1. 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

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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

6. 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)

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

8. Objective Checklist

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

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

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

12. 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

13. 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%

14. Field Experience Checklist

15. Faculty Needs Survey

16. Student Needs Survey

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

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

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

20. 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...

21. Preparing Paraprofessionals for Early Childhood Education
Project P2ECE

22. 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

23. P2 ECE Overall Goals Overall goals:
Four year project funded by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) 325N competition, US Department of Education ( )
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

24. 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

25. 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)

26. 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

27. 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

28. 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

29. 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

30. 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

31. 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

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

33. 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

34. 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,

35. 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).

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

37. 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.

38. 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.

39. 8/6/2012
Happening now…
Objective 5: Train project coaches and site-based mentors to implement the redesigned practicum coursework.
Rashida

40. 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

41. 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

42. 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?

43. Contact Information
Ritu Chopra University of Colorado, Denver
Patricia M. Blasco and Serra Acar The Research Institute, Western Oregon University

44. The End