Supporting Early Childhood Inclusion: How Adults Help Each Other Laurie A. Dinnebeil and William McInerney University of Toledo Judith Herb College of Education

Position Statement on Inclusion “Early childhood inclusion embodies the values, policies, and practices that support the right of every infant and young child and his or her family, regardless of ability to participate in a broad range of activities and contexts of full members of families, communities, and society.” (DEC, 2009)

Why Inclusion? Inclusive experiences give children with disabilities and their families: a sense of belonging, support positive social relationships and friendships, and promote development and learning so children can reach their full potential.

Inclusive Settings?

Features of High Quality Inclusion Access Participation Supports

Access Young children with disabilities have access to a full range of activities and learning opportunities in diverse early care and education programs and other natural environments

Participation Adults find ways to help young children with disabilities participate and engage fully in a variety of activities. They promote children’s meaningful ‘belonging’ in intentional ways.

Supports Adults who promote early childhood inclusion have the supports they need to help young children with disabilities. These supports include ongoing training and professional development.

What is Effective PD? Effective professional development (PD) occurs through individualized assistance and training. Coaching and Consultation provides this individualized assistance that is critical to supporting early childhood inclusion. In Ohio, a consultative itinerant model is recommended as “best practice”.

Itinerant Service Delivery: Direct or Consultative (Indirect)? Assist educators and primary caregivers to provide specialized instruction and plan ways to address IEP goals within the course of the child’s typical day and routine activities. Direct Tutor the child focused on IEP goals within the context of ongoing activities or outside of the child’s typical day. IEP-based instruction is limited to the Itinerant Teacher’s visit. Notes to Trainers Ask participants to share their experiences with the itinerant ECSE service delivery model. If they are itinerant teachers, what approach do they use? Direct service or consultative? What do they see as pros and cons of each approach (ask this question before showing slide). Many itinerant teachers have strong feelings (either positive or negative) about a consultative approach. Give them opportunities to voice those concerns, however, make sure that the conversation is productive and focused on helping young children succeed in general education settings.

Consultation: Preferred Method of Itinerant Service Delivery Project DIRECT focuses on consultation because we believe it is the BEST way to support successful early childhood inclusion. While there may be LIMITED times when a direct approach is preferred, in the overwhelming majority of cases, a consultative approach is most effective at helping children achieve positive outcomes. (ODE’s Policy Statement)

Definition of Consultation Through a series of meetings and conversations, the consultant [itinerant ECSE teacher] helps the consultee [ECE teacher or primary caregiver] through: • Systematic problem solving • Appropriate use of social influence • Professional support. In turn, the consultee helps the ‘client(s)’ [child/children] with full support and assistance from the consultant. Notes to Trainers: Emphasize key components of the definition. These will be discussed later in the training. Problem-solving Social influence Professional support Make sure that participants understand who the consultant is (itinerant ECSE teacher), the consultee (ECE partner teacher) and client (child).

Definition continued… The purpose of consultation is to address the immediate concern or goal as well as to prevent similar problems from occurring in the future (Buysse & Wesley, 2005).

Consultation & TRIADIC Intervention “[A]n indirect, triadic service delivery model” Indirect and triadic—the focus of the work is still on meeting the needs of the child. However, the person who directly addresses those needs is the partner teacher or parent, not the itinerant Notes to Trainers: Make sure that participants understand the difference between “direct” and “indirect” as well as the term “triadic”. Triadic refers to three people who are involved in the intervention—in this case, the consultant, the consultee, and the client. (Dyad means two; triad means three). Jeanette McCollum was one of the first individuals to use the term “triadic intervention” when referring to the role of early interventionists who help parents interact or work with their infants or toddlers (McCollum & Yates, no date).

Consultation & TRIADIC Intervention In early childhood education, consultation is defined as an INDIRECT intervention model in which a consultant (Itinerant ECSE teacher) and a consultee (ECE teacher or parent) work together (in a triadic service delivery model) to address an area of concern or common goal for change.

