1 / 62

ITINERANT CONSULTATION IN ECSE: A Paradigm Shift

ITINERANT CONSULTATION IN ECSE: A Paradigm Shift. M. Diane Klein, CCC-SLP, Ph.D. California State University Los Angeles September 5, 2007 Columbus, OH. Project Support. A brief overview. Collaborators. Anne Marie Richardson-Gibbs, M.A El Monte, CA School District Sharon Kilpatrick, M.A

orpah
Download Presentation

ITINERANT CONSULTATION IN ECSE: A Paradigm Shift

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. ITINERANT CONSULTATION IN ECSE:A Paradigm Shift M. Diane Klein, CCC-SLP, Ph.D. California State University Los Angeles September 5, 2007 Columbus, OH Klein, 2007

  2. Project Support A brief overview. . . Klein, 2007

  3. Collaborators • Anne Marie Richardson-Gibbs, M.A • El Monte, CA School District • Sharon Kilpatrick, M.A • San Bernardino County Office of Special Ed • Kathleen Harris, Ph.D • Professor, Arizona State University • M.Diane Klein, CCC-SLP, Ph.D • Professor, California State University Los Angeles, Division of Special Ed & Counseling Klein, 2007

  4. Description of Project Support I • Early Childhood Inclusion Support Training Project • OSEP funded in 1996 • Motivation: • Concern that children were being included without support. • What kinds of supports should be available? • Implications for preservice training • Paradigm shift for ECSE roles Klein, 2007

  5. Context and Population • Based on needs and experiences within large, urban, multicultural communities (Los Angeles, and San Bernardino Counties) • Concerned with community-based settings in which Part C and Part B-eligible children were receiving some educational services without adequate support. Klein, 2007

  6. Project Support Assumptions • Child needs support • Range from intensive to monitoring only • Change over time • Supports need to be coordinated • Especially in cases of severe/complex needs • ECSE well-suited to new role of “inclusion support specialist” • “Can’t we all just get along” approach is inadequate. Additional training in consultation, collaboration and conflict resolution is essential Klein, 2007

  7. Issues in ECSE Inclusion • Bricker (2000) TECSE • Parents’ dilemma: inclusion or support • Need for adequate supports • Need for trained staff: • Re: disabilities • Collaboration skills • Positive attitudes not enough Klein, 2007

  8. Issues (Cont’d) • Guralnick (2000), JEI • Need for placement guidelines (e.g. child characteristics matched to setting) • Evaluation of feasibility • Personnel preparation • ECE re: disabilities • ECSE re: consultation/collaboration Klein, 2007

  9. Issues (cont’d) • Hanson (2001) Exceptional Children • (Elementary school follow-up of parent perspectives) • Administrative infrastructure • Specialized supports • Personnel preparation Klein, 2007

  10. Dinnebeil et al.(2006)(TECSE, 26(3) • Investigated perceptions of ECE teachers, parents, ECSE itinerants, and supervisors re: roles and responsibilities of ECSE itinerants • Findings:“Lack of understanding of the nature of the intervention itself or the roles of the persons who are delivering the interventions”(p.165) Klein, 2007

  11. Williamson, et al. (2006)(Exceptional Children. 72(3) • Examined national inclusion trends for K-12 students with MR during decade from 1990-2000. • Results: • Overall, increase in at least partial day placement in Gen Ed (in early part of decade) from27% to 44%. But plateau in last 3 years • High variability from state to state • Recommendations: • Research on outcomes and effectiveness of placement and support policies Klein, 2007

  12. Project Support I Activities • Developed, tested and evaluated a training model for ECSE inclusion support specialists (consultation approach) • Trained 60 ECSE professionals using a three-phase inservice training model Klein, 2007

  13. Materials Produced • Inclusion Specialist Practitioner’s Guide • Three Videos/DVD: Itinerant consultation, Co-teaching, & Conflict Resolution • Inservice Training Guide • Preservice Supplement Klein, 2007

  14. Inclusion Support Inservice Training: Collaborative Consultation • Phase I: Intensive inservice Three day training • Phase II: Mentoring On-site observation of consultation support • Phase III: Demonstration of competencies Case study and coaching Klein, 2007

  15. Evaluation Activities • Pre- Post- Competency Self-Assessment • Case Study • Follow-up phone interviews • Long-term follow-up mail surveys • Parent focus group • ECE Teacher focus group Klein, 2007

