This sourcebook profiles approximately 80 programs that support the redefinition, assessment, and/or enhancement of quality in community services for individuals with developmental disabilities. Direct service programs, however, are not included. The programs and activities described are subsumed under the following broad categories: (1) statewide…

Describes a program for a project approach in inclusive classrooms which balances the needs of children with and without developmental delays and provides effective and efficient learning. Provides guidance in choosing the project topic, introducing ideas, implementing project activities, completing the project, and evaluating the experience. (SD)

This study investigated the effectiveness of a relationship-focused intervention on the socioemotional well-being of 20 young children with autism or pervasive developmental disorder. Weekly intervention sessions encouraged parents to use a responsive teaching curriculum to promote children's socioemotional development. The intervention resulted…

There is an increased incidence of language-learning disabilities with dyslexia by school age. As infants and toddlers, these children have neuromotor and speech dysfunction within their first year. This article postulates that the language and motor dysfunction is caused by infantile presentation of developmental dyspraxia rather than a…

A study evaluated impact of supportive paraprofessional home visiting on 88 mothers and young children with or at-risk for developmental disabilities and at-risk for inadequate parenting. Mothers who received services demonstrated moderately better mental health than controls, and their children were more likely to have an Individualized Family…

Describes how an eighteenth century classification system that linked poor, socially disadvantaged students with those suffering from significant biological abnormalities has been expanded to create current categories of mental defect. Examines the social and scientific contexts that spawned these categories. Suggests how the past is relevant to…

Nineteen adults with developmental disabilities, judged competent in facilitated communication, participated in a validation study using an information passing design requiring short-term recall of stimulus cards with shapes, colors, and numbers. Results failed to validate facilitated communication for the group as a whole, any individual…

This article notes that children with developmental difficulties may exhibit qualitatively different behaviors in addition to or instead of developmental delay. It offers a rationale for neurobehavioral assessment and describes a new instrument, Neurobehavioral Indicators of Atypical Development, that is designed to assist in early screening and…

Discusses the availability of special education programs in the Soviet Union. Identifies a shortage of instructional programs for children identified as physically or mentally impaired. Reports that approximately 800,000 Soviet children with development disabilities either receive no instruction or attend regular schools. Lists recommendations for…

An empirical model of community services spending in the states for mental retardation and developmental disabilities was tested using cumulative community services fiscal effort across 1977-88. Strength of consumer advocacy organizations coupled with states' historical orientations toward policies promoting racial equality were highly significant…

This review of 20 years of literature on sight word instruction for individuals with handicaps examines effectiveness data for procedures teaching word recognition and comprehension. Covered are "errorless procedures," prompt elimination, stimulus fading, time delay, easy to hard discrimination, and trial and error with feedback. Two tables…

Suggests that most bioethical decisions concerning children born with catastrophic illnesses should be made by parents with input from physicians and health care workers and guidance from hospital infant ethics committees. The child protective service system should have the final authority to assure that the decisions of caregivers do not…

Examines the uniqueness of the caregiving experiences of specific cultural groups. Results, based on focus group meetings with African American, Chinese American, Haitian American, Hispanic/Latino American, Korean American, and select Native American communities, revealed differences in perceptions of disability, family structure, care givers,…

Investigates the drawing and copying skills of nine autistic and eight mentally retarded children matched for mental age. Results indicate a similarity of performance for the drawing tasks and significant differences concerning the copying. Discusses the specific functions performed better by the autistic children and provides illustrative…

The early childhood years are critical for literacy development, and there is evidence that the home environments of young children with delays or disabilities are not as rich in literacy opportunities as those of their typically developing peers. The purpose of this study was to obtain information about how parents of infants and toddlers with…