Meeting the mandate of Public Law 99-457: early childhood intervention in the nineties.

ABSTRACT

The Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments of 1986 (PL 99-457) represents the most far-reaching public legislation ever enacted for disabled and developmentally vulnerable young children. This paper presents the basic requirements of the law and discusses the elements of a comprehensive system of early childhood intervention. The challenges and problems created by the law are delineated, and recommendations presented.