This study examined the process of communication within the professional-family relationship by identifying and describing the types and patterns of talk during interactions between 15 families of young children with developmental delays and their respective early interventionists. Videotaped interactions of routine home visits were coded using a computerized coding system designed to record and analyze professional-family talk related to direct and indirect communication approaches. The tapes yielded 13,145 verbal behaviors and 2,155 sequential patterns. Correlational and sequential analyses revealed that when professionals used more indirect verbal behavior there was more active verbal involvement by family members. In addition, specific professional behaviors tended to be followed by particular sequences of interaction. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

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This article presents the Verbal Interaction Analysis System (VIAS), a computer-based system designed to analyze verbal interactions, and describes application of the VIAS in analyzing family/professional interactions during the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) process. The VIAS allows for instant data entry, data analysis, data display, and report writing. The VIAS may prove to be a useful observational tool for (a) measuring the quality and quantity of interactions between professionals and families during the IFSP process, (b) providing an analysis of reciprocal influences in the interactions among professionals and families in the IFSP process, and (c) determining the extent to which those interactions truly represent family-centered principles and practices. Prospective users of the VIAS include: early intervention personnel; higher education faculty; family support and advocacy leaders; researchers interested in the effectiveness family-centered practice; and, researchers interested in interaction analysis. Pilot testing of the VIAS has been completed and further testing is underway.

Public Law 99-457, Part H, Program for Handicapped Infants and Toddlers, has created a significant challenge and need for personnel training. This article describes an inservice training project designed to develop the skills of rural professionals in developing and implementing family-focused Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs). The primary goals of the training are to provide early interventionists from numerous disciplines with a philosophy, a process framework for developing IFSPs with families, and to teach the skills needed to implement that process. The results of the training with professionals from six regional training workshops serving rural families are presented.