Transcript U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs The University of Toledo USDOE Award # H325N110014

U.S. Department of Education
Office of Special Education
Programs
The University of Toledo
USDOE Award # H325N110014
Federally-funded by
OSEP
4 year project beginning
in January, 2012
Designed to assist
community college
faculty who want to
enhance their early
childhood curriculum to
better prepare associatedegreed teachers to work
with young children with
diverse abilities
What is the Partner Project?
Project Staff
 Laurie Dinnebeil and Bill
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McInerney - Co-PIs
Lyn Hale - Project Manager
Stacey Pistorova—Terra EC
Faculty Liaison
Camille Catlett—Project
Consultant – UNC - Chapel Hill
Sheila Doles—Website Developer
Gwen Weber—Graduate Assistant
Why is the Partner Project Important?
Research consistently points
to the teacher as the most
important and effective
component of a high quality
early childhood (EC) program
(Early et al., 2006; Pianta,
Barnett, Burchinal, &
Thornburg, 2009; Vu, Jeon,
& Howes, 2008; Whitebook,
Gomby, Bellm, Sakai, &
Kipnis,2009; Whitebook,
Howes, & Phillips, 1989).
Support is
Important
ALL young children
need well-trained
teachers, but perhaps
young children with
disabilities need them
most of all.
Inclusion Works!
While research has
identified many benefits of
inclusive education,
inclusive education can
only be beneficial if the
teachers who provide it
have the knowledge, skills,
and training they need to
be effective.
Need for the Project
In 2010, 23,209 preschool-aged children (5.3% of all
preschoolers in Ohio) received special education
services in Ohio and close to a third of them spend
80% or more of their time in regular early childhood
programs (www.ideadata.org). Slightly over 2,000
additional children (5.3% more), spent between 40
and 79% of their time in early childhood programs.
Need for Project
There are an additional
11,368 children with
special needs between
the ages of birth to six
years who would
potentially need child
care (based on NACCRA
data)
Need for Project
A survey of Ohio’s Child
Care Resource and Referral
Associations (OCCRA) data
(available from 8 of 11
Service Delivery Areas,
representing 72 of 88
counties in Ohio) indicates
that in 2010, 348
families across Ohio
inquired about child
care availability for
their children with
special needs.
Need for Project
If we assume a maximum
of 3 children with special
needs are included in each
EC classroom of 15
children, the state of Ohio
would need 2,473
community-based early
childhood teachers who
can to work effectively with
young children who have
disabilities.
Need for the Project
A study conducted by
Chang, Early, and Winton
(2005) point to some
disturbing trends that
indicate that more than
65% of Associate Degree
ECE programs do NOT
offer any course that is
focused specifically on
meeting the needs of young
children with disabilities.
Need for Project
In addition, less than 50% of Associate Degree
programs in ECE offer a course specific to working
with families of young children. Less than 11% offer a
course specific to collaboration with other
professionals.
Hands-On Experience?
 Finally, only 36% of the
Associate Degree ECE
programs surveyed
required students to
complete a practicum
that provided hands on
experience with children
who have special needs.
Need for Project
It’s no wonder that
some ECE teachers feel
ill-prepared to work
with young children
who have special
needs—many ARE illprepared.
Key Features of the Project
An intensive curriculum enhancement/revision
process for three community colleges in Ohio:
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Terra Community College (2012-2014)
Cuyahoga (Cleveland) Community College (2013-2015)
Stark State (Canton) Technical College (2014-2016)
Key Features
Provision of high quality
professional development
(PD) to EC area faculty
members at these
institutions in order to
enhance their knowledge
and skills related to
working with young
children who have
disabilities and their
families.
Key Features
Support to these three institutions to identify and
enhance appropriate practicum sites for students
enrolled in two-year ECE programs; including access
to resources that will enhance the ability of
cooperating EC teachers to work effectively with
preservice teachers.
Key Features
Increasing the knowledge
and skills of ALL EC
community college faculty
members in Ohio through:
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A website that will serve
as a repository of highquality resources
An annual full-day
workshop held in
conjunction with the Ohio
Early Care and Education
conference.
Another Look at Project Components
(1) A year-long curriculum revision process followed
by a year-long implementation and evaluation
period,
(2) PD webinars based on community college EC
faculty members’ needs as identified via a Needs
Assessment Questionnaire
(3) Work with teachers at inclusive community-based
early childhood programs that could serve as model
practicum sites
Terra Retreat
 9 participants (1 full-time & 8 part-time)
 Primary Discipline
 Early Childhood Education
 Education
 Child Development
 Early Childhood/Special Education
 Average # Years in Personnel Prep: 21.6 (2-42)
 Average # Years at Terra: 7 (1-26)
 Average # Years of Direct Service: 19 (7-38)
 Degree Status: Masters=6; Doc=3
Needs Assessment Results
 Self-reported strengths of faculty:
 Implementing child-focused age appropriate rules and
expectations
 Self-reported needs of faculty:
 Using a range of augmentative or assistive technology
 Assisting in the implementation of transition plans and
services across settings (needs resources)
 Supporting the participation of culturally and linguistically
diverse family members in my teaching and training practice
Questions and Suggestions?
Let’s get to work! 