and Wellbeing in Childhood, 2nd Edition" provides readers with a comprehensive foundation in health and wellbeing education across key priority areas, covering…

Parents of young children who are in early intervention (EI) or early childhood special education (ECSE) programs want to be sure these services are helping their children develop and learn. These services are designed to make the most of each child's potential as well as to strengthen the family's ability to help their child. This report asks how…

Understanding disparities in school readiness among America's children when they begin kindergarten is critically important, now more than ever. In today's 21st century global economy, it is expected that the great majority of children will complete high school ready to enter college or begin a career, and assume their civic responsibilities. This…

Inequalities in education outcomes such as test scores or degree attainment have been at the center of education policy debates for decades. Indeed, the first seminal national report on the state of U.S. education--the 1966 Coleman Report--examined some of these inequalities 50 years ago. Since then, researchers have examined performance gaps by…

Students with special needs require unique intervention strategies as they enter infant care and preschool environments. The techniques and materials discussed in this paper are designed especially for the child's unique abilities and disabilities. This paper will also focus on the skills needed for infants who have been identified as requiring…

Social well-being is essential to overall health and quality of life for all children, youth, and adults. However, children and youth with disabilities are often at higher risk for experiencing lower levels of social, and related emotional, well-being than their peers without disabilities. They are among those more likely to be bullied and…

The feelings of non-disabled children toward their disabled siblings are explored. Children describe how they sometimes react negatively to situations involving their disabled siblings even though they understand that their reaction is not the best response. The parents' role in serving the needs of all their children is examined. (JDD)

The monograph presents guidelines for early intervention services for handicapped infants and their families. Guidelines are the result of a 1980 conference on health issues in early identification programs. Three state of the art papers are included: "Infancy, What We Know and What We Need to Know as a Basis for Intervention" by A. Korner; "Child…

This article introduces the negative effects of disabilities on young children's play skill development, which also adversely affects their social interaction with peers and their independence. Strategies recommended by studies in addressing young children's social skill improvement through play activity are introduced. Applicable and practical…

Since the passage of U.S. Public Law 94-142, The Education for All Handicapped Children Act in 1975, special education has undergone much change. This law mandates that any child with disabilities must be educated to the maximum extent possible, with the least restrictive environment possible. This book serves as a resource for teachers dealing…

This article introduces three papers about research projects of the Early Childhood Research Institute of the University of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania). The papers address peer-mediated strategies to promote communicative interaction, social behavior in preschoolers with special needs, and the importance of parents as intervention agents. (JDD)

This social skills curriculum has been developed as a guide to assist in instructing students with disabilities in determining what behaviors are and are not acceptable in our society. Chapters include: (1) "The Disabled, Classified and Defined" (George R. Taylor and J. Richard Rembold); (2) "Social Learning Theories: An…

Concerned with problems, compromises, and challenges of parenting, this volume, the fourth of four volumes on parenting specifically deals with applied issues and practical considerations in parenting. The volume consists of 18 chapters as follows: (1) "Maternal Deprivation" (Michael Rutter); (2) "Marital Interaction and…