Services for Families of Severely Handicapped Preschool Students: Assumptions and Implications

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Abstract
This article summarizes the literature on intervention with preschool-aged handicapped children and their families. More specifically, the review excludes those programs and papers pertaining to high-risk, disadvantaged, or mildly delayed children, focusing instead on services for children labeled trainable, severely or profoundly retarded; severely emotionally disturbed or autistic; or multihandicapped. Several authors have argued for, and provided models of, parent involvement in the education of young handicapped children. Parents and professionals alike, however, have suggested that attempts at true partnership have succeeded only minimally. This article proposes a series of assumptions as a philosophical foundation for improved parent-professional relations. Each assumption is discussed in terms of its implications for practice. Proposed practices are illustrated with examples for existing service delivery models. The article summarizes the state of the art in services for families. This evaluation calls for a reexamination of existing attitudes and practices and cites specific implications for parents, early intervention specialists, administrators, and teacher trainers.