D. Michael Malone

Perceived Inservice Training Needs for Early Intervention Personnel

This study investigated the inservice training needs of professionals working with children with disabilities and their families. One hundred fifteen personnel from public and private agencies assessed their current and future training needs in the areas of typical/atypical development, family systems/family involvement, assessment, program implementation/evaluation, administrative/team process, professional development, and technology. Preferences for the format and timing of training were also identified. Mean ratings for and comparisons between skills identified as more traditional and skills identified as more contemporary are provided. Two grouping factors, role and experience, were used to evaluate the extent to which personnel differed on perceived need for training in each competency area. Results are discussed relative to the extant personnel preparation literature and best practices in inservice training.

Teaching Object-related Play Skills to Preschool Children with Developmental Concerns

The distinction between general early childhood education and special education on the issue of the essential characteristics of play, developmental appropriateness, and an emphasis on teacher directiveness, external contingencies, and correct products may help explain the relatively small body of work focused on teaching preschool children with developmental concerns how to appropriately engage in play with toys. Appropriately designed intervention is not only compatible with the concept of play, many children require intervention to support their continued development. The purpose of this paper is to explore the applied research in which object-related play skills of preschool children with developmental concerns are enhanced through intervention strategies. Guidelines for teaching toy play will be presented and strategies to promote generalisation and maintenance will be discussed.

Comparing Instructional Contexts of Students with and without Severe Disabilities in General Education Classrooms

This study compared the instructional contexts of 15 students with severe disabilities who were educated in general education elementary classrooms, and 15 general education students in those same classrooms. Results suggest that (a) different instructional contexts existed for students with severe disabilities; (b) more individualized instructional supports were provided for the students with severe disabilities, including one-to-one instruction, small group instruction provided by special education staff, physical and gestural prompting, and teacher focus on the student with severe disabilities; (c) most of the more individualized supports were provided by special education staff. Implications for supporting students with severe disabilities in general education elementary classrooms are discussed.

Contextual Variation of Correspondences Among Measures of Play and Developmental Level of Preschool Children

Convergent assessment in a multicontext design was used to extend what is known about the development of preschool children with cognitive delays. Twenty-two children were observed during both an independent-play condition at home and a group free-play condition at school. Both categorical and sequential play activity were coded. Cognitive and communicative performance levels were established through the administration of the Battelle Developmental Inventory. Data were examined for patterns of association within and across contexts. Differential patterns of association among play variables emerged across contexts. Assessed developmental age was more predictive of play behaviors demonstrated in the independent play condition than in the classroom free-play condition. The findings highlight the need to consider contextual variation associated with play-based assessment and program development.

General Education Teachers' Attitudes and Perceptions of Teamwork Supporting Children with Developmental Concerns

The successful inclusion of children with developmental concerns in general education classrooms is influenced by the participation of general educators on the teams that support these children. One hundred and forty-eight general education teachers who were serving on teams that support children with developmental concerns in schools were asked to complete the Attitudes About Teamwork Survey, the Team Characteristics Survey, and the Team Process Perception Survey. Respondents held a generally positive attitude about teamwork. Challenges related to scheduling and time for teaming were noted. Central themes emerged relative to perceptions about benefits (discipline collaboration, sharing of knowledge/ideas), limitations (time constraints), and supports (collaboration and supports of individual efforts). Respondents provided recommendations for the improvement of teamwork related to management, organization, and communication. Practical implications of the results and directions for further investigation in this area are discussed.

Technology Solutions for Young Children with Developmental Concerns

This article provides an overview of technology solutions for young children who have developmental concerns. We discuss the rationale for developmentally appropriate assistive technology and the use of hightech computer-based solutions. Issues related to selecting appropriate hardware and software

The Effects of Technology-Enhanced Anchored Instruction on the Knowledge of Preservice Special Educators.

This study was designed to compare the effects of anchored and nonanchored instruction on test scores of preservice special education teachers. Lectures were designed to be equivalent with the exception that the anchored instruction group received specific videodisc-based (full motion video) case study examples. The immediate and long-term acquisition of knowledge of 37 students divided into two groups (nonanchored instruction and anchored instruction) was explored using a pretest, posttest, and follow-up test design. All tests included multiple-choice and essay formats. Results revealed somewhat different within group patterns as well as important between group patterns. Although no differences between the two groups on the posttest immediately following the lectures was noted, the anchored instruction group outperformed the nonanchored group on the eigbt-week follow-up test. Implications for future research are discussed.

Methodological Issues in Studying the Toy Play of Young Children with Mental Retardation

The methods of 27 studies that focused on the toy play of young children with mental retardation were reviewed with respect to sample characteristics, contextual parameters, and type of measurement. Considerable variability was evident across and within studies with respect to these methodological considerations. It should be noted that researchers frequently neglect to include potentially valuable methodological information. Given the variability and lack of specificity in reporting important information, care therefore is needed in the interpretation and generalization of research outcomes. Differences across studies, combined with the small number of studies examined in this article, highlight the need for continued research into issues surrounding the play of young children with mental retardation. Suggestions for future research are described.

Special Education Teachers' Attitudes and Perceptions of Teamwork

One hundred and eighty-four special education teachers serving school-based intervention teams completed the Attitudes About Teamwork Survey, the Team Characteristics Survey , and the Team Process Perception Survey. Respondents’ regard for the team process in planning and implementing supports for children with disabilities was generally favorable. Similarly, respondents’ perceptions of the performance characteristics of the teams on which they served were generally positive. Associations among items on the Attitudes About Teamwork Survey and the Team Characteristics Survey are reported. Finally, respondents provided input regarding teamwork benefits and limitations, how teamwork supports their efforts, and recommendations for improving the effectiveness of teamwork. Practical implications of the results and directions for further investigation in this area are discussed.

A Comparison of Traditional Classroom Instruction and Anchored Instruction with University General Education Students.

The effects of a traditional instruction format and an anchored instruction format on the immediate and long-term acquisition of knowledge of 100 university general education majors was examined. Participants were administered multiple-choice and essay format pre-tests, post-tests, and follow-up tests. Results revealed somewhat different within group patterns as well as important between group patterns. Both groups performed better on the post-test and follow-up test than on the pre-test. No differences between the two groups on the post-test were recorded. The anchored instruction group outperformed the traditional instruction group on the multiple-choice follow-up test and the traditional instruction group outperformed the anchored instruction group on the essay follow-up test. Implications for future research are discussed.