A retrospective survey was conducted to determine some of the childhood reading and writing experiences and shared personal characteristics of a group of 22 literate adults with congenital severe speech and physical impairments. Professionals in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) conducted face-to-face interviews using a standard protocol. Descriptive data relative to the nature of the individuals and the home and school contexts of literacy learning are reported. Results indicate that these individuals grew up in home and school environments with abundant reading and writing materials and were immersed in varied and regular experiences with print materials. Implications of the findings with respect to the literature on literacy learning of able-bodied individuals are discussed, and directions for future research suggested.

This article reviews the research and clinical literature that has investigated the topography and functions of eye-to-face gaze in normal children and adults. These data and data from a recent pilot study are then compared to the criteria typically used in eye-contact training programs with autistic children. This comparison reveals some educationally relevant discrepancies between the normative data and the training criteria. The need to base educational interventions for autistic individuals on normative standards is discussed, and suggestions for future research are provided.

This article summarizes the status of, and recommendations for, preparation programs for early intervention personnel across eight disciplines. Surveys were conducted to determine the extent to which entry-level students in each discipline receive academic preparation and clinical experiences to provide services to infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. Although considerable variability was found across disciplines, the average student receives little specialized information—practical knowledge—relative either to the infancy period or to working with families. Alternative strategies for improving infant personnel preparation are discussed and policy implications of each are addressed.

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Recent research in emergent literacy has led to a conceptualization of literacy learning as a continuous process that begins at birth. Such a view has critical implications for children with developmental disabilities because it implies that the potential for written language learning is present in everyone. In this article, emergent literacy research in both nondisabled children and children with developmental disabilities is synthesized. Implications of the research for parents, practitioners, and researchers are drawn.