| Abstract: | This study investigates the existence of an identifiable core cognitive curriculum operative in early intervention programs—its substance and its suitability for preschoolers with developmental disabilities. As an initial approach, the authors present preliminary data on three specific questions: Have early intervention programs adopted a common set of developmental inventories for assessing children? Do the frequently used inventories share a common set of items? Are the common items adopted as Individual Educational Program (IEP) objectives? By polling members of the Division of Early Childhood (DEC), Council for Exceptional Children for their preferred assessment instruments, then listing the common items from their top choices, and, finally, comparing the listed items with written IEP objectives, the authors identified elements of a core curriculum in current use by many early intervention programs. Within the cognitive domain, it was found that at least one out of five items common to the developmental inventories—shapes, colors, quantities, sizes, and puzzles (includes formboards)—were listed as objectives on 75% of the IEPs collected from programs located in the same states as DEC respondents. The appropriateness of these "preacademic" instructional targets in the context of developmental "readiness" is questioned. |
