Early Childhood Intensive Education Programs in Special Education: A Review of Studies on the Learning Experiences and Alternative Program (LEAP)

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyse the research findings about effectiveness of the Learning Experiences and Alternative Program for Preschoolers and Their Parents (LEAP) and its components which applied on the children with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) in early childhood. Studies in the special education literature in order to examine the effectiveness of LEAP research purposes, subjects, and findings were summarized. Summaries are given under the headings which were formed with the basic componets of LEAP. At the end of each part, studies about the headings constrasted with each others and interpreted. As a result, although some of the controversial aspects of the effectiveness of LEAP and its components, experimental studies of the effectiveness of LEAP and its components showed that LEAP and its components are effective application for children with ASD in early childhood.

Keywords

• Autistic spectrum disorders, application of special education in early childhood, learning with experience

Özel Eğitimde Erken Çocukluk Dönemi Yoğun Eğitim Programları: Deneyimle Öğrenme Programının (LEAP) Etkililiği Çalışmalarına Bir Bakış

Öz

Bu çalışmanın amacı otistik spektrum bozukluğu (OSB) olan çocuklara erken çocukluk döneminde uygulanan "Deneyimle Öğrenme-Okul Öncesi Çocuklar ve Anne-Babaları için Alternatif Bir Program"ın (LEAP) etkililiği üzerine yapılan araştırmaların sonuçlarını incelemektir. LEAP'in etkililiğinin incelenmesi amacıyla özel eğitim alan yazınında yapılan çalışmaların araştırma amaçları, denekleri ve sonuçları özetlenmiştir. Özetler LEAP'in temel bileşenleri ile oluşturulan başlıklar altında verilmiştir. Her başlık sonunda konu ile ilgi çalışmalar karşılaştırılmış ve yorumlanmıştır. Sonuç olarak, LEAP ve bileşenleri üzerinde yapılan deneysel çalışmalar bu uygulamanın bazı tartışmaya açık yönlerinin olmasına rağmen LEAP ve bileşenlerinin erken çocuklukta otistik spektrum bozukluğu olan çocuklarda etkili bir uygulama olduğunu göstermektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Otistik spektrum bozukluğu, erken çocuklukta özel eğitim uygulamaları, deneyimle öğrenme

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