Creating a Path to Prepare EC Educators for Inclusion Project P2ECE Creating a Path to Prepare EC Educators for Inclusion Patricia M. Blasco, Serra Acar The Research Institute Western Oregon University Ritu Chopra University of Northern Colorado OSEP Project Director’s Meeting August, 2016

Project PEPI A collaborative effort between TRI, the College of Education at Western Oregon University and 6 Oregon community colleges: Southwestern Oregon Community College, Chemeketa Community College, Portland Community College, Blue Mountain Community College, Lane Community College, and Clackamas Community College.

Project Goal To improve the knowledge and skills of professionals currently working toward an Associate degree in Early Childhood Education (ECE) to work with young children with disabilities by enhancing existing coursework and by infusing inclusion competencies into existing ECE competencies and standards.

Objectives Enhance existing curriculum and redesign coursework to increase knowledge and skills on working with young children with disabilities; Infuse inclusion competencies into already existing ECE competencies addressed by the program, and Develop practicum opportunities in an inclusive setting.

Project PEPI webpage http://triwou.org/projects/pepi Public Enhancements Syllabi Resources Private to Community Colleges Alignment of Competencies for Inclusive Program Faculty Fidelity Checklist (Online and Face-to-Face Courses) Inclusive Field Experience Checklist for Students PEPI Enhancement Checklist Protocol Assessment Survey Results Enhancement Rubric

Tiered Approach Syllabi Suggested syllabi materials and content (Tier 1) Demonstration of syllabi materials and content (Tier 2) Syllabi re-design with individual community college (Tier 3)

Collaboration Us versus Them (attitude) Sharing resources among Community Colleges

Objective Checklist

Objectives Key A = Assessment E = Embedded P = Primary S = Secondary O = not addressed

Division for Early Childhood (DEC) Recommended Practices (RP) Overview

DEC RP Overview Leadership Assessment Environment Family Instruction Interaction Teaming and Collaboration Transition

DEC RP Checklist Results Question Coursework ONLY Field Experience ONLY BOTH coursework and field experience Not addressed L1 & L2 20% 70% 10% A2 30% E1 60% F1, F3, & F5 F2 & F4 F6

DEC RP Checklist Results (cont.) Question Coursework ONLY Field Experience ONLY BOTH coursework and field experience Not addressed INS1 30% 70% INT1-5 25% 12.5% 62.5% TC1 1-4 37.5% 50% TR1 12% 38%

Field Experience Checklist

Faculty Needs Survey

Student Needs Survey

To what extent are you familiar with the following terms? (N=19)

To what extent are you familiar with the following terms? (N=19)

Current Level of Your Knowledge Low Medium High 1. Using research-based practices on working with children with diverse abilities 3 5 10 1 2. Working with specialists and therapists who support children with.. 6 3. Supporting the social-emotional and behavioral development of all children.. 8 4. Using age appropriate expectations in routines for children of diverse a... 5. Supporting early development and learning for children of diverse abilit... 4

Current Level of Your Knowledge (cont.) Low Medium High 6. Embedding intervention strategies into daily routines and activities of... 1 6 7 3 7. Making simple changes to the environment and materials or helping a chil... 4 8. Making simple changes to the environment and materials or helping a chil... 9. Implementing functional Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs) and... 2 10. Using a variety of informal assessment to monitor the progress of child...

Preparing Paraprofessionals for Early Childhood Education Project P2ECE

Project P2ECE (2) Funded by Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Lead Agency: The Paraprofessional Resource and Research Center, University of Colorado Denver in partnership with University of Northern Colorado and Community College ECE Faculty Coalition Ritu

P2 ECE Overall Goals Overall goals: Four year project funded by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) 325N competition, US Department of Education (2012-2016) Overall goals: Review and enhance courses of existing ECE courses at Colorado community colleges by incorporating standard-based and evidenced- based special education content. Put systems in place for delivery of enhanced coursework and for articulation of enhanced curriculum into four year ECE and ECSE degree programs. Ritu

P2ECE Objective 1-Accomplished! 8/6/2012 P2ECE Objective 1-Accomplished! to expand existing ECE course competencies at to include special education competencies under the guidance of an expert panel Rashida

Expert Panel & Their Role 13 diverse national and state leaders in ECSE, early intervention, and related services. Four community college ECE faculty. Reviewed the existing standards state and national ECE and ECSE personnel standards Identified the competencies needed to address needs of young children with disability focus was to enhance existing ECE courses by incorporating inclusive and evidence-based content to address the needs of ALL children Professional Standards Reviewed : ECSE professional standards (Colorado) ECSE professional standards(Division of Early Childhood Education – Council for Exceptional Children) NAEYC Standards for Early Childhood Professional Preparation DI Assistant Standards for EI paraprofessionals (Colorado) CEC Paraeducator Standards for K-12 paraeducators (National)

P2ECE Objective 2 Accomplished! 8/6/2012 P2ECE Objective 2 Accomplished! To review and enhance the existing 10 Core ECE courses Colorado Community College System by incorporating early childhood special education knowledge and skills competencies created under Objective 1 and creating Bank of Resources (BoRs) to deliver the enhanced curriculum. Rashida

