In 1996, North Carolina began a 5-year evaluation of Alternative Learning Programs (ALPs). This report describes selected outcomes for students who participated in ALPs during 1995-96. These outcomes include performance on North Carolina End-of-Grade tests (elementary school) and performance on the End-of-Course(EOC) tests (high school) for…

This special issue of the newsletter "Council Connections" reports on the First North American Leadership Academy. The Academy's theme was "Strengthening the Operation of Reading Recovery" and its purpose was to develop opportunities for strengthening Reading Recovery in individual schools, sites, school districts and state and…

Argues that a change in approach to families of children with special educational needs, including a radical reappraisal of the structure of their role and the style of delivery of early intervention, is necessary and is fundamental to re-establishing the place of early intervention as a valid and valuable resource to families. (Author)

This study compared two beginning reading programs, Integrated Reading-Writing (IR-W) and DISTAR in comparable urban schools with students "at risk" for literacy problems. Although the two programs resulted in comparable gains in word recognition and overall reading achievement by the end of first grade, children in IR-W tended to…

This paper takes the position that many early childhood personnel embrace inclusion at the conceptual level but ignore or discount its implications at the applied or child level. Discussion of policies and practices of inclusion as they may affect individual children and families serves as the basis for recommendations for fostering successful…

This commentary on inclusion of children with disabilities in early childhood programs raises issues concerning the value-laden nature of advocacy for inclusion; the need to "just do it" (inclusion); risks of advocating for children versus programs; and the need to integrate with regular education despite its major problems. (DB)

Follows 26 at-risk girls for a three-year period, pursuing the research that many girls find their voice muted in adolescence. Explores the dynamics of girls' resilience and resistance (some are "loud" in protest, others adopt a strategy of silence). Emphasizes the role of relationships in girls' lives. (LSR)

This study, involving 357 mothers, assessed the type and scope of services provided to families participating in 63 early intervention programs. Analysis found that services were more related to child information and family instructional activities than to personal/family and resource assistance, and that home-based programs and center-based…

This paper identifies recurrent themes in prevention of behavioral and conduct disorders, including early intervention and family-focused prevention services; school-based prevention programs (such as peer mediation, social skills training, and self-management training); and within- and across-setting collaboration. Key areas for prevention…

Summarizes the results of a needs assessment survey of 186 disability service coordinators of Head Start programs in one region. Three important challenges were identified: serving young children with emotional-behavior issues, working with families, and working with community institutions. Implications for staff training are discussed. (Author/CR)

A survey of 123 early intervention professionals found they considered recommendations for providing culturally appropriate services important. However, multiple barriers often hindered implementation. Lack of time was the most common barrier to providing culturally appropriate practices, followed by lack of training and lack of materials.…

This article provides an overview of important family and environmental factors that affect early development of infants and children with Down syndrome. It concludes that a moderately directive parenting style combined with sensitive, responsive, and reciprocal interactions, embedded in a general stimulating environment, are favorable to the…

This article discusses the need to incorporate research findings in developmental psychopathology, psychiatric comorbidity, and psychopharmacology in school mental health programs to enable early detection and primary prevention of emotional and behavioral disorders in students. A response stresses the need for a multidisciplinary approach.…

This article presents an intersubjective developmental theory that focuses primarily on the development of the interworld between caregiver and infant and uses it to integrate and interpret the seemingly incoherent and contradictory research findings on the interactions between mothers and their infants with visual impairments. Implications for…

Examines school performance across three grades on both individually administered reading tests and state-mandated standardized tests between students of a Success for All (SFA) program and controls. Results show more positive effects for SFA students, some decline in effects over time, and greater effects for minority than for nonminority…