This commentary on a study that found the use of a system of least prompts produced increases in rates of conversations between preschoolers with and without disabilities discusses the benefits of the hierarchical model of intervention that maximizes the usefulness of research to practitioners. (Author/CR)

Western social-work interventions must be adapted to empower ethnic minority families. A case study of a Hawaiian family-centered, family-empowering, problem-solving intervention using the Gandhi Technique shows it to be compatible with Asian and Pacific-Islander values. Considerations for culturally competent social work practice with Asian and…

Describes an evaluation of a home-school support project designed to improve the behavior of young children in danger of school exclusion. Concludes that, although the initiative was valued, effective operation of the initiative was hampered by problems of communication, by its single agency location, and by the short-term nature of its funding.…

The effectiveness of instruction in word-problem solving for students with learning problems in 25 outcome studies was examined across student characteristics, instructional features, methodological features, skill maintenance, and generalization components. Computer-assisted instruction was found to be most effective for group-design studies;…

Seventeen fourth and fifth graders with severe writing disabilities received a weekly one-hour individual tutorial which focused equally on transcription (handwriting and spelling) and composition skills. Students showed reliable improvement in composition and handwriting automaticity but not in spelling. Suggestions for teaching phonological…

Seattle's SafeFutures project focuses on intervention for children involved in, or at risk of becoming involved in, the juvenile-justice system, particularly Cambodian and Vietnamese youth; girls involved with gangs; and violent, chronic juvenile offenders. Project services include classes on social and cultural issues for Asian parents, tutoring…

Describes a 10-step process that educators can use when conducting functional assessments and developing Behavioral Intervention Plans required under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997 for students with disabilities with behavior problems. A case study is provided to illustrate the process. (Author/CR)

Presents a typology outlining five psychological risk states that may be experienced by adolescent drivers. Identifies the habitually cautious driving and active risk avoidance states as desirable from a traffic safety viewpoint. Identifies reduced risk perception, acceptance of risk at a cost, and risk seeking states as undesirable. Examines…

Outlines the sparse empirical data on sexual assault among Latinas. Presents a working bicultural model of sexual assault that frames the problem within both traditional Latino and American gender role systems. Discusses implications for providing culturally competent services for Latina victims that draw on supportive aspects of familism and…

This case study explored the efficacy of a prelinguistic intervention focused on ongoing daily activities in a preschool classroom for a 3-year-old boy with severe communication and cognitive delays. Strategies used included environmental arrangement, following the child's lead, imitation, modeling, and prompting. Results indicated the child…

This article explores the status of implementation of the behavioral and discipline requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997. Data are presented from complaints, hearings, and court decisions that suggest that the overall discrepancy between competency expectation for Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams and…

This article reviews outcomes of inclusion at the preschool level, social integration patterns, placement, definition, quality, instruction, teacher and family attitudes, community participation, policy factors, and cultural influences. The concluding discussion addresses ongoing issues related to definition, quality, intensity and instruction,…

This article explores how providing early intervention in natural environments reinforces family-centered care, discusses benefits for all parties when therapy is provided within daily routines and settings, describes a decision-making process for embedding natural environments within intervention, and concludes by identifying challenges and…

This study evaluated the impact of intensive behavioral treatment by parents in the home setting on the development of 11 young autistic children. Compared to a control group, the children had significantly higher posttreatment IQ scores. Smaller, but statistically significant effects on symptom severity were also found, although experimental…

Analysis of questionnaires completed by 69 parents of children, birth to age 5, with disabilities or at risk for poor developmental outcomes found that parent and family characteristics showed no relationship to either help-giving practices or perceptions of personal control and self-efficacy. However, program characteristics were associated with…