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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. more...

Al-Ubaydli et al. provide a far-reaching, insightful and directly actionable analysis of how social-behavioral research may exert more influence over the development and implementation of public policy. Their paper offers a sophisticated understanding of the ‘scale-up effect’, or factors that influence the extent to which positive experimental effects replicate as an intervention is implemented more broadly. Using economic principles, models and analyses, they offer 12 proposals for improving the process of scaling up effective and policy-relevant interventions. The current paper outlines how their proposals share a number of complementary features with behavioral psychology and applied behavior analysis. This response considers three possible points of intersection: (1) perspectives on the importance and challenges of studying and controlling our own behavior; (2) approaches to determining the social value of intervention outcomes and the procedures for achieving them; and (3) recommendations for deploying meaningful, common measures across phases of research. more...

Language development is an important milestone in early childhood that has implications for later achievement. Although a variety of contemporary models have been offered to describe the process of language acquisition, ecobehavioral models provide descriptive and actionable information on both the causal mechanisms of behavior change and development, as well as variables of influence (e.g., settings, environment, policies). Grounded within sociolinguistic theory and empirical literature, we propose and describe an ecobehavioral model of language development that assumes language is learned through the opportunities afforded by caregiver–child interactions. Functional variables of (a) caregiver knowledge, beliefs, and behavior, (b) environmental components and resource availability, and (c) policies and practices are further described as increasingly distal influences on the timing, frequency, and quality of these interactions. Implications and future directions are discussed. more...

This paper summarizes and comments on emerging, but important, developments in practice, policy, and research focused on population-level interventions to address disparities in language development among young American children. This examination draws parallels between the need for broad scale Word Gap interventions and existing public health approaches to prevention and early intervention across many dimensions of child well-being. The authors conducted a review of the literature showing both the limited evidence base and promising aspects that predict efficacious implementation in pediatric and public health systems. Based on the results of a literature search, as well as the authors’ experiences in reviewing and developing interventions designed for implementation at scale, we describe some of the important considerations and challenges associated with designing and implementing a population-level effort. After a summarizing the results of the formal literature review, we present case studies of 2 community-based interventions with an evidence base for addressing the word gap as well as 4 promising programs that suggest innovative and scalable ideas for broader implementation, dissemination and research exploration. Further, we highlight the ways in which these interventions, individually and collectively, are showing promise and evidence for implementation in pediatric and public health settings. Interventions include components of universal contact with populations of interest, early and continuous contact with individuals within these populations, coordinated and aligned messaging and intervention across multiple service sectors, and use of both stakeholder engagement in intervention design and trusted messengers in intervention delivery. We close by providing suggestions for population-level interventions aimed at the word gap, including: universal contact with populations of interest, early and continuous contact. more...

Parents play an important role in creating home language environments that promote language development. A nonequivalent group design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of a community-based implementation of LENA Start™, a parent-training program aimed at increasing the quantity of adult words (AWC) and conversational turns (CT). Parent-child dyads participated in LENA Start™ (n = 39) or a generic parent education program (n = 17). Overall, attendance and engagement in the LENA StartTM program were high: 72% of participants met criteria to graduate from the program. Within-subject gains were positive for LENA Start™ families. Comparison families declined on these measures. However, both effects were non-significant. Between-group analyses revealed small to medium-sized effects favoring LENA Start™ and these were significant for child vocalizations (CV) and CT but not AWC. These results provide preliminary evidence that programs like LENA StartTM can be embedded in community-based settings to promote quality parent-child language interactions. more...

PurposeThis study was conducted in a large Midwestern metropolitan area to examine the language environments at home and in center-based childcare for young children who are living in poverty. We compared child language use and exposure in the home and childcare settings using extended observations with automated Language Environment Analysis to gain a deeper understanding of the environmental factors that may affect change in language outcomes for young children.MethodThirty-eight children, along with parents (n= 38) and childcare providers (n= 14) across five childcare centers, participated in this study. Each child completed a standardized language assessment and two daylong recordings with Language Environment Analysis to determine the number of adult words, conversational turns, and child vocalizations that occurred in each setting. Data were analyzed at 5-min intervals across each recording.ResultsComparisons between home recordings in this sample and a comparison group showed reliably higher rates of adult words and conversational turns in the home setting. Linear mixed-effects regression models showed significant differences in the child language environments, with the home setting providing higher levels of language input and use. These effects were still meaningful after accounting for the time of day, participant demographic characteristics, and child language ability.ConclusionsPractical implications for supporting child language development across settings are discussed, and suggestions for further research are provided.Supplemental Materialhttps://doi.org/10.23641/asha.12042678 more...

