The purpose of this article is to critically review the literature on parent-implemented interventions aimed at promoting and enhancing the social and communicative behavior of young children with autism spectrum disorders. Twelve parent-implemented intervention studies that were conducted, at least in part, in home environments and were published between 1997 and 2007 were identified. Each of these studies is described as a study within a study. A study-within-a-study design allows researchers to examine (a) the effectiveness of the parents' implementation of the newly learned strategies and (b) the influence of parent-implemented strategies on their children's social and communication skills. All 12 studies reported positive outcomes for parents and children. Yet closer examination of the research methods used in each study indicates considerable variability in intervention and data collection strategies. Carefully and critically evaluating this empirical literature can help researchers, teacher educators, and practitioners as they consider options for interventions and plan future research efforts that will efficiently and effectively result in positive outcomes for young children with social communication delays. Implications for research and practice are addressed following the literature review.

This study was conducted to examine the relationship between 32 typically developing preschoolers’ attitudes and play behaviors toward their classmates with disabilities or developmental delays. Children’s attitudes toward peers with disabilities were assessed using three methods: child interviews, sociometric peer ratings, and a social acceptance scale. Children’s play behaviors (e.g., solitary, onlooker, parallel play, associative/cooperative play) and teachers’ involvement in children’s play were observed during free play over a 10-week period. Results revealed that children’s identification of a classmate with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) as having a disability was negatively related to their associative/cooperative play with the classmate. Typically developing children’s sociometric ratings of classmates with disabilities were positively related to their associative/cooperative play with classmates with disabilities. In addition, children’s sociometric ratings were a stronger indicator of whether a typically developing child would play with a classmate with a disability than was identification of a classmate as having a disability. Suggestions for future research and implications for practice are discussed.

Young children with disabilities are increasingly attending inclusive early childhood programs with their typically developing peers. Within these programs, research efforts and practice have supported young children’s understanding and acceptance of peers with disabilities. However, there is limited information about the measures used to assess young children’s attitudes toward peers with disabilities. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to critically review the literature on young children’s attitudes toward peers with disabilities with an emphasis on measurement issues. Assessment instruments and the type of information that these assessments provide about the dimensions of attitudes toward peers with disabilities based on a conceptual model of attitude formation suggested by Triandis are highlighted. Implications for future research are addressed following the literature review.

The purpose of this article is to share findings about Head Start teachers’ attitudes and perceived competence toward inclusion based on data gathered from 41 instructional professionals in 18 Head Start classrooms using surveys and interviews. Results showed that all of the participating teachers agreed with inclusion and identified several benefits that students and teachers could obtain from inclusion. However, teachers’ ratings on their skills and knowledge in using inclusive practices were significantly lower than their ratings on attitudes and beliefs toward inclusion. The teachers also identified several challenges (e.g., limited resources, difficulties in individualization) that they had in inclusive classrooms. Based on the results, suggestions for research and implications for practice are discussed.

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