The "new federalism" paradigm offers an explanation why the federal government has devolved much of its administration of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF, formerly AFDC) and Medicaid (through managed care) programs. A review of child and family outcomes data resulting from these devolutionary changes in TANF and…

This article describes a replication of the "First Step to Success" program (Walker, Stiller, Severson, & Golly, 1998) with at-risk students in the first and second grade to determine program effectiveness in decreasing inappropriate behaviors and increasing academic engagement time. This expands the "First Step to…

Early Head Start services are typically offered through home- or center-based delivery models. A formative evaluation of an example of each service delivery model was conducted. The purpose was to examine the issues involved in the implementation of these two service delivery models relative to the content of services, intensity of services,…

Special education is now an established part of public education in the United States--by law and by custom. However, it is still widely misunderstood and continues to be dogged by controversies related to such things as categorization, grouping, assessment, placement, funding, instruction, and a variety of legal issues. The purpose of this…

Proceedings are presented of a conference which addressed services to infants and young children with developmental delays and their families in rural areas. Contents include: results of a survey of 42 respondents regarding rural service delivery; excerpts from Magnolia Circle Outreach Project newsletters; views on problems identified by rural…

This guide provides information on personnel policies and practices, under Part H of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which were instituted by states and jurisdictions in the implementation of early intervention services for eligible children and their families. Strategies of specific states are identified for dealing with staff…

Information on the prevention of child maltreatment is provided, as well as methods and programs to respond to the maltreatment of children with disabilities, ages birth to 5 years. Challenges to providing effective service delivery are addressed, along with the family perspective and total family needs. Risk factors that affect family functioning…

This report presents the Council for Exceptional Children's (CEC) analysis of the status of federal support for education of children with disabilities and/or giftedness, focusing on fiscal year (FY) 1996 appropriations and FY 1997 budget processes. Preliminary information includes a budget overview; a chart comparing appropriations,…

This first of three manuals providing a curriculum for students with disabilities focuses on the development of functional daily living skills. An introductory chapter provides an overview of the functional curriculum and offers guidelines for developing instructional plans for the four units of study which follow. Unit 1 is about self-care…

This pilot study, involving a mother and her 3-year-old child with developmental delays, developed, implemented, and evaluated a model of early intervention that incorporates family-centered assessment and intervention practices. The CARE (Caregiver Assistance, Resources, and Education) project model was both school-based and home-based. The…

This text summarizes the state of knowledge in the field of early childhood integration of children with disabilities. The 14 chapters are grouped in sections which focus on relationships, curriculum planning, organizational supports, and values/attitudes, respectively. Chapters have the following titles and authors: "Ecological Perspectives on…

This paper presents a summary of early care and education policies for young children (ages 3-5) and then offers recommendations on how these efforts might be coordinated at the state and local levels. The policy summary is organized around the components of early care--child care, early childhood education, and early intervention for children at…

This paper, written in outline form, summarizes the history and current situation of special education in China. The paper begins by listing milestones in Chinese special education from 200 B.C. to 1990 A.D. and noting that currently there are an estimated 6,500,000 children (ages 7-15, with disabilities, of whom 70,000 are being served in special…

Policy planners can create improved systems of care and new support systems for rural families who are raising children with disabling conditions or special health care needs, by recognizing the unique needs of these families, the ecology of local service delivery systems, and the special resource requirements of rural areas. Lack of information…

This monograph addresses common misconceptions about developmental disabilities, describes the conditions that child welfare workers are most likely to see, provides examples of effective interventions, and stresses the importance of early intervention to promote healthy development. Specific chapters include: (1) "Understanding Developmental…