Evidence of longitudinal relations between language and early literacy skills in early childhood and later reading (and other) achievement is growing, along with an expanding array of early education programs designed to improve later academic outcomes and prevent, reduce, or close later academic achievement gaps across groups. Assessment systems to support this intervention have been developed, but to date we have little evidence of these systems’ outcomes when used at a broad scale in community-based preschool programs. For this broad purpose, two research questions were addressed: (a) How much progress do children make on language and early literacy skills over the course of one school year? and (b) What is the relationship between child characteristics, baseline performance, and growth on language and early literacy skills? Results indicated growth over time for all measures and relations between child age, gender, and free-or-reduced-price status and students’ performance at the beginning of the school year, but (with one exception) no relation between these covariates and growth over time. Discussion centers on current status of language and early literacy assessment in early childhood education as well as needs and issues to be addressed in future research and program development. more...

Response to Intervention (RTI) or Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) is beginning to be implemented in preschool programs to improve outcomes and to reduce the need for special education services. The proportions of children in programs identified as struggling learners through universal screening have important implications for the feasibility of these approaches as well as for the way programs might allocate resources and staff implementing tiered models of intervention. The expected proportions of children who might be identified for higher tiers of instructional support in pre-kindergarten settings are relatively unknown. The proportions of children who would have been identified for higher tiers of instructional language/literacy support when using three different universal screening measures are described. Participants were 659 children participating in the Center for Response to Intervention in Early Childhood (CRTIEC) Tier 1 Study. Results indicated that the proportions of children at Tier 2 and Tier 3 performance levels were higher for children in low-income eligibility programs and varied by program-level characteristics including numbers of English language learners and children with special needs, as well as the universal screening measure used. Implications of these findings suggest the importance of increased focus on early literacy and language in Tier 1 instruction in programs serving high proportions of children at risk as a means of preventing reading failure in future years. more...

The overall architecture and major components of a measurement system designed and evaluated to support Response to Intervention (RTI) in the areas of language and literacy in early childhood programs are described. Efficient and reliable measurement is essential for implementing any viable RTI system, and implementing such a system in early childhood programs presents several special challenges. This article describes (a) the general approach taken to developing and evaluating this measurement system, including its conceptual and methodological foundations, methods, and results for developing items and scales for second-generation Individual Growth and Development Indicators (IGDIs 2.0), and (b) use of these scales in a larger decision-making framework for differentiating language and literacy instruction to match the needs of preschool children at risk of academic difficulties. The authors conclude with a review of some challenges associated with developing measurement for differentiated instruction in early childhood settings. more...

The prevalence of struggling readers by third grade nationwide is estimated at one in three. Reports trace the roots of this problem to early childhood and the opportunity to learn language and early literacy skills at home and in preschool. Reports also indicate that one-size-fits-all preschool language and literacy instruction is beneficial for only some children. The Center for Response to Intervention in Early Childhood (CRTIEC) was funded by the National Center for Special Education Research at the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) to conceptualize and develop evidence-based assessment and curricular tools that early education programs could include in their plans for teaching language and literacy skills using a multi-tier system of supports (MTSS) or response to intervention (RTI) approach. CRTIEC also was directed to provide leadership in disseminating information about progress in applying MTSS approaches to instruction in early childhood. The articles in this issue summarize the work of the Center through descriptions of the process of developing and validating tools needed for an MTSS approach and summaries of the research completed by the Center. more...

