TITLE A Longitudinal Look at Rural Family Outcomes: From Birth to Eight Years Old.

This paper presents three case studies describing the experiences of rural families receiving early intervention (EI) services for a developmentally disabled infant/toddler. Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (1997 amendments) provides funds for home-based, family-centered, transdisciplinary EI services. The case studies indicate that for rural families, the reality of home-based EI often fails to meet the goals of IDEA. The families presented here are from rural or small town settings, come from diverse backgrounds, may be struggling at low income levels, and may be reluctant to seek government support. Data interpretation focuses on early communication between infants and caregivers, the context of families as impacted by cultural and socioeconomic diversity, and client perceptions of a transdisciplinary family-focused program philosophy. The cases illustrate how family characteristics require different responses from EI providers. In addition to direct services to identified children, E