An Early Intervention Research Institute: Studies of the Efficacy and Cost Effectiveness of Early Intervention at Utah State

Utah State University will use meta-analysis techniques and intervention to determine the efficacy of early intervention with handicapped children. A meta-analysis will be conducted to determine conclusions that can be drawn from existing research, how those conclusions vary across handicapping conditions and type of intervention, and the gaps that exist in the current body of knowledge. A center-based early intervention program will be conducted to determine the efficacy and cost effectiveness of the intervention for children who did and those who did not participate in a prior home-based intervention program. A second intervention study will be conducted to determine the longitudinal effects of intervention provided to hearing-impaired children before age 30 months as compared to those who receive intervention after age 30 months. A model for cost-effectiveness analysis for use with early intervention programs for the handicapped will be developed and used in the intervention studies conducted as part of the institute.