Mary Frances Hanline

A Preliminary Evaluation of Learning within Developmentally Appropriate Early Childhood Settings.

The use of naturalistic teaching procedures to teach a variety of skills in developmentally appropriate early childhood settings was evaluated. Two single subject studies show the acquisition and maintenance of skills taught to preschoolers with disabilities within developmentally appropriate play contexts. The results of the research indicate that the use of naturalistic teaching procedures within developmentally appropriate activities can result in the acquisition and maintenance of targeted skills. These data offer support for embedding the instruction of skills within the context of play activities as a viable and effective way to teach young children with disabilities in programs that use Developmentally Appropriate Practice as a curriculum framework.

Inclusion of Preschoolers with Profound Disabilities: An Analysis of Children's Interactions

The purpose of this study was to explore the nature of spontaneous peer interactions in a full-inclusion preschool. Three children with profound disabilities were observed for a total of 480 min each in indoor and outdoor supervised play. Three children without disabilities were observed under the same conditions for comparison purposes. Results of the study showed variation in the behavior of the children with disabilities, but also showed that the children with disabilities had many opportunities to participate in peer social interactions and engaged in interactions comparable in length to those of their peers without disabilities. Findings also indicate that particular attention may need to be paid to the encouragement of initiating interactions and to helping young children without disabilities understand and respond to the idiosyncratic behaviors of peers with profound disabilities.

Enhancing the Alternative and Augmentative Communication Use of a Child with Autism through a Parent‐implemented Naturalistic Intervention

The effects of a parent‐implemented naturalistic intervention on the communication skills of a 4‐year‐old boy with autism using an alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) system were investigated. The child’s mother was taught to use 4 naturalistic teaching strategies that incorporated a picture communication system during 2 typical home routines. Generalisation probes to assess the caregiver’s use of the intervention techniques and generalisation of the child’s communication outcomes were conducted in 2 similar interactions. A multiple baseline design was used to evaluate the effects of the intervention. Data indicated an increase in the use of 2 caregiver–teaching strategies across two routines following treatment. No consistent changes were observed in the use of the other caregiver strategies across the routines. An increase in the child’s frequency of initiations and responses and the use of the communication system also were observed.

Family Coping Strategies and Strengths in Hispanic, African-American, and Caucasian Families of Young Children.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between maternal perceptions of family coping strategies and family strengths in Hispanic, African-American, and Caucasian families of young children with and without disabilities. The 206 participants, recruited from early intervention and childcare programs in Florida and California, completed the Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scales (F-COPES) and the Family Strengths questionnaires. Within-culture analysis showed that the use of internal family coping strategies tended to be more predictive of family strengths than was the use of social supports outside the family within all three ethnic groups. Further analysis revealed no differences in family coping strategies and family strengths between Hispanic families of children with and without disabilities, one difference related to social support among African-American families, and multiple differences among Caucasian families. Implications of the findings for early interventionists were discussed.

Providing Early Intervention Services in Integrated Environments Challenges and Opportunities for the Future

This paper briefly reviews accomplishments that have taken place during the past decade relative to integration of young children with disabilities and their nondisabled peers. Challenges for the future and the opportunities that accompany these challenges are discussed. It is suggested that the traditional concept of least restrictive environment as a continuum of placements be replaced by a concept of integration opportunities to be determined by individual child needs, family needs, and community resources. For infants and toddlers, it is suggested that a broad-based view of integration focus on integration of the child into the family and integration of the child and family into the community. Finally, the need to work toward the establishment of integrated service delivery systems through extensive personnel training and coordination of services is stressed.

Transitions and Critical Events in the Family Life Cycle: Implications for Providing Support to Families of Children with Disabilities.

Recognizing that parental adaptation to having a child with a disability is a life-long process that occurs within the context of the familys developmental life cycle, psychologists are becoming increasingly interested in life-cycle transitions and critical events of families with a child who is disabled. Professionals are just now beginning to examine systematically the potential for periodic changes in adaptation throughout a familys life cycle and ways in which professionals can support family members. This article reviews the literature regarding transitions and critical events that present challenges to families and the sources of support that families use during such times. Implications for providing support to families are discussed.

Making the Transition to Preschool: Identification of Parent Needs

Ninety-two parents of San Francisco infants and preschoolers with disabilities were surveyed to identify information and services which would be helpful as they and their children made the transition into public school preschool special education programs. Parent concerns during this period of transition were also identified. Results of the survey indicate that families were most interested in information and services which would allow them to obtain and manage the particular special education and related services appropriate for their child. Concerns centered around being away from their child for long periods, dealing with an unfamiliar agency, and being assured of receiving appropriate services, Implications for providing transition support services are discussed.

The relationship between preschool block play and reading and maths abilities in early elementary school: a longitudinal study of children with and without disabilities

The purpose of this study was to explore the predictive relationship between the level of symbolic representation in block constructions of preschoolers and reading and mathematics abilities and rate of growth in early elementary school for children with and without disabilities. Fifty‐one children participated, 22 of whom had identified disabilities. No predictive relationship between representational level of block constructions and maths abilities was found. However, growth curve analysis documented that preschoolers, who had higher levels of representation in their block constructions, had higher reading abilities and a faster rate of growth in reading abilities in the early elementary years. This predictive relationship held true for children with and without disabilities. Findings are discussed in relation to the importance of early experiences that are physically and socially organised to provide young children with the foundation for later learning.

Developmentally Appropriate Practice Applications for Young Children With Disabilities

The development of inclusive programs for young children with disabilities requires early childhood special educators and early childhood educators to collaborate in an effort to develop and implement effective programs that meet the needs of all children. Developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) describes the guidelines that early educators have determined to be appropriate practice in early childhood programs. In this paper, appropriate practices in early childhood education (ECE) and early childhood special education (ECSE) are examined. The four major components of DAP (curriculum, adult-child interaction, relationships between home and program, developmental evaluation) are used as the framework for analyzing the differences and similarities of recommended practice in ECE and ECSE. The paper concludes with a discussion of how important practices within ECSE fit within the framework of DAP.

Learning within the Context of Play: Providing Typical Early Childhood Experiences for Children with Severe Disabilities

Early childhood educators regard child-initiated, child-directed, teacher-supported play as the primary context in which young children learn, whereas special educators have relied more heavily on teacher-directed activities that are focused on specific skill development. The purpose of this manuscript is to suggest that a play-based environment is the most natural instructional context for young children with severe disabilities. The application of a play-based curriculum requires neither an abandonment of effective instructional special education practice nor a violation of early childhood education best practice. Adopting such an approach, however, does represent a conceptual step away from existing practice. Further, allowing play activities to form the foundation on which effective instruction and classroom organization are built requires the utilization of best practice in the fields of early childhood education and early childhood special education in conjunction with effective practices for educating students with severe disabilities.