Educational intervention with multiply handicapped preschool children

A study was conducted to objectively measure changes in functioning of multiply handicapped children in a specialized nursery school program. The study population consisted of the 18 children who entered the program in the study year. A quantitative teacher rating scale was developed, tested, and found to be reliable. Significant improvements were demonstrated in interaction, communication, and task orientation after 3 months and in self-care after 6 months. There was no measurable change in motor performance, and the intellectual functioning of the children remained in the same diagnostic category as at the outset. The study documented improvement on social competence of multiply handicapped children enrolled in a preschool program with minimal parental involvement. The teacher rating scale was found to be useful in measuring social functioning in a school setting for a young population with a limited range of possible achievements. Teachers proved to be reliable evaluators of their pupils. To measure social and interactional parameters, it appears necessary to have both a standardized instrument and an informed observer who knows the child's daily functioning.