U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education

ProgramsThe University of Toledo

USDOE Award # H325N110014

What is the Partner Project?

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 associate-degreed teachers to work with young children with diverse abilities

Project Staff

Laurie Dinnebeil and Bill McInerney - Co-PIs

Lyn Hale - Project ManagerStacey Pistorova—Terra EC

Faculty LiaisonCamille Catlett—Project

Consultant – UNC - Chapel HillSheila Doles—Website

DeveloperGwen 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 ImportantALL 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 ill-prepared.

Key Features of the Project

An intensive curriculum enhancement/revision process for three community colleges in Ohio:

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:

A website that will serve as a repository of high-quality 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!