A Synthesis of "Best Practice" Guidelines for Early Childhood Services

Abstract

Best practice" guidelines drawn from recent advances within the field of disability are reviewed and synthesized for the purpose of defining exemplary early childhood special education services. With both empirical and ideological support, the paper identifies six major characteristics of exemplary programs. Such programs provide services that are (a) integrated, (b) comprehensive, (c) normalized, (d) adaptable. (e) peer and family-referenced, and (f) outcome-based. Programmatic guidelines are addressed for each characteristic. 0 With the passage of Public Law 99-457,Congress has adopted the most significant changes in educational service delivery to handicapped children since the Education for All Handicapped Children Act was signed into law in 1975. A major provision within the new law requires that by 1990 all states will have to assure a free and appropriate public education (as defined by PL 94-142) to every eligible handicapped child between 3 and 5 years of age. Given such sweeping reforms, it seems a particularly appropriate time to review the &dquo;best practices&dquo; literature in early childhood services, and to examine the implications for further model development, implementation, and evaluation.Prior to Public Law 99-457, the only federal program recognizing the need for extensive model development efforts in early childhood special education was the Handicapped Children's Early Education Program (HCEEP), funded in 1968 under PL 90-583. A number of model development and outreach projects were awarded through HCEEP with the express purpose of increasing the quantity and quality of early childhood services (Gentry & Olson, 1985). In spite of the numerous contributions made by these HCEEP projects (e.g., assessment, curriculum development, parent training materials, instructional and evaluation methodology), few replicable models have emerged to fill current and projected service delivery needs. Unfortunately, comprehensive early childhood model development seems to have lost its momentum, with many of the major model innovations now more than a decade old

Labeling Preschoolers as Learning Disabled: A Cautionary Position

“…We suggest that a fluid array of services be arranged (Smith &C Luckasson, 1992). Although there is little argument that early intervention programs should be integrated (McDonnell & Hardman, 1988;Strain, 1990;Wolery, 1991), there is evidence that this best practice is not standard practice. If a continuum of program and service options is to exist for preschoolers, the provision of segregated services should not be an option in that continuum.…”

“…Unfortunately, until we have a consensus on what best practices in early intervention are (Hanson & Haring, in press;McDonnell & Hardman, 1988;Westlake & Kaiser, 1991), we will continue to waste precious resources conducting research on mediocre early intervention programs, to produce equivocal results. Further, debate concerning the general efficacy of school-based special education for students with mild disabilities persists (Dunn, 1968;Edgar, 1987: Reynolds et al, 1987Stainback & Stainback, 1984;Wang & Walberg, 1988), and it will continue whether or not significant improvements are made in methodologies utilized to study efficacy.…”

“…Most agree that services should be individualized, be based on child and family assessment, be culturally and linguistically sensitive, be designed to maximize child development and functioning, be integrated, and involve interdisciplinary collaboration. McDonnell and Hardman (1988) identified the six characteristics of an exemplary early intervention program: that it be (a) integrated, (b) comprehensive, (c) normalized, (d) adaptable, (e) peer-and family-referenced, and (f) outcome-based. They defined integration as grouping children with and without handicaps together for instructional or social activities.…”

“…Adaptable services are those that support a variety of family structures, are flexible and noncategorical, are individualized, and emphasize functionality of response as well as formative evaluations for programmatic changes. Peer-and family-referenced services tend to include parents as full partners, consider family routines when enhancing child skill development, and reference the curriculum to individual child, family, peer, and community concerns (McDonnell & Hardman, 1988).…”

Preschool Directors’ Attitudes Towards the Integration of Children with Disabilities Into Regular Preschools in New South Wales

“…Over the years, the practice of integrating preschool children with special learning needs has increased, particularly in New South Wales. As early intervention services developed appropriate preparation programs, support services were established and preschool communities began to accept the idea of such placements as examples of "best educational practice" (McDonnell & Hardman, 1988;Pieterse, Bochner, & Bettison, 1988).…”