Identifying courses needing Enhancement Out of all EC courses available in 13 community colleges, 12 courses were selected to be enhanced based on: Their requirement in the maximum number of degree or certificate programs for assistant teachers and paraprofessionals Their availability in most community colleges in Colorado Part of the state-wide ECE 2+2 agreement Rashida

Standard 1: Foundations Not found but should be in ECE Course # Rubric: Presence or Absence of Necessary Special Education Competencies Instructions: Following are necessary knowledge and skill competencies for early childhood paraprofessionals (working with preschool aged children). Read the knowledge and skills for 10 standards below. Identify those knLowledge and skills that are already included in the Colorado Community College ECE courses. If they are not found in the current coursework, please recommend the most appropriate ECE course where they can be included. Check the correct box. Standard 1: Foundations Presently found in ECE Course # Not found but should be in ECE Course # Comments Knowledge EIP1K1 Purpose of supports and services for young children with exceptional needs. EIP1K2 Basic understanding of historical, philosophical foundations, and policies guiding services for young children both with and without exceptional needs. Rashida

P2ECE Objective 2….continued 8/6/2012 P2ECE Objective 2….continued The Expert Panel: Identified gaps and overlaps Made recommendations to reword existing competencies and certain topics to incorporate inclusive content Community college ECE faculty coalition reviewed and accepted the inclusion of special education competencies identified by the P2ECE Expert Panel. Created Bank of Resources (BoRs) for all course s - research based reading, videos, text, activities articles for each course competency Rashida

Course Reviewed and Revised ECE 101: Introduction to Early Childhood Education ECE 102: Introduction to Early Childhood Education Lab Techniques ECE 103: Guidance Strategies for Young Children ECE 111: Infant/Toddler Theory and Practice ECE 205: Nutrition, Health, and Safety ECE 220: Curriculum Development: Methods and Techniques ECE 238: Child Growth and Development ECE 240: Administration: Human Relations for Early Childhood ECE 241: Human Relations for Early Childhood Professions ECE 260: The Exceptional Child ECE 236/261: Practicum

Organization of the BoR Booklets How to Use the BoR Recommended Syllabus Template Bank of Resources Table Organized as Per Course Competencies Readings Icebreakers and Assignments Websites Video Clips Selected Examples of Assignments http://p2ece.weebly.com/bank-of-resources.html

P2ECE Objective 3 – Completed! 8/6/2012 P2ECE Objective 3 – Completed! To deliver the enhanced curriculum as a pilot at two community colleges. Rashida

P2ECE Objective 4 - Completed! 8/6/2012 P2ECE Objective 4 - Completed! To train/coach community college faculty and practicum supervisors to at the pilot sites to implement the redesigned coursework using the BoRs. Rashida

Coaching with Faculty using PALS Participatory Adult Learning Strategy: An Evidenced-based Approach to Professional Development The 4-phase process includes: instructor or trainer introduction and illustration of targeted knowledge or practice, trainee or practitioner application of the knowledge or practice and their evaluation of their experience,

Coaching with Faculty using PALS 3. trainee or practitioner reflection on and assessment of mastery of the knowledge or practice to promote informed understanding, and 4. learner use of informed understanding to decide next steps in the learning process to further develop learner understanding, use, and mastery. Dunst, C. & Trivette, C.M. (2009).

Evaluation Syllabi Review Faculty Self Reflection Faculty Survey 8/6/2012 Evaluation Syllabi Review Faculty Self Reflection Faculty Survey Student Survey Rashida

Conclusions Greater Coverage of Content: The most significant finding was an increase in the coverage of the special education competencies in the coursework. This was evident in the faculty survey and student survey. The syllabus review matrix allowed for an initial assessment of the coverage of content. This could then be used to intentionally integrate further competencies into the syllabus and course activities.

Increased Faculty Preparedness: Faculty preparedness increased due to the coaching and revisions process. Faculty reported feeling more prepared after the process. Student understanding was high so the effect of this increased preparedness was positive on preparing future teachers in these competencies.

8/6/2012 Happening now… Objective 5: Train project coaches and site-based mentors to implement the redesigned practicum coursework. Rashida

Also Happening now… OBJECTIVE #6: 8/6/2012 Also Happening now… OBJECTIVE #6: To collaborate with the Early Childhood Education (ECE) Statewide Community College Faculty coalition to implement and sustain the redesigned program and articulate it with the existing Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) programs in four year colleges and universities. Rashida

P2ECE Yearly Summer Institute for Community College ECE faculty Dissemination of the BoRs Assignment sharing Assignment Makeover Dissemination of Project findings Articulation and alignment among 2 and four year colleges Alignment of the work with state early childhood workforce competencies

Discussion Questions How can we build collaborative relationships across disciplines that may be guided by different beliefs and/or practices to insure that all children are included in early childhood education? How can we sustain the effort of 5 years of relationship building and web resources sharing to insure that community college partners continue to have a access, supports, and partnerships within our states?

Contact Information Ritu Chopra (ritu.chopra@ucdenver.edu) University of Colorado, Denver Patricia M. Blasco (blascop@wou.edu) and Serra Acar (acars@wou.edu) The Research Institute, Western Oregon University

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