Effective Early Intervention

Abstract

The effectiveness of an intervention program for young children enrolled in outreach sites of the Model Preschool Program for Children with Down Syndrome and Other Developmental Delays was investigated. The rate of development during intervention was compared to the rate of development at pretest across six domains of development. Subjects were 194 children with special needs, 92 of whom had Down syndrome. Results for the total group of children and for the group of children with Down syndrome are reported on two tests, the Classroom Assessment of Developmental Skills (CADS) and the Battelle Developmental Inventory (BDI). For the total group, the rate of development during intervention was significantly greater than the rate of development at pretest across all developmental domains of the CADS. This finding was true for five of the six domains when analyses were limited to children with Down syndrome. On the BDI, results were available on 75 of the 194 children, 45 of whom had Down syndrome. Significant differences were found on six of the seven domains. When the rates of the 45 children with Down syndrome were analyzed, significantly higher rates were found on three of the seven domains. These results support the effectiveness of one of the original model programs of the Handicapped Children's Early Education Program.