Early comprehension is an important, but not well-understood, contribution to early literacy and language development. Specifically, research regarding the nature of skills representative of early comprehension, including how they contribute to later reading success, is needed to support best practices to adequately prepare students. This article describes the process involved in the creation and refinement of the newly developed comprehension Individual Growth and Development Indicators (IGDIs 2.0). Two theoretical models of early comprehension are discussed to highlight the inherent complexity of this domain. Results of three studies are presented: Study 1 outlines the initial piloting process, Study 2 represents a larger-scale investigation, and Study 3 describes further field testing and reveals the final IGDI 2.0 comprehension candidate: Which One Doesn’t Belong (WODB). Results indicated WODB out-performed the other candidate measures across psychometric and pragmatic criteria. The utility of the WODB task within a Response to Intervention (RTI) framework is also discussed. more...

Language skills developed during preschool contribute strongly to later reading and academic achievement. Effective preschool assessment and intervention should focus on core components of language development, specifically oral language skills. The Early Language and Literacy Individual Growth and Development Indicators (IGDIs) are a set of measures that have demonstrated utility in language and early literacy assessment, evaluation, and intervention studies. The purpose of this article is to describe two studies conducted to build on the existing oral language IGDI, Picture Naming, to increase utility for instructional decision making, particularly within an early childhood Response to Intervention framework. Study 1 outlines the initial development and piloting of potential measures and Study 2 describes the revision and continued analysis of the most promising measures. Results of Study 1 and Study 2 indicate that Picture Naming has continued utility as a measure of oral language skill development and that one newly developed oral language IGDI, Definitional Vocabulary, has potential utility. more...

Early literacy individual growth and development indicators (EL-IGDIs) assess preschoolers' expressive vocabulary development and phonological awareness. This study investigated longitudinal change in EL-IGDIs using a large ( N = 7355), internet-based sample of 36- to 60-month-old United States preschoolers without identified risks for later achievement delays. There were three major findings. First, results identified sensitivity to longitudinal change for all three EL-IGDIs (i.e., Picture naming, Rhyming, and Alliteration). Second, results demonstrated age-related differences in growth rates between 3- and 4-year-olds, especially for Rhyming and Alliteration. Third, preliminary national norms were reported. Discussion highlights the need for research examining the sensitivity of EL-IGDIs for younger preschoolers. more...

Objective: First, to describe a community–academic partnership that piloted a parent and home-based programme focused on the intersection of health and education from a social determinants foundation and determine the feasibility and acceptability of such work. Second, to examine trends and co-occurrence of social and environmental context, including obesity-related and school-readiness risk factors. Design: Cross-sectional component of pilot intervention. Setting: Family-based programme based in a low-income, multi-ethnic neighbourhood in Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2007–2009. Methods: English/Spanish/Somali-speaking families with preschool-aged children were recruited for the pilot intervention. Interviews were conducted with study staff to assess feasibility and acceptability. The intervention included an outreach worker and a parent education programme, home visits, school readiness activities and coordination and referral to social, health and school readiness resources through a trained family support advocate. Developmental assessments and a health and sociodemographic survey were conducted. Results: Complete data were available for 60/136 enrolled families. Recruiting and measuring families was feasible and acceptable under certain circumstances. The programme was well accepted by participants. Descriptive analyses suggest a relationship between school readiness, social conditions and obesity-related risk factors. Conclusions: This type of intervention has challenges but offers promising community-based strategies to address the interconnectedness of social conditions, weight-related health and education. more...

In the last two and half decades, much has been learned about conceptualizing and developing measures for use by practitioners designed to inform their intervention decision making, such as when a child would benefit from receiving additional instructional support (universal screening) and whether the child is responding positively to the intervention when delivered (progress monitoring). The authors describe these developments, related issues continuing to face the field, and what is needed in terms of measures, access, and usability in future practice, research, and development. more...

The purpose of this article is to describe guidelines for reporting and reviewing findings from studies and to provide guidance to authors seeking to report results of research on measurement and the development or evaluation of assessment procedures or instruments in early intervention (EI) and early childhood special education (ECSE). Following on a recent series of similar articles in the Journal of Early Intervention and Exceptional Children, this article will (a) provide rationale for the specific focus of assessment and measurement research in EI/ECSE, (b) describe existing standards for this research and practice, and (c) provide guidelines for preparation, review, and publication of research in EI/ECSE. more...

