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Measures of young children's social development are needed in the Multi-Tier System of Supports (MTSS) approach to early childhood. In 2004, we reported initial development of an observational measure of infants' and toddlers' social skills designed for early educators, the Early Social Indicator (ESI). Here, we report preliminary findings on the ESI's feasibility, sustainability, and sensitivity to growth in social engagement based on a large, multiyear sample of children in one early childhood program that agreed to pilot the measure. Results indicated that ESI use by program staff was sustained over a 5-year period. Program staff were reliable coding a range of children's positive and negative nonverbal and verbal social skills. However, staff were not reliable when coding the target of a child's social response when it was not the Adult play partner (i.e., the Peer, or Nondirected target). Results documented sensitivity to growth over time, dynamic patterns of change within and across key skills consistent with the typical course of social development, and moderation by children's home language and Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) status. Implications are discussed.

While technology-based interventions enhance instruction and improve outcomes for students with disabilities, implementing and integrating technology in authentic learning environments continues to be a challenge. Based on the experiences of a variety of Stepping-Up Technology Implementation projects funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, this mixed-methods study explored the essential factors for the successful implementation of technology-based interventions in K-12 schools and early childhood programs. Based on the qualitative analysis of projects' implementation reports and responses to the follow-up questionnaire, four major themes emerged. The barriers and facilitators to technology implementation were reported across such areas as (a) developing and sustaining buy-in, (b) ensuring implementation fidelity to support the intervention, (c) research-to-practice dilemmas, and (d) data serving multiple purposes. The discussion and practical implications for supporting technology implementation are provided.

Engaging, focusing, and persisting in the completion of tasks are among the skills needed for school success. Tracking whether a child is learning cognitive problem-solving skills is essential in knowing if they are acquiring skills important for development and school readiness; and if not, how they are responding to early intervention. Use of the Early Problem-Solving Indicator (EPSI) was documented by data for 2,614 children (6-42 months of age) collected by the early childhood staff from 45 programs. Results indicated that the EPSI was (a) scalable across programs, assessors, and assessment occasions, (b) reliable, (c) sensitive to growth over months of age, (d) comprised a dynamic continuum of skills within and across skills over time, and (e) moderated by children's disability status but not gender or home language. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Measures of young children's social development are needed in the MultiTier System of Supports (MTSS) approach to early childhood. In 2004, we reported initial development of an observational measure of infants' and toddlers' social skills designed for early educators, the Early Social Indicator (ESI). Here, we report preliminary findings on the ESI's feasibility, sustainability, and sensitivity to growth in social engagement based on a large, multiyear sample of children in one early childhood program that agreed to pilot the measure. Results indicated that ESI use by program staff was sustained over a 5-year period. Program staff were reliable coding a range of children's positive and negative nonverbal and verbal social skills. However, staff were not reliable when coding the target of a child's social response when it was not the Adult play partner (i.e., the Peer, or Nondirected target). Results documented sensitivity to growth over time, dynamic patterns of change within and across key skills consistent with the typical course of social development, and moderation by children's home language and Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) status. Implications are discussed. [This article was published in "Journal of Early Intervention" (EJ1293808).]

Data-driven decision making (DDDM) helps educators identify children not responding to intervention, individualize instruction, and monitor response to intervention in multitiered systems of support (MTSS). More prevalent in K-12 special education, MTSS practices are emerging in early childhood. In previous reports, we described the Making Online Decisions (MOD) web application to guide DDDM for educators serving families with infants and toddlers in Early Head Start home-visiting programs. Findings from randomized control trials indicated that children at risk for language delay achieved significantly larger growth on the Early Communication Indicator formative language measure if their home visitors used the MOD to guide DDDM, compared to children whose home visitors were self-guided in their DDDM. Here, we describe findings from a randomized control trial indicating that these superior MOD effects extend to children's language growth on standardized, norm-referenced language outcomes administered by assessors who were blind to condition and that parents' use of language promotion strategies at home mediated these effects. Implications and limitations are discussed.

Data-driven decision making (DDDM) helps educators identify children not responding to intervention, individualize instruction, and monitor response to intervention in multitiered systems of support (MTSS). More prevalent in K-12 special education, MTSS practices are emerging in early childhood. In previous reports, we described the Making Online Decisions (MOD) web application to guide DDDM for educators serving families with infants and toddlers in Early Head Start home-visiting programs. Findings from randomized control trials indicated that children at risk for language delay achieved significantly larger growth on the Early Communication Indicator formative language measure if their home visitors used the MOD to guide DDDM, compared to children whose home visitors were self-guided in their DDDM. Here, we describe findings from a randomized control trial indicating that these superior MOD effects extend to children's language growth on standardized, norm-referenced language outcomes administered by assessors who were blind to condition and that parents' use of language promotion strategies at home mediated these effects. Implications and limitations are discussed. [This article was published in "Exceptional Children" (EJ1273994).]

