Practical Implications of an Interactional Model of Child Development

Abstract

The interactional model of child development states that there is a continuous interaction between the behavior of a biologically maturing child and the progression of circumstances that constitutes the child's functional environment. This interaction produces (a) a unique pattern of behavior (personality) and (b) a unique physical, social, and behavioral structure in the environment (culture). The implications of the model for the education of the handicapped child are (a) a philosophy of education that emphasizes goals for all children, normal and deviant, (b) procedures for individualization of instruction, and (c) provisions for supporting classroom teaching.