Noonan and McCormick (special education, U. of Hawaii at Manoa) show undergraduate and graduate early childhood special education students how to work in natural environments with children from birth to age five who have disabilities. They cover the history of the field and legislative policies; the communication skills needed in professional partnerships, teaming, and collaboration, including culturally respectful and effective family partnerships; assessment and planning; the naturalistic curriculum model; planning and assessment for the ecological curriculum model; and instructional procedures, including specialized strategies, culturally relevant and small-group instruction, interventions to promote peer interactions, and environmental arrangements. This edition has new and expanded information on blended teacher preparation, assistive technology, response to intervention, legislative changes, the teacher-consultation intervention approach, teaching children with autism, resolving challenging behavior, professional and family partnerships, alternative and standards-based assessment, and Individualized Family Service Plan/Individualized Education Program development. It also covers curriculum-based assessment, progress monitoring, milieu teaching, activity-based and embedded instruction, adaptations, group instruction, social skills and interventions, early childhood transitions, the roles of parents and teachers in facilitating children's friendships, and other topics. Annotation ©2013 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)