This handbook discusses early childhood special education (ECSE), with particular focus on evidence-based practices. Coverage spans core intervention areas in ECSE, such as literacy, motor skills, and social development as well as diverse contexts for services, including speech-language pathology, physical therapy, and pediatrics. Contributors offer strategies for planning, implementing, modifying, and adapting interventions to help young learners extend their benefits into the higher grades. Concluding chapters emphasize the importance of research in driving evidence-based practices (EBP). Topics featured in the Handbook include: Family-centered practices in early childhood intervention. The application of Response to Intervention (RtI) in young children with identified disabilities. Motor skills acquisition for young children with disabilities. Implementing evidence-based practices in ECSE classrooms. * Cultural, ethnic, and linguistic implications for ECSE. The Handbook of Early Childhood Special Education is a must-have resource for researchers, professors, upper-level undergraduate and graduate students, clinicians, and practitioners across such disciplines as child and school psychology, early childhood education, clinical social work, speech and physical therapy, developmental psychology, behavior therapy, and public health.

This handbook discusses early childhood special education (ECSE), with particular focus on evidence-based practices. Coverage spans core intervention areas in ECSE, such as literacy, motor skills, and social development as well as diverse contexts for services, including speech-language pathology, physical therapy, and pediatrics. Contributors offer strategies for planning, implementing, modifying, and adapting interventions to help young learners extend their benefits into the higher grades. Concluding chapters emphasize the importance of research in driving evidence-based practices (EBP). Topics featured in the Handbook include: Family-centered practices in early childhood intervention. The application of Response to Intervention (RtI) in young children with identified disabilities. Motor skills acquisition for young children with disabilities. Implementing evidence-based practices in ECSE classrooms. * Cultural, ethnic, and linguistic implications for ECSE. The Handbook of Early Childhood Special Education is a must-have resource for researchers, professors, upper-level undergraduate and graduate students, clinicians, and practitioners across such disciplines as child and school psychology, early childhood education, clinical social work, speech and physical therapy, developmental psychology, behavior therapy, and public health.

The Autism Program Environment Rating Scale – Middle/High School (APERS-MH) is an assessment used to evaluate the quality of educational programs for preschool/elementary students with autism. The APERS-MH contains 69 assessment items organized in 11 domains (e.g., Learning Environments, Curriculum and Instruction, Post-Secondary Transition Planning etc.). To complete the assessment, a trained APERS rater visits the school program. The rater 1) reviews student records for 2-3 focal students with autism, 2) interviews school personnel and parents of the focal students, and 3) observes these students throughout their school day, taking notes throughout the process, before completing an electronic scoring tool. The rater then shares the results with school personnel to use in improving program quality.

*Presents an effective research-based program developed through studies in public schools. *Needed: there are few resources--and, until now, no cohesive intervention model--for providing services to adolescents with ASD. *Comprehensively covers academics, social engagement, independence, and transition planning. *Practical--includes strategies, teaching approaches, case examples, and downloadable tools for educators, school psychologists and counselors, school administrators, speech-language pathologists, and other service providers.

The Autism Program Environment Rating Scale – Preschool/Elementary (APERS-PE) is an assessment used to evaluate the quality of educational programs for preschool/elementary students with autism. The APERS-PE contains 62 assessment items organized in 10 domains (e.g., Learning Environments, Curriculum and Instruction, Family Involvement, etc.). To complete the assessment, a trained APERS rater visits the school program. The rater 1) reviews student records for 2-3 focal students with autism, 2) interviews school personnel and parents of the focal students, and 3) observes these students throughout their school day, taking notes throughout the process, before completing an electronic scoring tool. The rater then shares the results with school personnel to use in improving program quality.

Identifying factors related to poverty that affect infants, toddlers, and their families, this book describes promising early child care and intervention practices specifically tailored to these children and families' needs. Leading authorities from multiple disciplines present cutting-edge research and discuss the implications for practice and policy. Contributors review salient findings on attention, memory, language, self-regulation, attachment, physical health, family processes, and culture. The book considers the strengths and limitations of existing early intervention services for diverse populations and explores workable ways to improve them.

This authoritative handbook reviews the breadth of current knowledge about developmental disabilities: neuroscientific and genetic foundations; the impact on health, learning, and behavior; and effective educational and clinical practices. Leading authorities analyze what works in intervening with diverse children and families, from infancy through the school years and the transition to adulthood. Chapters present established and emerging approaches to promoting communication and language abilities, academic skills, positive social relationships, and vocational and independent living skills. Current practices in positive behavior support are discussed, as are strategies for supporting family adaptation and resilience.

The ICP (TM) manual guides users on understanding, implementing, and scoring the ICP. How well is your early childhood program implementing quality inclusive practices? Now there's a comprehensive, field-tested observational tool that uncovers the answers. A one-of-a-kind tool for classrooms serving children ages 2-5, the Inclusive Classroom Profile (ICP (TM)) assesses 12 key practices with the strongest research base for supporting the education and development of young children in inclusive programs: *Adaptations of Space, Materials, and Equipment *Adult Involvement in Peer Interactions *Adults' Guidance of Children's Free-Choice Activities and Play *Conflict Resolution *Membership *Relationships between Adults and Children *Support for Communication *Adaptation of Group Activities *Transitions between Activities *Feedback *Family-Professional Partnerships *Monitoring Children's Learning Benefits The in-depth ICP (TM) evaluation process gives you the rich information and insights you need to:*assess your program's current inclusive practices *establish a baseline for measuring future progress *apply recommended inclusive practices for young children *guide quality improvement efforts by linking assessment data with instructional decision-making *tailor professional development to teachers' specific needs

Discrete trial instruction or naturalistic, incidental teaching: How do you choose which approach to use with young children with autism? Now there's no need to "pick a side"-this groundbreaking book helps professionals skillfully blend the best of both behavioral approaches to respond to each child's individual needs. Developed by one of the nation's leading experts on autism, this innovative, evidence-based guidebook cuts through the chaos of conflicting information and gives readers a logical, child-centered way to plan and implement intervention. Professionals will begin with an in-depth guide to creating an autism intervention profile. for each child, based on the type and severity of the child's autism characteristics and common predictors of how the child will respond to intervention (such as anxiety level, language, and social interest). Once the profile is complete, readers will learn how to match the child's individual characteristics and needs with a specially tailored blend of DTI and naturalistic teaching. To help them select and implement the right interventions for each child, professionals will get more than a dozen practical tools, including the Autism Intervention Responsiveness Scale, sample data collection forms, schedules, intervention plans, and progress reports. Readers will also learn from detailed before-and-after case studies of five children with very different characteristics and intervention needs. Through vivid accounts of their diverse intervention plans and first-person stories from their parents, readers will see exactly what individualized, child-centered interventions look like and how they help children make improvements in key areas (see below). A must for early childhood educators and interventionists, this book will demystify competing autism treatments and help readers create custom-tailored interventions that really improve child outcomes. Develop child-centered individualized interventions that help children: join in play read nonverbal cues communicate more effectively overcome social anxiety increase empathy

*Presents an effective research-based program developed through studies in public schools. *Needed: there are few resources--and, until now, no cohesive intervention model--for providing services to adolescents with ASD. *Comprehensively covers academics, social engagement, independence, and transition planning. *Practical--includes strategies, teaching approaches, case examples, and downloadable tools for educators, school psychologists and counselors, school administrators, speech-language pathologists, and other service providers.