The pathway for post-diagnostic services for autism tends to be complex, heterogeneous, and fraught with delays. This situation has repercussions for families' experience with care systems, the quality of early interventions, and family adjustment. To date, studies of parents' point of view on autism services have predominantly focused on the…

The transition from early intervention to preschool is a major early milestone for children with multiple disabilities and their families and the first of many transitions they will experience across the lifespan. However due to the low-incidence nature of multiple disabilities, this group has been largely left out of the literature surrounding…

When considering the parent voice as an individual subjective reality, it is observed as unique to the parent and not shared by others. This research sought to explore if parent voices could constitute intersubjective realities; inviting narratives from parents and professionals that may reveal a shared existence. The first theme explored the…

The Ohio "Operating Standards for the Education of Children with Disabilities" identify the state requirements and federal Part B Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) requirements that apply to the implementation of special education and related services to students with disabilities by school districts, county…

Child development occurs within the context of the child's family, neighborhood, and community environment. Early childhood providers support positive outcomes, not only for the children with whom they directly work with but also for their families. Families of children with developmental delays often experience unique challenges. A family…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the main federal statute governing special education and early intervention services for children with disabilities from birth through age 21.1 IDEA consists of four parts. Part A contains general provisions, including the purposes of the act and definitions. Part B contains provisions…

Children with mild bilateral and unilateral hearing loss are now commonly identified early through newborn hearing screening initiatives. There remains considerable uncertainty about how to support parents and about which services to provide for children with mild bilateral and unilateral hearing loss. The goal of this study was to learn about…

With the advancement of healthcare initiatives and legislative mandates, occupational therapists are facing the demand of providing health promotion and prevention services to a variety of populations -- including students in public schools. In addition to these mandates, pioneers in the field of occupational therapy forecasted the importance of…

The "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act" (IDEA) refers to two types of Coordinated Early Intervening Services (CEIS): voluntary CEIS and comprehensive CEIS. Each scenario describes a local education agency's (LEA's) implementation of voluntary or comprehensive CEIS and how the LEA or state could track the amount LEAs reserved…

Research across the board has focused predominately on postsecondary transition services as they occur, after students with disabilities have left high school and entered the postsecondary realm of education. There has yet to be a study to address the feasibility of combining the important early intervention strategies necessary for success within…

This study is to diagnose and evaluate children with different special needs medically and educationally and, as a result of those evaluations, to identify families' expectations, opinions and suggestions concerning the special education process, services and the functioning of special education institutions. The mothers of five children who…

This resource is a set of three tools state education agencies (SEAs) can use with their districts, schools, and providers to assist them in tracking the finances, services, and student data associated with Coordinated Early Intervening Services (CEIS). These three tools include one for provider(s), school(s), and local education agencies (LEAs).…

The IFSP is both a document and process for developing, implementing, and evaluating the supports and services delivered to infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families eligible under Part C of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA; 2004). Recently, researchers have defined IFSP quality based on five…

Services offered through Part C of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act improve cognitive, behavioral, and physical skills for children less than 3 years old at risk for or with a disability. However, there are low enrollment rates into services. Various Lead Agencies oversee services through Part C, and states determine…

School personnel have many opportunities to assist students and families in preparing for a successful transition to college and careers. Initial high school efforts may include prescreening incoming freshman student files to identify those at-risk and assuring that support services and interventions are implemented quickly. Early supports for…