Universal screening and progress monitoring measures are increasingly of interest to early interventionists who make decisions about the services provided to young children. A measure of infant-toddlers' growth in early movement, the "Early Movement Indicator" ("EMI"), was reported in 2002. However, the EMI has remained an experimental measure based on a small sample and not used broadly by practitioners in real-world programs. We addressed this limitation by advancing knowledge the EMIs scalability through a website and improved psychometrics in a large sample. Results indicated that the EMI was (a) scalable evidenced by a large volume of early childhood staff users in programs in five states with 628 children and 2,258 individual EMI assessments, (b) sensitive to growth over time, (c) comprised of a complex continuum of skill development, and (d) influenced by moderators (i.e., home language, Individual Family Service Plan [IFSP] status). Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Universal screening and progress monitoring measures are increasingly of interest to early interventionists who make decisions about the services provided to young children. A measure of infant-toddlers' growth in early movement, the "Early Movement Indicator (EMI)," was reported in 2002. However, the EMI has remained an experimental measure based on a small sample and not used broadly by practitioners in real-world programs. We addressed this limitation by advancing knowledge the EMIs scalability through a website and improved psychometrics in a large sample. Results indicated that the EMI was (a) scalable evidenced by a large volume of early childhood staff users in programs in five states with 628 children and 2,258 individual EMI assessments, (b) sensitive to growth over time, (c) comprised of a complex continuum of skill development, and (d) influenced by moderators (i.e., home language, Individual Family Service Plan [IFSP] status). Implications for research and practice are discussed. [This article was published in "Topics in Early Childhood Special Education" (EJ1185519).]

Measurement in early childhood is an increasingly large-scale endeavor addressing purposes of accountability, program improvement, child outcomes, and intervention decision making for individual children. The Early Communication Indicator (ECI) is a measure relevant to intervention decision making for infants and toddlers, including response to intervention approaches. The widespread use of the ECI is growing in multiple programs and states. Local program staff members collect ECI data and, with their program directors, manage their own system of ECI measurement. Program-level implementations represent independent ECI measurement replications, and the success of each potentially influences the quality of data produced and, ultimately, the validity of the inferences made thereof. The purpose of this research was to examine program-level influences on child-level ECI total communication growth and 36-month outcomes in a large sample of children, including those with individual family service plans served by multiple Early Head Start programs in two states. Results indicated variation in programs' sociodemographic composition, ECI implementation quality, ECI total communication growth, and 36-month outcomes. Program-level sociodemographic composition was found not to be an influence on ECI growth or 36-month outcomes, whereas state location and implementation quality were. Implications are discussed. (Contains 6 notes, 7 tables, and 3 figures.)

The purpose of this research was to replicate and extend some of the findings of Hart and Risley using automatic speech processing instead of human transcription of language samples. The long-term goal of this work is to make the current approach to speech processing possible by researchers and clinicians working on a daily basis with families and young children. Twelve hour-long, digital audio recordings were obtained repeatedly in the homes of middle to upper SES families for a sample of typically developing infants and toddlers (N = 30). These recordings were processed automatically using a measurement framework based on the work of Hart and Risley. Like Hart and Risley, the current findings indicated vast differences in individual children's home language environments (i.e., adult word count), children's vocalizations, and conversational turns. Automated processing compared favorably to the original Hart and Risley estimates that were based on transcription. Adding to Hart and Risley's findings were new descriptions of patterns of daily talk and relationships to widely used outcome measures, among others. Implications for research and practice are discussed. (Contains 1 table and 3 figures.)

We investigated Early Head Start home visitors' use of evidence-based practices and the effectiveness of a web-based system to support these practices. Home visitors learned to use 3 evidence-based practices: (a) frequent assessment of children's early communication for screening and progress monitoring, (b) 2 home-based language promoting interventions, and (c) data-based decision making in the use of the language promoting intervention strategies. We randomly assigned 1 group of home visitors to use an online data collection system and receive training in data-based intervention decision making and in the evidenced-based language interventions. The other home visitors had access to these tools and trainings, but in addition, they had web-based support (Making Online Decisions; MOD) linked to the children's expressive communication data. We found that the expressive communication of children served by home visitors who used the MOD grew significantly more than children whose home visitors did not have MOD support. Home visitors who used the MOD reported high satisfaction with its use. Future research and implications for early intervention and home visiting practices are discussed. (Contains 2 figures.)

