Video self-modeling (VSM) is a promising intervention to teach new skills and improve the use of existing skills in young children with autism. VSM includes observation and imitation of one's self on videotape that records specific desirable child behaviors. The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of VSM for training young children with autism to make spontaneous requests in school settings. Four young children with autism participated. Experimental control was demonstrated using a multiple-baseline design across participants. Introduction of VSM led to a large increase in requesting behavior in all four children. VSM was effective in causing an increase in spontaneous requesting in young children with autism. 30Children with autism typically display great difficulties in social-communication skills. Poor social communication includes poor social interactions, such as poor imitation skills, and lack of eye contact, and lack of responsiveness to people. Limited or nonexistent communication skills, such as lack of turn-taking skills, problems with speech/ communication, or poor or limited use of appropriate gestures, are also common. Finally, delayed, restricted, repetitive, or unusual responses to stimuli, such as squealing, screaming, and hand flapping are also common examples of poor social-communication skills.This lack of social-communication skills is also a significant problem for children with autism. Socialcommunication skills rely on reciprocal interactions between individuals. Lack of skill in this area often deters other children from beginning or maintaining communication and friendships with children with autism. Socialcommunication skills are an important aspect of human interaction. Deficits in eye contact, turn taking, gestures, or verbalizations that indicate requesting objects or action/ attention, responding to others, or protesting (e.g., refusing to participate in an interaction) are perceived by peers, family members, and other individuals as significant limitations in the social-communicative behavior. Difficulties in social-communicative behaviors can impede children's reciprocal social-communicative interactions (Wetherby, 1998) and subsequent ability to function in society (McGee & Daly, 1999). A lack of skills in this area in children with autism thus is a major concern. An important goal in interventions for children with autism is to increase socialcommunicative development in order to decrease the problems often produced by social avoidance or awkwardness.One effective strategy to aide young children in learning social-communication skills is to model the behavior of individuals around them. This process has been termed observational learning or modeling (Bandura, 1977). Video self-modeling (VSM) is a form of modeling that allows individuals to observe their own behavior. In other words, the person acts as his or her own model (Hosford, 1981). VSM research, which was based on the Bandura modeling research, began approximately 30 years ago, and about 150 studies of VSM ...

The early childhood professionals recognize the limitations of conventional testing with young children. This recognition has given rise to Authentic Assessment, now recognized officially as best practice by the major professional organizations. However, no national studies have been conducted to document the comparative qualities of either authentic or conventional approaches—according to meaningful external standards. Based on a national Internet survey of professionals, we report details of a social validity study of common measurement methods on eight operationally defined standards for developmentally appropriate assessment linked to professionally sanctioned practice standards and indicators. Approximately 1,500 professional responses reveal higher quality appraisals for authentic assessment over conventional testing methods for early childhood intervention purposes. Based on these results, we offer recommendations to advance valid, sensible, and contextually appropriate assessment for early childhood intervention.

A consistent and persistent devaluation and misunderstanding of behaviorism, the behavioral approach, and its application to early childhood special education exists among many professionals in the field. In this article we explore common criticisms of behaviorism and present reactions. In addition, we identify and describe the critical features of the behavioral approach and their similarities to early childhood special education. Finally, we provide examples of the influence and application of the behavioral perspective in early childhood special education. In the conclusion of this discussion, we assert that the behavioral perspective has contributed substantially to improving the lives of young children with developmental delays and disabilities and their families. As such, behaviorism has utility in the design and implementation of early childhood special education services.In the past few years we have experienced an increasing tendency for early childhood special educators to dismiss summarily the contributions of the behavioral approach to assessment and intervention. The concern we have is not related to questioning and debate, which seems most helpful to the discipline, but to an apparent willingness to end debate and question. For some, it appears that behavioral is equated with "bad," "inappropriate," "extreme," "overly complex," and similar descriptors. This is often manifest in statements such as: "I wouldn't adopt this book, it's too behavioral." "This behavioral program is turning children into robots." "This behavioral approach is too simplistic; it's dehumanizing." "We don't allow any behavioral

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