This study determined the effectiveness of Kindergarten Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies (K-PALS) for students with disabilities. The researchers randomly assigned 89 kindergartners with individualized education programs (IEPs) from 47 classrooms to control (n = 9); K-PALS Level 1 (teachers received 1-day workshop; n = 19); or K-PALS Level 2 ( teachers received workshop plus booster sessions; n = 19). Multivariate analysis of covariance on posttest measures of beginning reading skills indicated that K-PALS students outperformed controls on alphabetic and oral reading measures, but that no reliable between-group differences were attributable to level of support. The researchers also discuss directions for further research and implications for implementing classroom-based reading interventions for students with disabilities. more...

Learning to read is founded on the acquisition of oral language, phonological processing, print awareness, knowledge, and comprehension skills acquired before school entry. Practitioners who work with very young children have limited means of knowing whether interventions in these areas are helping children make progress toward important language and early literacy outcomes. As a result, reporting of child outcomes in these areas is usually insufficient at the program, state, and national levels. Child performance measures are needed that are easy and repeatable so that estimates of child growth can be obtained and used to inform intervention decisions. Individual Growth and Development Indicators are emerging as a robust approach to assessment particularly well suited to these challenges. This article describes 5 Individual Growth and Development Indicators for measuring progress in young children’s early language and literacy. A brief overview of theoretical and empirical background information is provided demonstrating the reliability, validity, and feasibility of this approach for measuring growth in these critical areas of child development. Examples illustrate how these measures are used in early intervention programs for evaluating the progress of children as well as for program evaluation. more...

Assessment has long been acknowledged as an essential feature in the provision of early childhood special education (ECSE) services, both as a major element of eligibility determination and a required element of intervention planning and ongoing evaluation for children and families. In recent years assessment practices available for young children with disabilities and their families have become more sophisticated and broader in application across a wide range of settings. The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of this historical role and to highlight features of the emerging uses of assessment as a central feature of high-quality services for infants, toddlers, and preschool children with disabilities, their families, and those who serve them. In particular, this chapter argues for an expanded view of assessment—one where assessment practices, carefully aligned and intertwined with formal and informal services and supports, increase the efficacy and efficiency of societal efforts to promote young children’s development. Given this approach to assessment, we describe basic features of assessment, including its core purpose and functions and the quality standards for its use, and review four major functions of assessment in early intervention and ECSE: eligibility and identification for specialized intervention, program planning, intervention and fidelity assessment, and progress monitoring. more...

While response to intervention (RTI) is in widespread use in K–12 programs, it is still an emerging practice in programs serving preschool-aged children. In 2008, the Institute of Education Sciences funded the Center on Response to Intervention in Early Childhood (CRTIEC): (1) to conduct a focused program of research to develop and rigorously evaluate and replicate intensive interventions for preschool language and early literacy skills and (2) to develop and validate an assessment system linked to these interventions. This chapter briefly describes some of the differences between preschool and K–12 educational settings and examines some of the challenges to implementing RTI in light of these contextual differences. Lessons learned and implications derived from a multisite study of the quality of early literacy in tier 1 across preschool programs are outlined along with programmatic research carried out to develop tier 2 and tier 3 language and literacy interventions, and measures for identifying and monitoring the progress of children needing additional tiers of support in these interventions. Also described are a specific investigation of children who are dual language learners and annual surveys of states showing a growing trend in the implementation of RTI programs and policies for preschool-aged children. more...

This study evaluated the extent to which existing measures met standards for a continuous suite of general outcome measures (GOMs) assessing children’s early literacy from preschool through early elementary school. The study assessed 316 children from age 3 years (2 years prekindergarten) through Grade 2, with 8 to 10 measures of language, alphabetic principle, phonological awareness, and beginning reading. We evaluated measures at each grade group against six standards for GOMs extracted from earlier work. We found that one measure of oral language met five or six standards at all grade levels, and several measures of phonological awareness and alphabetic principle showed promise across all five grade levels. Results are discussed in relation to ongoing research and development of a flexible and seamless system to assess children’s academic progress across time for effective prevention and remediation, as well as theoretical and empirical analyses in early literacy, early reading, and GOMs. more...