  16. Follow-up survey of ECSE participants in Project Support Inservice Training • Usefulness of different support activities/ strategies • Most useful • Modeling for teachers • Coaching • Least useful • Providing suggestions (written or verbal) Klein, 2007

  17. Assessment of own collaborative consultation ability: • In pre-test this was rated as one of highest areas of competency. In follow-up, it was one of lowest. Take-home message: Collaborative consultation can be very effective, but requires training and skill. Klein, 2007

  18. Parent focus group findings: • Used ECSE consultant as a “bridge” to ECE teacher and classroom • “luxury” of some shared responsibility in overseeing inclusion • ECE teacher focus group findings: • Some fear of being critiqued • Appreciated consultant’s role of supporting them, and respecting/encouraging their expertise Klein, 2007

  19. Project Support II Activities • Refunded as Project of National Significance: • Further developed materials (including video tapes) • Trained 30 staff at co-teaching sites • Dissemination & technical assistance • Developed and fieldtested Preservice Supplement (Course syllabus, fieldwork assignments, reading list, PPts, etc.) Klein, 2007

  20. Project Support II Evaluation • Co-teaching self-assessment • Co-teaching cohort focus group • Dissemination training feedback • Faculty initial phone survey re: IHE inclusion support curriculum • ECSE Faculty field test feedback re: Project Support materials • ECSE Faculty focus group Klein, 2007

  21. Preservice Fieldtest • Pre-test phone interviews re:curriculum & fieldwork related to inclusion support competencies (ECSE faculty at 5 California IHE’s) • Distribution of materials (Practitioner Guide, Preservice Supplement and Videos) Klein, 2007

  22. Pretest Results • Mostly infused Mostly Level II (advanced) • Mostly focused on collaboration/teaming, but little focus on problem solving and perspective taking • No specific focus on various inclusion support models: itinerant consultation, co-teaching, etc. • No clear guidelines for fieldwork activities Klein, 2007

  23. Preservice Fieldtest Follow-up • Acknowledged that previous curriculum content related to inclusion support models and skills was limited to collaboration and teaming. • Most useful materials included videos and handouts for ECE teachers re: specific disabilities. • Continued to feel that content on inclusion support could be infused. • Acknowledged that competencies related specifically to inclusion support need to be better developed. Klein, 2007

  24. Inclusion Support Competencies: Preservice Curriculum Klein, 2007

  25. Inclusion Support Competencies • 1. Understand and enhance learning of young children with disabilities • 2. Demonstrate adaptations of environment and curriculum • 3. Access resources for low incidence and multiple disabilities • 4. Support families • 5. Insure monitoring of IEP • 6. Supervise paraprofessionals Klein, 2007

  26. (Competencies cont’d) 6. Demonstrate collaborative consultation techniques; co-teaching strategies 7. Establish collaborative partnerships between ECE & ECSE 8. Engage in effective problem solving and conflict resolution processes 9. Demonstrate communication, teaming and coordination skills 10. Use Embedded Learning Opportunities (ELO), “Within routines” . Klein, 2007

  27. Models of Inclusion Support Klein, 2007

  28. Evidence of Effectiveness of Collaborative Consultation • Data based research mostly in area of Psychological Consultation (Applied Behavioral Analysis) • Some ECSE studies of practitioner comfort/perceptions of Itinerant models of service delivery (e.g. Wesley & Buysse, Dinnebeil, McInerney & Hale) • Operationalization of Itinerant Consultation in ECSE not well defined • Few empirical studies of effects on preschool outcomes; no comparison with other inclusion support models (e.g. co-teaching) Klein, 2007

  29. Need to define what “it” (i.e. consultation) is!!  Klein, 2007

  30. Legal decisions re: Inclusion in natural environments/ LRE • Etscheidt (2006).TECSE, 26(3) • Court seems to find in favor of classrooms offering both specialized services and interactions with typical peers • In 7 autism cases requesting specialized DTT settings, only 2 were supported. • Court gives significant weight to IEP team, ruling against administrative override • Court insists on continuum of options, supporting solutions within the community (including private preschools) and customized solutions Klein, 2007

  31. Levels/Expectations of Inclusion • Access (ADA issues)? • Social participation? • IEP goal achievement in LRE? Klein, 2007

  32. What do people expect child to learn in inclusive setting? • Who will meet those expectations? • Defining the role of the inclusion specialist. Klein, 2007

