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

Kaynakça

1. American Psychiatric Association (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, text revision (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
2. Anderson, S. R., Campbell, S., & Cannon , B. O. (1994). The May center for early childhood education. S. Harris ve J. Handlemann (Edt)., Preshool education for children with autism (syf. 15-36). Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.
3. Bitterman, A., Daley, T. C., Misra, S., Carlson, E., & Markowitz, J. (2008). A national sample of preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders: Special education services and parent satisfaction. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 38, 150915
4. Fenske, E., Zalenski, S., Krantz, P., & McClannahan, L. (1985). Age at intervention and treatment outcome for autistic children in a comprehensive intervention program. Analysis and Intervention in Developmental Disabilities, 5, 7-31.
5. Goldstein, H., & Wickstrom, S. (1986). Peer intervention effects of communicative interaction among handicapped and nonhandicapped preschoolers. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 19, 209-214.
6. Goldstein, H., & Cisar, C. L. (1992). Promoting interaction during sociodramatic play teaching scipts to tyapical preschoolers and classmates with disabilities. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25, 265-280.
7. Goldstein, H., Kaczmarek, L., Pennington, R., & Shafer, K. (1992). Peer-mediated intervention: Attending to, commenting on, and acknowledging the behavior of preschoolers with autism. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25, 289-305.
8. Guranlnick, M. (1997). The effectiveness of early intervention. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.

9. Harris, S., & Handleman, J. (Edt.) (2006). Preschool education programs for children with autism. Austin, TX: Pres-Ed.
10. Hume, K., Bellini, S., & Pratt, C. (2005). The usage and perceived outcomes of early intervention and early childhood programs for young children with autism spectrum disorder. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 25(4), 195-207.
11. Hurth, J., Shaw, E., Izeman, S., Whaley, K., & Rogers, S. (1999). Areas of agreement about effective practices serving young children with autism spectrum disorders. Infants and Young Children, 12, 17-26.
12. Kaiser, A. P., Yoder, P. J., & Keetz, A. (1992). Evaluating millue teaching. S. F. Warren ve J. Reichle (Edt.), Communication and language intervention series: Vol. 1. causes and effects in communication and language intervention (syf. 9-48). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.
13. Kohler, F. W., & Strain, P. S. (1999). Maximizing peer-mediated resources in integrated preschool classrooms. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 19 (2), 92
14. Lord, C., & Schopler, E. (1994). TEACCH services for preschool children. S. Harris ve J. Handleman (Edt.), Preschool education programs for children with autism (syf. 87-106). Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.
15. McClannahan , L., & Krantz, P. (1994). The Princeton Child Development Institute. S. Harris ve J. Handleman (Edt.), Preschool education programs for children with autism (syf. 107-126). Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.
16. McEachin, J. J., Smith-Tristram, T., & Lovaas, O. I. (1993). Long-term outcome for children with autism who received early intensive behavioral treatment. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 97, 359-372.
17. McGee, G., Daly, T., & Jacobs, H. A. (1994). The Walden preschool. S. Harris ve J. Handleman (Edt.), Preschool education programs for children with autism (Syf. 127-162). Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.
18. National Academies (2001). Educating children with autism. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
19. Odom, S.M., & Strain, P.S. (1986). A comparison of peer-initiation and teacherantecedent interventions for promoting reciprocal social interaction of autistic preschollers. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 19, 59-71.
20. Osterling, J., & Dawson, G. (1994). Early recognition of children with autism: A study of first birthday home video tapes. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 24, 247-257.
21. Ragland, F. U., Kerr, M. M., & Strain, P. S. (1978). Effects of peer social initiations on the behavior of withdrawn autistic children. Behavior Modificaiton, 2, 565-578.
22. Rogers, S. (1999). Intervention for young children with autism: From research to practice. Infants and Young Children, 12, 1-16.
23. Rogers, S. (1996). Brief report: Early Intervention in autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 26, 243-246.
24. Rogers, S. J., & DiLalla, D. L. (1991). A comparative study of the effects of a developmentally based instructional model on young children with autism and young children with other disorders of behavior and development. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 11(2), 29-47.
25. Sainato, D. M., Strain, P. S., Lefebvre, D., & Rapp, N. (1987). Facilitating transition times with handicapped preschool children: A comparison between peer-mediated and antecedent prompt procedures. Journal of Applied Analysis, 20, 285-291.
26. Sainato, D. M., Strain, P. S., Lefebvre, D., & Rapp, N. (1990). Effects of self-evaluation of the independent work skills of preschool children with disabilities. Exceptional Children, 56, 540-551.
27. Storey, K., Smith, D.J., & Strain, P. S. (1993). Use of classroom assistants and peermediated intervention to increase integration in preschool settings. Exceptionality, 4(1), 1-16.
28. Strain, P. S. (1977). Training and generalization effects of peer social initiations on withdrawn preschool children. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 5, 445-455. Strain, P. S., & Danko, C. D. (1993). Caregivers’ encouragement of positive interaction between preschoolers with autism and their siblings. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorder, 3, 2-12.
29. Strain, P. S., & Schwartz, I. (2001). ABA and the development of meaningful social relations for young children with autism. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 16(2), 120-128.
30. Strain, P. S., Shores, R. E., & Timm, M. A. (1977). Effects of peer initiations on the social behavior of withdrawn preschoolers. Journal of Applied Behavioral Analysis, 10, 289-298.
31. Strain, P. S., Kerr, M. M., & Ragland, E. U. (1979). Effects of peer-mediated social initiations and prompting/reinforcement procedures on the social behavior of autistic children. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 9, 41-54.
32. Venn, M. L., Wolery, M., Morris, A., DeCesare, L. D., & Cuffs, M. S. (1993). Use of progressive time delay to teach in-class transitions to preschoolers with autism. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 8, 277-294.
33. Woods, J., & Wetherby, A. (2003). Intervention for infants and toddler who are at risk for autism spectrum disorders. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 34, 180-193.