The Ten Myths about Providing Early Intervention Services in Natural Environments

Abstract

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) has always contained the provision that early intervention services for eligible infants, toddlers, and their families be provided in natural environments. The reemphasis on natural environments in the 1997 reauthorization of the IDEA, however, has caused states and early intervention programs to increase efforts to ensure that Part C services provide and support learning experiences within the context of the child's family and community. This emphasis on natural environments and, in some cases, the move away from segregated, clinic-based service delivery models have been challenging. This article presents 10 common myths about service delivery in natural environments and the literature available to refute them.