  33. Models of Inclusion Support • “Dump and hope” • Inservice training • e.g., for early childhood staff • Use of one-to-one aide Klein, 2007

  34. Models of Support (cont’d) • Use of related service providers (therapists, disability specialists) • Multidisciplinary model Klein, 2007

  35. McWilliam, R. (1995; 2003) “Integration of therapy and consultative special education” Individual or Group Pull-out V Individual (one-on-one) in Classroom V In-class Small Group Activity V Individualized w/in Routines (ELO) V Consultation Klein, 2007

  36. Models of Support (cont’d) • Co-teaching (ECSE & ECE teacher) • Itinerant • Direct Service (in class or pull-out) • *Consultation: • Expert / Collaborative Klein, 2007

  37. Itinerant Consultation Approach Inclusion support provider visits site on a regular basis (e.g. weekly) Service is predominantly “indirect”/”triadic” Requires collaborative partnership with ECE teacher & team Klein, 2007

  38. Consultation Definitions • An indirect method of solving problems in which the consultant and the consultee work together in some way to define the problems and bring about a solution or resolution. • (Pryzwansky & Schulte (1987) • Consultation is “triadic” in that the consultant works with the consultee (e.g. early childhood teacher) who works with the client (child). • (Tharp, 1975) Klein, 2007

  39. Video Early Childhood Inclusion Support: Itinerant Consultation Klein, 2007

  40. Itinerant Consultation Activities and Strategies • Building collaborative relationships • Communicating with team members • Coordinating services;referrals; resources • Problem solving (systematic process) • Involving parents Klein, 2007

  41. Supervision of one-to-one paraprofessionals. Issues: • Training and background of paras • Teacher expectations • Need to clarify role • 1:1 assistant as “most restrictive environment!” • Supervision responsibility Klein, 2007

  42. Specific In-Class Strategies • Observation • Assessment; data collection • Direct intervention • Demonstrating interventions for staff • Coaching staff • Coaching peers Klein, 2007

  43. Consultation Strategies (cont’d) • Adaptations: • materials • environment • Curriculum • Helping staff design “Embedded Learning Opportunities” • Assisting in the classroom Klein, 2007

  44. Consultation = Collaboration? • Definition of Collaboration - Direct interaction between coequal parties voluntarily engaged in shared decision making…toward a common goal (Friend & Cook, 2003) • Requires: • Effective communication; mutual respect • Problem solving approach Klein, 2007

  45. Consultation Challenges in Early Childhood Inclusion • Lack of parity • Consultant not on own “turf” • Different goals; philosophies • Personality clashes • Lack of time to communicate & plan Klein, 2007

  46. Example #1: ECSE Itinerant Consultation Program:El Monte, CA School District • Itinerant ECSE program • Up to 25 children @ 5 - 9 Head Start sites • Special Day Classes used primarily for safety issues (e.g. most severe behavioral challenges; complex health needs) Klein, 2007

  47. Administrative partnership with Head Start • Uses ECSE consultation model and paraprofessionals: • One very experienced ECSE credentialed itinerant teacher • Two full-time special ed paraprofessionals (district) • One-to-one assistants, as needed (minimal) • Additional Head Start assistants Klein, 2007

  48. Inclusion Coordinator determines individual needs of each student, in consultation with team • Type of support (Per IEP: Specialized/therapeutic, one-to-one, etc.) • Intensity of support (frequency, # hours) • Assigns, schedules, customizes paraprofessionals: • One-to-one full-time • One-to-one specific times/activities • Classroom assistance, part-time • Classroom assistance, full-time • No paraprofessional Klein, 2007

  49. Balance intensity needs, e.g. six children: • One child with severe disability, w/ full-time one-to-one; • Two children with part-time classroom assistance • Three children who receive consultation support only. • Paraprofessional may be assigned to more than one site; assigned only as needed to maximize efficiency and support • LOTS OF ORGANIZATIONAL CHARTS! Klein, 2007

  50. Every classroom w/ special needs students receives Consultation support—frequency for each child determined by: 1. # hrs. specified in IEP (1hr per quarter to 4 hrs/mo) 2. And child characteristics, paraprofessional skills, teacher, staff, classroom population, etc. • Consultant supervises ECSE paraprofessionals • Consultant uses range of strategies working with children and adults Klein, 2007

More Related