The Connecticut Developmental Disabilities Network (DDN) was established to provide leadership for implementation of the federal Developmental Disabilities Assistance
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Early Intervention in Natural Learning Environments
Overview
The requirement to provide early intervention through natural learning environments has produced many challenges. These challenges come from the need to redefine how early interventionists work to enhance child and family functioning within the environments in which families live and learn, as opposed to early intervention sites such as clinics or rehabilitation facilities. The Research Institute on Increasing Children's Learning Opportunities through Families and Communities (Dunst, Bruder, et al., 1998), a five-year early education program for children with disabilities, has collected data that supports this redefinition of early intervention. The Early Intervention in Natural Learning Environments project has utilized findings from the Research Institute to develop, implement, and evaluate a training model on the use of natural environments in early intervention. The model encompasses both inservice and preservice materials and activities to support individual states' Comprehensive Systems of Personnel Development (CSPD). The training content of the model includes assessment, Individual Family Service Plan development, intervention, and evaluation techniques. Training materials include workbooks, manuals, course syllabi, and slide presentations for illustrating each phase of early intervention. Training activities are embedded within the materials. The evaluation is multidimensional and includes a case study of the model. Early intervention programs participated during the first two years of the project; thereafter, the model was available for national dissemination.
Early Intervention in Natural Learning Environments is a three-year project funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (Grant # H325M9800060).
Goals
- This project is designed to develop a training model for early interventionists that will assist states to implement early intervention in natural environments.
- Implement the training curriculum in states to support a community of learners.
- Evaluate the training impact on the delivery of early intervention services within natural environments within participating states.
Publications
Click here to view publications for this project
Contact
Mary Beth Bruder, Ph.D.
Professor and Director, UConn Center for Excellence in Disabilities
Phone: (860) 679.1500
E-mail: Bruder@nso1.uchc.edu
Early Childhood initiatives at the UCEDD focus on evidenced based practices and learning outcomes. We provide training and technical assistance to early interventionists, teachers, therapists, service coordinators, policy makers and families on a variety of areas including social competence, early literacy, early childhood outcomes, service coordination practices, and evidenced based intervention practices.
School Age initiatives at the UCEDD focus on the inclusion of children with disabilities in typical school and community life. We provide training and technical assistance to families, school personnel and community members in a variety of areas including the special education process, inclusive education, adapted curriculum, assistive technology, disability awareness and person-centered planning.
Adult initiatives at the UCEDD focus on including people with disabilities in their communities. We provide training and technical assistance to individuals with disabilities, state agencies, service providers and other community members in a variety of areas including the hiring of personal assistants, accessible transportation, emergency preparedness and response, and health care.