Approach of the Preschool Evaluation Project to Measuring the Effectiveness of Early Intervention

The paper presents an evaluation design for measuring the effectiveness of special education programs for handicapped preschoolers. Reasons for not selecting traditional evaluation designs are noted, and the use of a "change-index" is supported instead. A value-added analysis was selected to determine the value added by the program beyond that which would have been expected (due to maturation) without the program. Factors such as sex, race/ethnic group, handicapping condition, and family income were also taken into account. Analyses of child characteristics and program characteristics (center or home-based, occupational, speech, and physical therapy, and attendance) are underway and will be completed using multiple regression techniques. An appended chart lists steps in the value-added analysis. (CL)