Early Intervention in an International Perspective

The importance and potential value of a worldwide commitment to provide comprehensive early intervention services for children at risk for or with identified intellectual disabilities are considered in the context of this special issue on early intervention. Further refinement of policies and advances in effective practices will result through the application of relevant research findings, through the development and implementation of comprehensive professional training programs, and through model program development with corresponding efforts to bring programs to scale. Articles in this special issue are discussed as representing major early intervention themes in the international community. Keywords: early intervention, education, inclusion Estimates of the number of children with or at risk for intel-lectual disabilities worldwide are staggering. Well-known bio-medical and environmental factors, often acting together, suggest that as many as 780 million children birth through 5 years of age may be affected (Olness, 2003). Fortunately, a recognition of the magnitude and scope of this problem has been accompanied b