We investigated Early Head Start home visitors' use of evidence-based practices and the efficacy of a web-based system to support these practices. Home visitors learned to use 3 evidence-based practices: (a) frequent assessment of children's early communication for screening and progress monitoring, (b) 2 home-based language-promoting interventions, and (c) data-based decision making in the use of the language-promoting intervention strategies. Two conditions were compared in a randomized control trial. Condition A involved the use of an online data collection system, training in data-based intervention decision making, and training in the evidenced-based language interventions. Condition B was the same as A plus additional web-based support (MOD: Making Online Decisions) linked to the children's expressive communication data. Results indicated that the expressive communication of children receiving MOD support grew significantly more than for children whose home visitors did not receive MOD support. Home visitors in both groups increased their monitoring of children in need of intervention. The dosage of the MOD intervention that children received varied within the group, and MOD home visitors reported high levels of implementation fidelity and satisfaction with the MOD system. Future research and implications for early intervention and home-visiting practices are discussed. (Contains 2 figures, 7 tables and 1 note.)

The Early Communication Indicator (ECI) is a measure relevant to intervention decision making and progress monitoring for infants and toddlers. With increasing recognition of the importance of quality early childhood education and intervention for all children, measurement plays an important role in documenting children's progress and outcomes of early educational experiences. Screening and progress-monitoring measures used in a response-to-intervention approach require age-based benchmarks for decision-making support. The goal of this study was to create a normative sample of ECI data referenced to children served by Early Head Start, including children with Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs). In a large sample of children (N = 5,883), program staff in 27 Early Head Start programs in two states collected ECI data from 2002 to 2007. Results indicated that children's ECI total communication growth was conditional on IFSP status but not on gender or home language (English versus Spanish). Children's patterns of communication on the ECI key skill elements (i.e., gestures, vocalizations, single words, and multiple words) were also conditional on IFSP status. Children with IFSPs had (a) later ages of onset for vocalizations, single words, and multiple words; (b) generally slower growth over time; and (c) significantly lower mean levels in the most advanced key skill: multiple words at 36 months of age. Implications for early childhood researchers and service providers are discussed. (Contains 6 notes, 6 tables, and 3 figures.)

Progress monitoring and data-based intervention decision making have become key components of providing evidence-based early childhood special education services. Unfortunately, there is a lack of tools to support early childhood service providers' decision-making efforts. The authors describe a Web-based system that guides service providers through a decision-making process informed by child performance on Infant and Toddler IGDIs (Individual Growth and Development Indicators), the provider's professional judgment, and information from the child's primary caregiver. Using a case example, the authors describe how a service provider integrates the system into an existing service delivery model. Finally, they describe barriers and potential solutions to implementation within the context of a traditional early childhood service delivery model and implications for policy and practice. (Contains 5 figures.)

Despite evidence that frequent progress monitoring to identify children at-risk of delays and inform early intervention services improves child outcomes, this practice is rare in infant–toddler settings where children could benefit the most from early intervention. Using a descriptive research design within an Implementation Science framework, we evaluated how 10 community-based infant–toddler agencies implemented a standardized progress monitoring assessment using a web application to monitor children's growth and identify children at-risk for delay. An Implementation Index was developed to quantify implementation progress for each agency, which included their percent of tasks completed, and rate of task implementation over time. Staff turnover and high staff:child ratios were associated with low implementation of progress monitoring. The Implementation Index differentiated between agencies that otherwise demonstrated similar implementation rates. Implications for supporting progress monitoring and other evidence-based practices in community-based infant–toddler childcare settings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated Early Head Start home visitors' use of evidence-based practices and the effectiveness of a web-based system to support these practices. Home visitors learned to use 3 evidence-based practices: (a) frequent assessment of children's early communication for screening and progress monitoring, (b) 2 home-based language promoting interventions, and (c) data-based decision making in the use of the language promoting intervention strategies. We randomly assigned 1 group of home visitors to use an online data collection system and receive training in data-based intervention decision making and in the evidenced-based language interventions. The other home visitors had access to these tools and trainings, but in addition, they had web-based support (Making Online Decisions; MOD) linked to the children's expressive communication data. We found that the expressive communication of children served by home visitors who used the MOD grew significantly more than children whose home visitors did not have MOD support. Home visitors who used the MOD reported high satisfaction with its use. Future research and implications for early intervention and home visiting practices are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated Early Head Start home visitors' use of evidence-based practices and the efficacy of a web-based system to support these practices. Home visitors learned to use 3 evidence-based practices: (a) frequent assessment of children's early communication for screening and progress monitoring, (b) 2 home-based language-promoting interventions, and (c) data-based decision making in the use of the language-promoting intervention strategies. Two conditions were compared in a randomized control trial. Condition A involved the use of an online data collection system, training in data-based intervention decision making, and training in the evidenced-based language interventions. Condition B was the same as A plus additional web-based support (MOD: Making Online Decisions) linked to the children's expressive communication data. Results indicated that the expressive communication of children receiving MOD support grew significantly more than for children whose home visitors did not receive MOD support. Home visitors in both groups increased their monitoring of children in need of intervention. The dosage of the MOD intervention that children received varied within the group, and MOD home visitors reported high levels of implementation fidelity and satisfaction with the MOD system. Future research and implications for early intervention and home-visiting practices are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]