Susan Fowler

The SPARK Outreach Project: An Early Education Program for Children with Disabilities. Final Report

Culturally & Linguistically Sensitive Practices in Motor Skills Intervention for Young Children. Technical Report

CLAS Early Childhood Research Institute, 61 Children's Research Center, 51 Gerty Dr., Champaign, IL 61820 ($7.50). Tel: 800-583-4135 (Toll Free). For full text: http://clas.uiuc.edu/publications.html., Apr 1, 2000

This report examines the validity of motor intervention practices that have been described as "qu... more This report examines the validity of motor intervention practices that have been described as "quality" practices and the extent to which they are appropriate for all families and children. Misunderstandings and conflicts in the areas of motor skills evaluation and intervention can occur between those providing services and those receiving services if values and beliefs about children and the social and behavioral codes are not addressed by the service providers. A review of the motor development literature reveals a need to revise current practices to be more reflective and responsive to families' differing values, traditions, and perceptions regarding young children's motor development. Existing quality indicators that address core assumptions and professional roles have support in the literature. However, there is a need to consider how a number of variables impact and challenge current thinking about young children's motor development. Examples of these variables include the child's temperament, the child's form of disability, the caregiver's expectations for the child, and the physical features and setting in which the child lives. Finally, the authors suggest revisions to selected current practice indicators considering cultural and linguistic differences. The report includes extensive references, an annotated bibliography, and a list of available resources from the CLAS Web site. (Author/SG) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. rly chit-ervices stitute

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The SPARK Outreach Project: An Early Education Program for Children with Disabilities. Final Report

University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign, 61 Children's Research Center, 51 Gerty Dr., Champaign, IL 61820., Dec 29, 2000

The purpose of the SPARK Outreach Project was to address the needs of an increasingly culturally ... more The purpose of the SPARK Outreach Project was to address the needs of an increasingly culturally diverse population by providing a model for teachers of young children with disabilities with (1) a story-based creative arts curriculum derived from a variety of cultural and ethnic traditions; (2) a developmentally and individually appropriate curriculum process that can be applied by teachers in a variety of settings to meet the needs of children of diverse skill levels; (3) a system of inservice training and ongoing support to enhance the implementation of the model; and ( ) materials to enable families to participate in their child's education. Six states (Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, and North Carolina) replicated the model, which has three major components: the Creative Arts Curriculum, Inservice Training, and Parent Involvement. The curriculum, designed to promote child engagement while embedding Individualized Education Program and developmental goals, focuses around weekly units based on a story that is read daily. It includes 12-15 creative arts center activities (3 per day) that emphasize concepts drawn from the story and also promote emergent literacy skills and awareness of diverse cultures, traditions, and practices. The parent involvement component includes materials for both center-based and home-based programs to enable the family to become involved in their child's education. Teachers (n=439) in 34 programs replicated the model with more than 6,000 children and their families in a variety of settings: public programs (self-contained and inclusive), Head Start programs (both center-based and home-based), and family child care settings that contain children with disabilities. Data indicate the effectiveness of the model in promoting child development and teacher use of best practice teaching strategies. Appendices include curriculum materials and information on resources, data measurements and collection tools. (Contains 32 references.) (LC) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.

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Culturally & Linguistically Sensitive Practices in Motor Skills Intervention for Young Children. Technical Report

This report examines the validity of motor intervention practices that have been described as "qu... more This report examines the validity of motor intervention practices that have been described as "quality" practices and the extent to which they are appropriate for all families and children. Misunderstandings and conflicts in the areas of motor skills evaluation and intervention can occur between those providing services and those receiving services if values and beliefs about children and the social and behavioral codes are not addressed by the service providers. A review of the motor development literature reveals a need to revise current practices to be more reflective and responsive to families' differing values, traditions, and perceptions regarding young children's motor development. Existing quality indicators that address core assumptions and professional roles have support in the literature. However, there is a need to consider how a number of variables impact and challenge current thinking about young children's motor development. Examples of these variables include the child's temperament, the child's form of disability, the caregiver's expectations for the child, and the physical features and setting in which the child lives. Finally, the authors suggest revisions to selected current practice indicators considering cultural and linguistic differences. The report includes extensive references, an annotated bibliography, and a list of available resources from the CLAS Web site. (Author/SG) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. rly chit-ervices stitute

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The SPARK Outreach Project: An Early Education Program for Children with Disabilities. Final Report