Itinerant ECSE Teacher The TRIADIC Model The triadic service delivery model is an INDIRECT intervention model in which the Itinerant ECSE teacher supports children’s development by working primarily with another teacher or parent rather than directly with the child. Child ECE Teacher or Parent Itinerant ECSE Teacher

Helping each other… There are different ways that itinerant ECSE teachers help other adults. Some include: Shares written information, Explicitly models intervention strategies, observes consultee and provides feedback to improve practice Can you think of others? Notes to Trainers: Before showing this slide, ask participants to describe different ways that a consultant can “work with” or help a consultee (e.g., sharing written information, demonstrating strategies, providing feedback, problem-solving).

What’s so special about a triadic approach? Other adults spend more time with children then an itinerant teacher does. Through a triadic approach, an itinerant ECSE teacher can help a parent or another teacher do what she does best—better help the child learn and reach his or her IEP goals. Many effective early childhood programs have used this model to provide high quality services to young children. For example, Head Start and Early Head Start have a rich history of incorporating a triadic model through the use of home visitors who work with parents to help them learn ways of supporting their children’s development. The Parents as Teachers program has demonstrated considerable success in supporting children’s development by teaching parents how to work with their children. Stress to participants that the quality of the adult’s interaction is critical to children’s developmental success.

What’s so special about a triadic approach? A triadic model helps improve the FREQUENCY and QUALITY of IEP-based instruction that occurs between the visits of the itinerant ECSE teacher. A recent federal study indicated that very little specialized services are provided to preschoolers with disabilities by general early childhood teachers (PEELS, 2008) Notes to Trainers: Ask participants to think about a specific child with special needs with whom they work. After they’ve done that, ask them to identify specialized information or skills that teachers must have to work with that child and the degree to which the information or skills is appropriate to share with ECE partner teachers.

“More is Better” A consultative itinerant model can increase the ability of ECE teachers and parents to provide specialized services to young children with disabilities throughout the day and across the week when the itinerant teacher is not present. This expands opportunity for teaching, learning AND practice of skills

What about challenges? A consultative approach to itinerant service delivery isn’t easy (but many things that are worthwhile aren’t easy!) What are some of the challenges in adopting CONSULTATION practices that you can think of ? How might these challenges be addressed ?

Distributed vs. Massed Practice Instruction is most effective when opportunities to acquire and practice skills occur across the day as opposed to single points during the day (Hemmeter, 2000; Sandall & Schwartz, 2002; Wolery, 2000; Wolery, Ault, & Doyle, 1992) Notes to Trainers: The reference citations included here provide empirical evidence of the effectiveness of distributed practice.

Difference Between Massed and Distributed Practice Massed Practice Students are provided multiple opportunities to practice WITHIN a single learning session. These learning opportunities are provided continuously, without a break. For example, the itinerant teacher provides 20 minutes of instruction targeting children’s vocabulary development in a single session, in one day.

Difference Between Massed and Distributed Practice…continued Students are provided with many PLANNED learning opportunities across the day and throughout the week when the targeted skill is most likely to be required. The child’s teacher or primary caregiver plans for and provides opportunities for children to learn new vocabulary or practice using vocabulary at different times across the day or week when those words are meaningful and opportunities to use these words are in CONTEXT

Research on Distributed Practice As early as the 1800s, researchers demonstrated that distributed practice supports learning significantly more than massed practice, particularly for language-based skills (Ebbinghaus, 1885/1964; Jost, 1897; Thorndike, 1912). Cepeda, Pashler, Vul, Wixted, & Rohrer (2006) suggests that the effects of distributed practice are consistent across the human life span. Babies as well as the elderly learn better when opportunities to learn are distributed across time rather than massed together.

Massed Practice=Over learning Rohrer, Taylor, Pashler, Wixted, and Cepeda (2005) argue that when a child has demonstrated a skill once within a teaching trial, additional trials constitutes over learning. “ Over learning is an inefficient (emphasis added) strategy for learning material for meaningfully long periods of time (p. 361).

Applying concepts of massed and distributed practice to your life… The research on distributed practice confirms what our teachers have always told us… We learn better when we study a little bit every day rather than spending hours cramming for a test! While cramming might produce short-term results, it DOES NOT result in long-term learning.

