Title: Teachers’ view of educational support to children in need of special support

Author(s): Anette Sandberg, Martina Norling, & Anne Lillvist

Pages:102-116

Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate, analyze and describe how preschool teachers experience the educational support for children in need of special support. In this interview study, the preschool teachers emphasize educational support to children in need of special support from two perspectives. In the first perspective, the preschool teachers stated that they don’t do anything unique for children in need of special support, versus the view that the children need and receive more help from the staff in everyday preschool activities. In the second perspective, the preschool teachers point out the specific educational support within two themes, indirect and direct support. This study has implications for both practice and theory as it increases the knowledge and understanding about educational support that children in need of special support are offered in preschool today.

Keywords: Children in need of special support, preschool education, educational support, preschool teacher

Title: Intensive daytime toilet training of two children with autism: Implementing and monitoring systematically guarantees success!

Author(s):Gönül Kırcaali-İftar, Burcu Ülke-Kürkçüoğlu, Özlem Çetin, & Emre Ünlü

Pages: 117-126

Abstract: Teaching toileting skills are among the most essential educational objectives for children with autism; however, there are few investigations of the utility of various toilet training approaches for this population of children. The intensive toilet training program presented in this report used the scientifically supported principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA) to teach two 5- and 3-year old boys with autism to stay accident free between scheduled toilet visits. The program consisted of pre-training, intensive training, and post-training activities. The children attained day-time toileting skills rapidly and consistently throughout the program. The procedures followed during these activities and the outcomes regarding each participant are presented in the report.

Keywords: Intensive toilet training, daytime toilet training, children with autism, toileting problems

Title: Early childhood intervention in Austria: An overview of 30 years of development and future challenges

Author(s): Manfred Pretis

Pages: 127-137

Abstract: The situation of early childhood intervention in Austria is described from its beginning in the 1970s up to the present situation and future challenges. Children with disability or at risk of being disabled qualify for early childhood intervention as well as partly and to some extent also children in the context of socially disadvantaged families. Based on nine provincial laws, the structure of early childhood intervention in Austria is heterogeneous. A consensus regarding key terms, the age of the child (0 – 3 or 6), and home-based services exists. Future challenges focus on early identification of vulnerable target groups by increased communication with community based networks (social worker, mental health specialists) as the number of children with unspecific developmental delays or vulnerability will increase. The training programmes for early intervention professionals, as proposed for example in the project PRECIOUS (www.precious.at), must include the need for professionals to work with vulnerable families in general to a greater extent.

Keywords: Early childhood intervention, systems development, Austria

Title: Spoken language in persons with Down Syndrome: A life-span perspective

Author(s): Jean A. Rondal

Pages: 138-163

Abstract:The purpose of the present study is to review master and doctoral dissertations in the field of early childhood special education carried out in Turkey.  Within the context of this study, 24 studies during early childhood were found in Turkey concerning children with developmental delays/disabilities, their parents and the services provided for them. The studies were analyzed in seven categories according to the subject covered. Nine studies in the category of teaching of skills, four studies in the category of preschool inclusion, three studies in the category of helping parents acquire skill of instructing their children, three studies in the category of comparing children with development delays with each others and peers with normal development, three studies in the category of examining mothers’ emotional status, two studies in the category of services provided for children and one study in the category of describing a situation regarding children have been identified and reviewed.

Title: Planning a comprehensive program for young children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Author(s): Brenda Smith Myles, Barry G. Grossman,Ruth Aspy, Shawn A. Henry

Pages:164-180

Abstract: This article outlines two compatible models for planning and implementing programs for students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The Ziggurat Model begins the process with an assessment of individual strengths and concerns related specifically to ASD and identifies interventions across five tiers that are matched to the individual’s profile: (a) sensory and biological, (b) reinforcement, (c) structure and visual/tactile supports, (d) task demands, and (e) skills to teach. Content from the Ziggurat Model is then placed with the Comprehensive Autism Planning System (CAPS) to allow the child’s day to be operationalized and matched to student goals, state standards, and related benchmarks. This article overviews this process and offers a brief case study as an example.

Title: The program administrator's guide to early childhood special education
Author(s): Birkan Güldenoğlu

Pages: 95-101

Abstract: This book review article provides information on a book entitled “The Program Administrator's Guide to Early Childhood Special Education”, written by Janen McCracken Taylor,James R. McGowan & Toni Linder, published in 2009.