Social Competence Curriculum Project

The Social Competence Curriculum Project is designed to test the effectiveness of a social competence curriculum on the growth and development of social skills in toddler-age children with disabilities. The Play Tools for Toddlers curriculum is based on the Assessment of Peer Relations (Guralnick, 1989) and is taught through methods which emphasize activity-based instruction, incidental teaching techniques, and child-initiated activities.

The Play Tools for Toddlers curriculum will be implemented with 25 children in settings where they interact with typical peers, as well as in their homes. In addition, data will be collected from 25 toddlers who continue to receive traditional early intervention services. These children will also participate in group environments with typical peers. Outcome measures focus on child change, family change, service characteristics, and quality of peer groups.

This project is a three-year field initiated research project funded through the Office of Special Education Programs, United States Department of Education. Grant # H324C980058 entitled "Social Competence in Early Childhood: The Effects of a Specific Curriculum Focus" was awarded to the University of Connecticut Health Center, Mary Beth Bruder, Ph.D., Principal Investigator.

Publications

For publications regarding this project, please contact:

Gabriela Freyre-Calish, M.S.W.
University of Connecticut
Center for Developmental Disabilities
263 Farmington Ave.
Farmington, CT 06030

860.679.1563

freyre@nso2.uchc.edu

Contact

Mary Beth Bruder, Ph.D.
University of Connecticut
Center for Developmental Disabilities
263 Farmington Ave.
Farmington, CT 06030

Phone: 860-679-1500
Fax: 860-679-1571

Email: Bruder@nso1.uchc.edu