Effective implementation of service coordination in early intervention, as mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, remains a challenge for most states. The present study provides a better understanding of the various aspects of the policy infrastructure that undergird service coordination across the United States. Data from a national survey of all state Part C coordinators contained critical variables that are used to describe three dimension of the policy infrastructure—responsibilities of the service coordinator, the document used to guide service coordination (Individualized Family Service Plan), and policies that facilitate a comprehensive and interagency coordinated service system. The results indicated that in general, most states do not have a sufficient policy infrastructure to support the implementation of effective service coordination.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1991, (1997).
2.
Bruder, M.B., & Bologna, T.M. (1993). Collaboration and service coordination for effective early intervention. In W. Brown, S. K. Thurman, & L. F. Pearl (Eds.), Family-centered early intervention with infants and toddlers: Innovative cross-disciplinary approaches (pp. 103—127). Baltimore: Brookes.
3.
Bruder, M.B., Staff, I., & McMurrer-Kaminer, E. (1997). Toddlers receiving early intervention in childcare centers: A description of a service delivery system . Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 17, 185—208.
4.
Bruder, M.B., & Whitbread, K. (2001). Data report: Service coordination training. Farmington: University of Connecticut Health Center.
5.
Dinnebeil, L.A., Hale, L., & Rule, S. (1996). A qualitative analysis of parents' and service coordinators' descriptions of variables that influence collaborative relationships . Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 16, 322—347.
6.
Dunst, C.J., Trivette, C.M., Starnes, A.L., Hamby, D.W., & Gordon, N.J. (1993). Building and evaluating family support initiatives: A national study of programs for persons with developmental disabilities. Baltimore: Brookes.
7.
Farel, A.M., Shackelford, J., & Hurth, J.L. (1997). Perceptions regarding the IFSP process in a statewide interagency service coordination program. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 17, 234—249.
8.
Gallagher, J., & Desimone, L. (1995). Lessons learned from implementation of the IEP: Applciations to the IFSP. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 15(3), 353—378.
9.
Gallagher, J., Harbin, G., Eckland, J., & Clifford, R. (1994). State diversity and policy implementation: Infants and toddlers. In L. John-son, R. J. Gallagher, & M. J. La Montague (Eds.), Meeting early intervention challenges: Issues from birth to three (pp. 235—250). Baltimore: Brookes.
10.
Gallagher, J., Harbin, G., Thomas, D., Clifford, R., & Wenger, M. (1998). Major policy issues in implementing Part H—P.L. 99-457 (Infants and Toddlers). Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina, Carolina Institute for Child and Family Policy .
11.
Harbin, G.L., Eckland, J., Gallagher, J., Clifford, R., & Place, P. (1991). State policy development for P.L. 99-457, Part H: Initial findings from six case studies. Chapel Hill : University of North Carolina, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center, Carolina Policy Studies Program.
12.
Harbin, G.L., Gallagher, J., Eckland, J., & Lillie, T. (1991). The prediction of state progress in the implementation of P.L. 99-457, Part H. Early Education and Development, 2(4), 321—333.
13.
Harbin, G.L., & Kameny, R. (2000). Early childhood organization of services. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina, FPG Child Development Institute.
14.
Harbin, G.L., & McNulty, B.A. (1990). Policy implementation: Prescriptives on service coordination and interagency cooperation. In S. J. Meisels & J. P. Shonkoff (Eds.), Handbook of early childhood intervention (pp. 700—721). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.
15.
Harbin, G.L., McWilliam, R.A., & Gallagher, J.J. (2000). Services for young children with disabilities and their families. In J. P. Shonkoff & J. P Meisels (Eds.), Handbook of early childhood intervention (2nd ed., pp. 387—415). New York: Cambridge University Press.
16.
Harbin, G.L., Pelosi, J., Kameny, R., McWilliam, R.A., Kitsul, Y., Fox, E., et al. (2004). Identifying and predicting successful outcomes of coordinated service delivery. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina, FPG Child Development Institute.
17.
Harbin, G.L., & Salisbury, C. (2000). Policies, administration, and systems change. In S. Sandall, M. E. McLean, & B. J. Smith (Eds.), DEC recommended practices in early intervention/early childhood special education (pp. 65—69). Longmont, CO: Sopris West.
18.
Marshall, C., Mitchell, D.E., & Wirt, F. (1985). Assumptive worlds of education policy makers. Peabody Journal of Education, 62(4), 90—115.
19.
McWilliam, R.A., Harbin, G.L., Porter, P., Vandiviere, P., Mittal, M., & Munn, D. (1995). An evaluation of family-centered coordinated Part H services in North Carolina: Part 1—Family-centered service provision . Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center , and the North Carolina Department of Human Resources, Division of Developmental Disabilities Section.
20.
Roberts, R.N., Akers, A.L., & Behl, D.D. (1996). Family-level service coordination within home visiting programs. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education , 16, 279—301.
21.
Rosenbaum, N. (1980). Statutory structure and policy implementation: The case of wetlands regulation. Policy Studies Journal, 8, 575—596.
22.
Sabatier, P., & Mazmanian, D. (1979). The conditions of effective implementation: A guide to accomplishing policy objectives. Policy Analysis , 5, 481—504.
23.
Salisbury, C., Palombaro, M., & Hollowood, T. (1993). On the nature and change of inclusive schools . Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps , 18(2), 75—84.
24.
Sandall, S., McLean, M.E., & Smith, B.J. (2000). DEC recommended practices in early intervention/early childhood special education. Longmont, CO: Sopris West.
25.
Trivette, C.M., Dunst, C.J., & Deal, A.G. (1996). Resource-based early intervention practices. In S. K. Thurman, J. R. Cornwell, & S. R. Gottwald (Eds.), The contexts of early intervention, systems and settings (pp. 73—92). Baltimore: Brookes.
26.
Wesley, P.W., Buysse, V., & Tyndall, S. (1997). Family and professional perspective on early intervention: An exploration using focus groups. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 17, 435—456.
27.
Williams, W. (1971). Social policy research and analysis: The experience of federal social agencies. New York: American Elsevier.