Promoting the development of early literacy skills might prevent later reading achievement problems. This longitudinal study investigated rates of early literacy growth using Individual Growth and Development Indicators (IGDls) for 69 preschool children classified as belonging to 1 of 4 groups with or without risk for developing early literacy skills. Group differences were obtained for 3 IGDIs (Picture Naming, Rhyming, and Alliteration) and rate of growth over time varied across groups for Picture Naming and Rhyming. Percent time spent in various classroom situations, as measured by the Ecobehavioral System for the Complex Assessment of Preschool Environments (ESCAPE), was correlated with each child's rate of IGDI growth. Correlations between IGDI growth rates and ESCAPE variables suggest classroom areas in which interventions could be concentrated for specific groups of children. Implications for practice and future research are discussed. more...

Marv McEvoy was a leader in early education and development; she died unexpectedly on October 25, 2002. Like other leaders, Mary produced a lasting and substantial effect in early education and development through her own efforts and through the effect she had on others. This paper considers how leaders influence our field by creating commitment, continuity, and dedication to the science and practice of early education and development, and how these effects endure long after these individuals die. more...

General outcome measurement has emerged as a "best practice" and empirically validated set of procedures for assessing the academic and behavioral development of children and youth, particularly in the academic domains. Recently, general outcome measurement has been extended in application to younger children. Through our work as part of the Early Childhood Research Institute of Measuring Growth and Development (ECRI-MGD), we have developed and evaluated a set of Individual Growth and Development Indicators or IGDIs. These IGDIs are easy to use; provide direct assessment of growth; are adaptable across children, programs, and purposes; have strong empirical evidence of reliability and validity. The purpose of this article is to provide a brief overview of general outcome measurement and its potential for assessment of continuous progress in early childhood education, and to describe an eight-step research and development process for the generating and evaluating of individual growth and development indicators. more...

The purpose of this paper is to review the knowledge available from aggregated research (primarily through 2000) on the characteristics of social interactions and social relationships among young children with autism, with special attention to strategies and tactics that promote competence or improved performance in this area. In its commissioning letter for the initial version of this paper, the Committee on Educational Interventions for Children with Autism of the National Research Council requested “a critical, scholarly review of the empirical research on interventions to facilitate the social interactions of children with autism, considering adult–child interactions (where information is available) as well as child–child interactions, and including treatment of [one specific question]: What is the empirical evidence that social irregularities of children with autism are amenable to remediation?” To do this, the paper (a) reviews the extent and quality of empirical literature on social interaction for young children with autism; (b) reviews existing descriptive and experimental research that may inform us of relations between autism and characteristics that support social development, and efforts to promote improved social outcomes (including claims for effectiveness for several specific types of intervention); (c) highlights some possible directions for future research; and (d) summarizes recommendations for educational practices that can be drawn from this research. more...

This paper presents two studies of factors affecting developmental outcomes of young children exposed prenatally to drugs and alcohol. In Study One, descriptive analyses of 38 children and families indicated that, as a group, children scored lower on assessed cognitive and language development, that two rates of oral language and negative behavior by children were associated with these developmental areas, and that several child-caregiver interactions were associated with these differential rates of child behaviors. In Study Two, intervention targets were selected from Study One and manipulated in multiple-baseline fashion across two pairs of children. Results demonstrated increased rates of all identified ecobehavioral variables for three of four parents or other adult caregivers, with concomitant increases in rates of child language production during play activities. more...

Public expectations of accountability in our education system have increasingly focused on young children's development, in part because of Goal 1 of the National Education Goals (By the year 2000, all children in America will start school ready to learn). Few sensitive measurement systems have been developed, however, to monitor young children's growth over time. Building such a system requires a parsimonious but comprehensive set of developmental outcomes expected of children between birth and age 8. In the two studies presented here, investigators formulated a set of 15 general growth outcomes for young children, and conducted a survey of parents of children with and without disabilities and professionals in early childhood and early elementary education to validate the outcomes. more...

