Provides an overview of play in occupational therapy. Examines how occupational therapists' view of play has evolved and offers a model of play as occupation to illustrate how children's ability to play is influenced by developmental disabilities. Also outlines occupational-therapy assessment and treatment practices that use play and identifies…

Describes a collaborative program undertaken by a Massachusetts district to enhance preschool students' learning readiness when entering kindergarten. The program consisted of three elements: networking local and area programs and services; improving the quality of programs and services; and increasing access to family services. (11 references)…

Encourages early-intervention practitioners to recognize the benefits of applying management concepts to the field of social work. A five-function model of management is presented that includes the concepts of planning, organizing, staffing, leadership, and control. Case studies illustrate relevance of the five-function model for improving…

Founded by Norma Gray in 1972 as an early-childhood demonstration center, River Valley Child Development Services now operates various programs related to young children in nine southern West Virginia counties and a statewide apprenticeship program for child-development specialists. Programs provide child care, after-school programs,…

Discusses the PCs for Families experiment, a longitudinal quantitative and ethnographic study of networked computing in the fifth-grade classroom examining how networked computing affects students' educational achievements, attitude and professional development of teachers and support instructors, and how families support students and react to the…

Reflects on the motivating conditions, goals, works, and aspirations of the Juniper Gardens Children's Project (JGCP). The JGCP was established in 1964 to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty of a 10-square-mile urban area in Kansas City, Kansas, by improving developmental and educational experiences within the community. (CR)

Gives recommendations for providing culturally sensitive service coordination for Hispanic families, including become part of the family, be flexible, accept different views of time and punctuality, be accessible, speak the language, be aware of views of authority, and understand why families may not follow up on recommendations. (CR)

This article traces a personal and professional journal that paralleled the growth and direction of personnel preparation in early childhood special education. The development of a professional identity is discussed, along with future trends toward generalist certification and funding early intervention services through a fee-for-service…

This article discusses the confusion, inaccuracies, and misperceptions arising from the term "infant mental health," and proposes a framework for the use of the term. This framework sets out a language and clear distinctions among the categories of promotion, relationship-based preventive intervention, and treatment. (Contains references.)…

Evaluates claims of the Early Intervention Project, an intensive behavioral intervention program for young children with autism. Claims include recovery from autism in 47% of cases and substantial improvement in an additional 42%. The article finds methodological problems affecting internal and external validity of the project's reported results.…

Describes a program that addresses social, emotional, and behavior issues along with the developmental problems of infants and toddlers with developmental delays. Steps the early-intervention program in Montgomery County, Maryland, took to incorporate infant mental-health services are discussed and case studies are provided. (CR)

A study assessed the effect of family-centered early intervention services on 47 children and their families during a 12-month period. During family-centered intervention, children's developmental gains were equivalent to their rate of development prior to intervention. The intervention also did not reduce parental stress or enhance family…

Describes practices and issues related to providing services for preschoolers with disabilities in inclusive early childhood classrooms. Identifies findings from research on developmentally appropriate practices. Discusses ways to integrate specialized services such as occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language therapy into…

A case study of a 38-year-old "feral child" was conducted to learn more about the speech and language development of children who received limited simulation in early development. Language training results indicated an increase in communicative attempts and nonverbal communication acts but limited increases in verbalizations. (Author/CR)

A successful Portland (Oregon) program creates mentoring adult relationships in the lives of high-risk children. Paid staff members sign a contract to work with up to eight children for 10 years, beginning at age 6-7, providing positive adult role models; early intervention; and opportunities for the children to explore talents, learn life skills,…