Early Communication Indicators: Monitoring the Progress of Infants and Toddlers Dale Walker, Judith J. Carta, and Charles R. Greenwood Dale Walker, Judith J. Carta, and Charles R. Greenwood Juniper Gardens Children’s Project University of Kansas

Using the ECI for individual and program monitoring: Growth Charts How we know it works How we know it works Individual progress monitoring Individual progress monitoring Program evaluation Program evaluation

Does this approach work? Does it grow? Does it grow? Is it reliable? Is it reliable? Is it valid? Is it valid? Is it predictive? Is it predictive?

How Did Key Skill Elements Grow over 9 Months for Children in Their 1st Year?

How Did Key Skill Elements Grow for Children in their 2 nd Year of Life?

How Did Key Skill Elements Grow For Children in Their 3 rd Year of Life?

Did Total Communication Grow and Differ by Age Cohort?

Did we detect differences for children with disabilities?

Does this approach work? Is it reliable? Is it reliable? –Do trained observers agree on what communication they record. (Answer = Yes) Is it valid? Is it valid? –Do ECI indicators correlate with standardized and parent report measures. (Answer = Yes) Is it predictive? Is it predictive? –Do ECI indicators correlate with preschool literacy and communication indicators. (Answer = Yes)

How to use the ECI to Monitor Children and Programs Individual Progress Monitoring Individual Progress Monitoring –Decision making model –Individual child Identification –Intervention

IGDIs ESAs ECI Decision Making Model Monitor Identify/ Validate Need For Intervention Generate Intervention Strategies Implement Intervention Evaluate Intervention Effectiveness Monitor Families Outcomes

Rationale Combining Growth Charts with a Decision-Making Approach Need for a comprehensive system that: n describes children’s growth and development over time n provides a model in which decisions may be made for designing, informing and evaluating interventions (in spirit of IFSP) n Provides information for individuals and groups of children n allows families, early childhood and elementary educators to identify areas in need of change to optimize child outcome

Three Levels of Growth Assessment Bench Marking (quarterly – every 3 months) Bench Marking (quarterly – every 3 months) –All children assessed –Who is not making expected progress? –Who needs additional support? –How is the program doing? Strategic Monitoring (monthly) Strategic Monitoring (monthly) –Is more support accelerating growth? –Is a change in intervention supports needed? Intensive Care Monitoring (weekly) Intensive Care Monitoring (weekly) –Is growth accelerating? – Is a change in intervention supports needed?

Identification of Children for Intervention Review ECI growth for all children Review ECI growth for all children Determine average growth for group Determine average growth for group Identify children above and below average Identify children above and below average Select children below average Select children below average –One standard deviation below group average –Children growing at slow rate or decreasing

Identification

Framing Intervention Solutions: Ruling out, Ruling in History with child? History with child? Medical issues? Medical issues? Family/caregiver concerns? Family/caregiver concerns? What child knows and does? What child knows and does? Settings, activities, routines, curriculum? Settings, activities, routines, curriculum? Challenges to implementing intervention? Challenges to implementing intervention?

' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '' ' ' Weeks Rate Per Minutes Communications per MinuteExpected Growth ' The ECI Tell Us When to Intervene and Whether or Not Intervention Is Working BaselineInterventionModified Intervention

Exploring Solutions Assessment (ESAs) n Measures identifying potential solutions n Generate ideas that may inform and suggest an effective intervention –Can we rule out settings? –Can we rule out program features? –Can we rule out curricular variables? –Can we rule out interaction patterns?

Effects of Individual Interventions

Using the ECI to Monitor Programs Program data are aggregated up from individual child data Program data are aggregated up from individual child data Assess all or some children in a program Assess all or some children in a program Measure every 3 months: at Ages (3, 6, 9, 12, 15, etc., months CA) Measure every 3 months: at Ages (3, 6, 9, 12, 15, etc., months CA) Each child has a growth trajectory (rate of growth and mean level) Each child has a growth trajectory (rate of growth and mean level) Calculate the average (or program) trajectory (rate of growth and mean level) Calculate the average (or program) trajectory (rate of growth and mean level)

Monitoring Programs (continued) Children below expected rate of growth - assess monthly and provide (ramp up) intervention. Children below expected rate of growth - assess monthly and provide (ramp up) intervention. Continue monthly progress monitoring and continue intervention decision making Continue monthly progress monitoring and continue intervention decision making

P1 = Growing at.31 responses per month P2 = Growing at.51 responses per month P3 = Growing at.60 responses per month

Interpreting Results Data handling tools Data handling tools –MS-Excel Spreadsheet –MS-Excel Template –ECI Website Decision making Decision making

ECI MS-Excel Data Entry and Analysis Workbook MS-Excel disk MS-Excel disk –Example.xls –Template.xlt Individual child and workbook progress monitoring example Individual child and workbook progress monitoring example – Tab 1- Instructions –Tab 2 - Norms –Tab 3 - Identification –Tab 4 - Intervention Progress

ECI MS-Excel Data Entry and Analysis Workbook Example Data entry Data entry Changing tabs Changing tabs Identification Identification Intervention monitoring Intervention monitoring

ECI MS-Excel Data Entry and Analysis Workbook Example

ECI Growth parameters Mean level = average of scores Mean level = average of scores Slope = amount of “goes up’ness” Slope = amount of “goes up’ness” Important and Constantly Asked Questions: Important and Constantly Asked Questions: –Is the average at this age within expectation? –Is the slope positive (not negative, not flat)?

Coming Soon: The ECI Web Site Web site to support the ECI Web site to support the ECI –ECI information –Instrument downloading –data entry and analysis service Training and ongoing technical assistance will be available Training and ongoing technical assistance will be available Available after September 15, 2002 Available after September 15, 2002

Indicators of Growth and Development (IGDI’s) for Infants and Toddlers: The Official Home Page General Information General Information –What is an IGDI? –How might one use an IGDI to monitor individual child progress? –How might one use an IGDI to monitor individual program progress? –How do I get started? –What are the costs? Using IGDI’s to make Decisions about Progress Learning to use an IGDI Using IGDI’s to make Decisions about Progress Learning to use an IGDI Certification as a Qualified/Trained User Certification as a Qualified/Trained User Related Articles, Publications, and Sources Related Articles, Publications, and Sources

Indicators of Growth and Development (IGDI’s) for Infants and Toddlers: The Official Home Page FAQS FAQS –What services are provided by this web site? –Who can use this web site? –How do I sign up? –How do I become a trainer? –How can I contribute data and obtain the services of this web site? Web Site Contact Information Web Site Contact Information –Institute for Life Span Studies (URL) –State of Kansas Early Head Start Programs (URL) Certified Trainers Contact Information Certified Trainers Contact Information Other Websites and Links of Interest Other Websites and Links of Interest

Web-Based Program Using IGDI’s to make decisions Using IGDI’s to make decisions Instruments available Instruments available Assessor qualification and training data system leading to certification Assessor qualification and training data system leading to certification Child performance data system Child performance data system –Set up, entry Child/program performance reports Child/program performance reports –Graphic and normative growth trajectories

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