Assessment practices have been, and are likely to continue to be, a well-integrated part of early intervention and early childhood special education. While our field has sometimes adopted approaches to assessment that seem at odds with best practices, most assessment practices used with young children and their families are intended to provide useful information and contribute directly to intervention design and evaluation. Current activities in research and practice suggest three themes or directions that will mark early childhood special education assessment into the 21st century. First, I expect continued—indeed, intensified—attention to assessment of progress and growth for individuals and groups. Second, methods typically associated with ecobehavioral research will continue to be adapted and refined for practitioners to directly assess a variety of environmental conditions and characteristics that affect young children's performance and development. Third, continued integration and linkage of assessment and intervention practices will yield more formal monitoring and decision making models that will reduce the uncertainty about when and how to intervene. Together, these future directions in assessment practice will contribute directly to improvements in the services and supports provided to children and families and to the outcomes these services and supports produce. more...

This study compared the effects of different intervention approaches designed to promote peer-related social competence of young children with disabilities. Preschool-age children with disabilities who were enrolled in classes in Tennessee and Minnesota participated in four intervention conditions (environmental arrangements, child specific, peer mediated, and comprehensive) and a control (no intervention) condition. A performance-based assessment of social competence, which consisted of observational, teacher rating, and peer rating measures, was collected before and after the interventions and again the following school year. Analyses revealed that the peer-mediated condition had the greatest and most sustained effect on children's participation in social interaction and on the quality of interaction, with the child-specific condition also having a strong effect. The environmental arrangements condition had the strongest effect on peer ratings. These findings indicate that there are effective intervention approaches available for children who have needs related to social competence and that different types of interventions may be useful for addressing different goals (e.g., social skills or social acceptance) of individual children. more...

Social competence is a concept that has been defined and measured in many ways. Odom and McConnell (1985) proposed a performance-based assessment of social competence that involved significant social agents in children's environments to make judgments about the competence of the children's social behavior. This study constructed and initially evaluated such an approach for assessing social competence of young children with disabilities. A multimethod assessment of children's social competence (i.e., direct observation, observer impressions, teacher rating, peer ratings) was conducted with 222 preschool children with and without disabilities. Principal component analysis yielded four factors, the first of which accounted for the largest percentage of variance and may be the better global assessment of social competence. Results of this investigation are discussed conceptually with respect to the adequacy of multiple-measure performance-based approaches and empirically with regard to the possibility of using these measures to evaluate factors affecting the development of social competence in early childhood special education. more...

Learning to read is one of the most important indicators of academic achievement. The development of early literacy skills during the preschool years is associated with improved reading outcomes in later grades. One of these skill areas, phonological awareness, shows particular importance because of its strong link to later reading success. Presented here are two studies that describe the development and revision of four measures of phonological awareness skills: Individual Growth and Development Indicators Sound Blending, Syllable Sameness, Rhyming, and Alliteration 2.0. The authors discuss the measure development process, revision, and utility within an early childhood Response to Intervention framework. more...

The purpose of the current investigation was to assess the relationship between the integrity with which social skills interventions were implemented in early childhood special education classrooms and 3 factors: teacher ratings of intervention acceptability, consultative support for implementation, and individual child outcomes. Sixteen early childhood special education teachers were randomly divided into two groups: training only and training with consultative support. Each teacher selected 1 of 4 standardized intervention packages for implementation. Prior to implementation, teachers were asked to complete a survey questionnaire designed to assess their acceptability ratings for individual components of the intervention package. Children receiving intervention participated in free play sessions, structured play sessions, direct-instruction sessions, and role play sessions. Observational data collection techniques were used to assess the integrity with which intervention components were implemented and, following intervention, the social interaction behaviors of participating children. Positive correlations between intervention integrity and both overall amount of intervention provided and child outcome were found. Results also indicated that teacher ratings of intervention acceptability were weak predictors of subsequent intervention integrity and consultative support did not systematically affect intervention integrity. more...

Social competence is an important developmental task in early childhood, and children with disabilities are at risk for developing deficits in social competence. Yet little research as been conducted to analyze how individualized educational programs (IEPs) for preschoolers in early childhood special education (ECSE) settings address social development. This study examined the content of social goals and objectives abstracted from early childhood students' IEPs. Three federal criteria for IEP objectives were examined to evaluate quality of objectives: specification of setting, measurability, and criterion for success. Overall results showed IEPs are lacking both in the quantity of social goals and objectives and in the quality of information necessary for instructional guidance. more...

