Early Intervention and Preschool Special Education Endorsements by the American Academy of Pediatrics

The extent to which IDEA Part C early intervention and Part B (619) preschool special education are endorsed or recommended as needed services for children with disabilities or delays by the American Academy of Pediatrics was examined. Twenty-two policy statements were examined to determine the extent to which policy recommendations implicitly or explicitly endorsed the use of nine different early intervention and preschool special education services or programs. Findings showed that policy statements were more likely to refer to generic services (e.g., early intervention) rather than specifi c programs (e.g., Part C early intervention). Implications for infl uencing pediatricians understanding of IDEA are described.