Early Intervention Illustrated: Tape One, The Home Team (2002?). Boys Town Press, 14100 Crawford Street, Boys Town, NE 68010. 14 minutes; $24.95, plus $5.95 s/h. Reviewed by Stephanie E. Sweeton, The Learning Center for Deaf Children, Randolph, MA

This video is a perfect illustration of the meaning of early intervention – teaching of techniques and strategies that support, rather than supplant, a family's natural interactions with their babies who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.   The video provides a focused overview of the steps involved in helping early intervention specialists understand and create their roles within the family unit.

Each portion of the tape focuses on a specific feature of creating family-centered, naturalistic interactions between the parent and child.  The therapist is clearly providing a means of support for the family as they guide their child's   development, rather than a program design where the therapist leads the charge with the parents in tow.  Each section briefly, but effectively, illustrates ways in which this collaborative and natural relationship can develop with a shared goal of maximizing typical development for the child who is deaf or hard-of-hearing.

This is a high quality production that uses effective techniques to enhance the viewer's interest and attention to the content.  There is a natural flow between graphics that illustrates the points being discussed and videotaped examples of those same points.   The creative ways in which parent and clinician interact, videotaped examples of therapy time with the babies, and a review of critical points are evenly interspersed and allow the viewer to see the main points illustrated in a way that is easily understood.

This video is a perfect match for its intended audience, i.e., therapists and professionals who work with young children in a home setting.  It would be a particularly valuable resource for therapists who are new to early intervention or just beginning to work with children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families.  Real-life examples of interactions between parent and child and between therapist and parent are provided, as well as the objective means in which positive outcomes can be achieved.

Applications of 'The Home Team' include both giving an initial exposure to working with children who are deaf and hard of hearing in the home and providing a means of reviewing what early intervention should be about – helping the family grow as a unit while learning about the unique development of a child with a hearing loss. It would also serve as a valuable tool for learning (or re-learning) the objective steps one can take to implement effective learning in the home setting.  This videotape is highly recommended for all early intervention specialists who work with children who are deaf and hard-of-hearing and their families. 

"This videotape allows all early intervention specialists to see real applications and ideas to help therapy with deaf and hard of hearing children and their families be as natural and effective as possible – what a find!" – Stephanie E. Sweeton, M.S. CCC-SLP