Preschool experience plays a role in children’s development. However, for programs with language and early literacy goals, the question remains whether preschool instructional experiences are sufficiently effective to achieve these goals for all children. In a multisite study, the authors conducted a process-product description of preschool instruction, and children’s growth and outcomes in typical programs (i.e., Pre-K, Title 1, Head Start, Tuition-Based) using a response to intervention (RTI) perspective. Results indicated that (a) students in their preschool year prior to kindergarten made small gains, but students starting the year in lower Tier 2 and 3 performance levels did not close initial skills gaps, (b) variations were noted by program types with varying sociodemographics and instructional processes, and (c) the quality of instruction (Tier 1) received by all was low with room for improvement. Implications for future research on the application of the RTI approach and potential benefits are discussed. more...

Many school psychologists spend the majority of their time testing students with academic difficulties for special education eligibility. These assessment efforts are directed toward finding within... more...

The purpose of this article was to review the findings from existing peer-reviewed experimental studies describing the behavioral and developmental outcomes associated with prenatal exposure to illicit drugs. Forty-six such studies and 460 individual outcomes occurring from birth to 60 months were identified. Only half of these outcomes (49.8%) were statistically significant, indicating adverse effects of prenatal exposure. The greatest number of outcomes were identified for infants younger than 1 month of age and within the neurodevelopmental domain. The contrast between these outcomes derived from experimental studies and those reported in the popular press is discussed. more...

Preparing a schedule for classroom activities is an important component of most successful educational programs. However, such preparation is only as effective as its implementation in the classroom. The purpose of this study was to compare teachers' schedules of classroom activities and direct observations of children's actual participation in those activities. Schedules of classroom activities and direct observation of actual activities, using the Ecobehavioral System for the Complex Assessment of Preschool Environments (Carta, Greenwood, & Atwater, 1986) were collected in 24 early childhood special education classrooms. Although preschoolers with developmental delays generally engaged in activities that their teachers had scheduled, significant differences were found between the amount of time that teachers allotted for these activities and the amount of observed time that children engaged in the activities. More time was scheduled for play and self-care than was actually observed. However, children were obsewed engaged in transition and story for longer periods than had been scheduled by their teachers. Implications for classroom practices are discussed. more...

The purpose of this study was to assess teachers' judgments of the acceptability, feasibility, and current use of child specific, peer-mediated, and environmental arrangement intervention strategies for promoting social interaction skills of young children with disabilities. One hundred thirty-one teachers from five geographical areas participated in this study. Using the Social Interaction Program Features Questionnaire, these teachers reported that a high percentage of their students needed to acquire peer social interaction skills and that there was a moderate to great need for curricular or instructional materials. The overall mean ratings for the three types of intervention strategies were generally positive and did not differ significantly, suggesting that teachers found all three types of interventions acceptable and feasible. However, the range of item ratings for specific techniques within the broader classes of interventions suggested that certain procedures were relatively more or less acceptable and feasible than others. Barriers to implementing the program included limited teacher time, resources available to teachers (i.e., space, staff, materials), and access to peers without disabilities. Teacher ratings of feasibility were related more closely to current use of procedures than were ratings of acceptability. more...

In 1991, we published a paper in TECSE arguing that the guidelines set forth by the National Association for the Education of Young Children on Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) were necessary, but not sufficient, for evaluating programs serving young children with special needs. This paper met with some criticism, most recently in a paper by Johnson and McChesney Johnson (1992). That paper provided a theoretical defense of DAP for young children with disabilities and discussed objections to some early childhood special education (ECSE) practices from a developmental perspective. In the present article, we attempt to redirect the debate about the appropriateness of DAP for young children with disabilities from an exchange about the differences between the DAP guidelines and ECSE practices to a discussion of the many areas of overlap between these two rich sources of information about educational practices for young children. more...

As a group, preschool children with disabilities are at risk for problems in the development of social interaction skills and related behaviors. This article highlights the need for effective social skills interventions for these children and reviews available intervention procedures and packages. In addition, factors affecting the current impact of social skills interventions in early childhood special education are discussed, and research efforts to increase the impact of these interventions are reviewed. Specifically, research efforts aimed at documenting intervention integrity and confirming the link between intervention integrity and intervention effectiveness are addressed. more...