Importance of Distributed Practice Since itinerant ECSE teachers have limited time with children, it is difficult to implement a distributed practice model. However, Early childhood teachers are present all day and can provide opportunities for distributed practice across the day and during the week But they cannot be effective, if they do not have the knowledge and skills to do so…..

Consultation & Distributed Practice Itinerant teachers should spend their time helping their ECE ‘partner’, discussing and planning for learning opportunities that will be distributed across the day and will occur during the week between itinerant visits.

Distributed Practice - Examples Consider a 4-year old child with mild-moderate cognitive delays (functioning @ 24-36 mos.) and who has an IEP objective of ‘following a 2-part direction’. How would an Itinerant ECSE teacher address this learning objective, in her weekly visits with child using a MASSED Practice approach ? Notes to Trainers: Make sure participants understand the nature of the IEP objective. Ask participants to discuss this question with each other and share examples.

Distributed Practice - Examples Consider this same 4 year old child with mild-moderate cognitive delays (functioning @ 24-36 mos.) who has an IEP objective of ‘following a 2-part direction’. How would an Itinerant ECSE teacher address this learning objective, during her weekly CONSULTATION visits and planning for DISTRIBUTED Practice? Notes to Trainers: Ask participants to discuss this question with each other and share examples. Discuss the fact that from the itinerant teacher’s point of view, providing massed and direct practice may be EASIER, but it will not be as effective in supporting children’s learning as a distributed practice approach.

MEPI Model for Determining Level of Intensity of Intervention • Maturation - Biological Influence • Environment - Effect of materials, routines, etc. • Peer Mediation - Structured peer interactions • Intensive - Direct intervention necessary

M = Maturation / Biology Evaluate IEP objective to see if ‘target’ behavior / skill is likely to improve as a result of just growing older and experience without significant teacher or peer involvement

E = Environmental Support Is ‘target’ behavior / skill likely to improve as a result of child having access to learning materials or intentional arrangement of the learning (or home) environment?

P = Peer Intervention / Support Evaluate learning objective to see if ‘target’ behavior / skill is likely to improve as a result of child interaction with competent peers.

I = Intensive / Direct Intervention Evaluate learning objective to see if ‘target’ behavior / skill requires IMMEDIATE intervention. Child would not be expected to make reasonable progress in learning this skill/behavior without DIRECT and consistent ECE teacher intervention.

Key Factors in Consultation It is essential that both Itinerant ECSE teachers, their partners, and their supervisors agree on the intended outcome of the consultation process The overall goal of consultation is to implement the child’s IEP by enhancing the skills of the ECE partner teacher or the child’s parent. Notes to Trainers: Ask participants to brainstorm possible outcomes or goals of the consultation process.

Outcomes of Consultation Improved comfort level of other adults Early childhood teachers may feel less isolated and in greater control of classroom and instruction after working with consultant

Outcomes of Consultation Increased skills or knowledge of parents and other teachers ECE teachers have a “bigger tool box” to use when dealing with challenging situations. The parent understands why children act the way they do and changes the way she interacts with the child ECE teachers are able to provide IEP-based instruction BETWEEN itinerant visits. Parents can better engage in problem-solving to address difficult issues

Outcomes continued Children’s enhanced developmental success: Children are better able to participate in routine activities throughout the day. Children’s interactions with others (adults and peers) are improved. Children have the consistent support they need to access the general or regular education curriculum Through the work of the consultant and consultee, children are likely to reach academic and developmental goals as identified on the IEP. With the consistent support of the child’s primary caregiver (e.g., parent or ECE teacher), children are also better able to access the general curriculum and actively participate in daily routines and activities, whether occurring at school, at home or in the community.

Outcomes of Consultation Changes in child’s environment The child’s classroom is rearranged to promote active exploration and interaction Materials and expectations may be modified in accord with children’s skills Notes to Trainers: Ask participants to share experiences they have had in which changes in the child’s environment resulted in improved developmental outcomes.

Outcomes of Consultation Improvements in service delivery systems The child’s Speech Pathology schedule is modified so the child can be observed by the SLP in an informal, play-based activity. Notes to Trainers: Ask participants to share relevant personal experiences that relate to this type of outcome.

Outcomes of Consultation? Other outcomes?