The purpose of the SPARK Outreach Project was to address the needs of an increasingly culturally ... more The purpose of the SPARK Outreach Project was to address the needs of an increasingly culturally diverse population by providing a model for teachers of young children with disabilities with (1) a story-based creative arts curriculum derived from a variety of cultural and ethnic traditions; (2) a developmentally and individually appropriate curriculum process that can be applied by teachers in a variety of settings to meet the needs of children of diverse skill levels; (3) a system of inservice training and ongoing support to enhance the implementation of the model; and ( ) materials to enable families to participate in their child's education. Six states (Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, and North Carolina) replicated the model, which has three major components: the Creative Arts Curriculum, Inservice Training, and Parent Involvement. The curriculum, designed to promote child engagement while embedding Individualized Education Program and developmental goals, focuses around weekly units based on a story that is read daily. It includes 12-15 creative arts center activities (3 per day) that emphasize concepts drawn from the story and also promote emergent literacy skills and awareness of diverse cultures, traditions, and practices. The parent involvement component includes materials for both center-based and home-based programs to enable the family to become involved in their child's education. Teachers (n=439) in 34 programs replicated the model with more than 6,000 children and their families in a variety of settings: public programs (self-contained and inclusive), Head Start programs (both center-based and home-based), and family child care settings that contain children with disabilities. Data indicate the effectiveness of the model in promoting child development and teacher use of best practice teaching strategies. Appendices include curriculum materials and information on resources, data measurements and collection tools. (Contains 32 references.) (LC) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.

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Early Transition of Children with Special Needs

The transition from one service program to another may create discontinuity in a young child'... more The transition from one service program to another may create discontinuity in a young child's developmental progress. The interruptions in services and child development may be due to a number of factors. These include differences in regulatory requirements that delay the start of new services, family or staff expectations about the child's readiness for a change in services, or simply the failure to share assessments and records about a child's current developmental status. This article examines factors that influence the smooth transition of very young children from early intervention programs to preschool programs and to kindergarten or primary programs.

An Early Childhood Program Matrix: Pulling the Pieces Together for Illinois

Early childhood research and practice, 2009

The early childhood program matrix in this article delineates the various requirements of nine pu... more The early childhood program matrix in this article delineates the various requirements of nine publicly funded programs in Illinois that provide services to young children and families. The first section of the matrix addresses the design of each program and logistics, such as funding, payment, eligibility, and amount of services. The second section of the matrix addresses the ways in which the local community is involved with services and the extent to which the programs are required or encouraged to form collaborations or partnerships with other programs. The third section identifies human resource or personnel requirements. The final section addresses elements of quality assurance-expected program outcomes, assessment requirements, and child outcomes.

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Reactivity in Self-Recording: Obtrusiveness of Recording Procedure and Peer Comments

Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, Sep 1, 1991

Reactivity refers to behavior change that occurs during self-recording without specific programmi... more Reactivity refers to behavior change that occurs during self-recording without specific programming of consequences. We analyzed the effects of obtrusiveness of recording procedure and peer comments on reactivity to self-recording. Three first-grade students in Experiment 1 completed math questions during a 5-min work period. When we gave the children recording devices and told them to try to complete more questions than the highest number they had previously completed, math per- formance increased, as did the number of verbalizations about it. Two children showed more reactivity when they used the more obtrusive recording device. Because the increase in math performance corresponded dosely to increases in peer comments, we manipulated peer comments directly in Experiment 2. Four second-grade students completed a math task and an alphabet task. Three of the students showed increased math performance during periods when peer comments occurred compared to periods when peer comments did not occur. Although the data from the math task suggested that peer comments can enhance reactivity, we did not observe this relationship with the alphabet task. These results suggest that the conditions necessary to produce desirable results through self-recording are complex and contextually specific. DESCRIPTORS: self-control, self-recording, self-monitoring, self-management, reactivity 1991)24.487-498

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Helping Young Handicapped Children Succeed When They Enter Public School. Practical Paper Series

The booklet addresses problems facing handicapped, children beginning public school. Transition s... more The booklet addresses problems facing handicapped, children beginning public school. Transition services to ease the adjustment from a special preschool to the public schools and increase the likelihood of academic and social progress are said to include active preparation of the child by teachingschool skills he or she has not yet mastered: Folelowup services in the form of training or consultation to the public school teachers is also described. The friElic schoo3's role is seen to include structuring the Thild'i situation for success. Services of the Early Childhood Transition Program at the University of Kansas include a special iCL) prekhool `.ass for children with learning or behavioral problems. I cs

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An Analysis of the Effects of Multiple Setting Events on the Social Behavior of Preschool Children with Special Needs

Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, Jun 1, 1992

We examined the effects of four combinations of setting events on the social interactions of 7 pr... more We examined the effects of four combinations of setting events on the social interactions of 7 preschool children with social delays. In Study 1, the status of the teacher, activity materials, and peer varied across conditions. In Study 2, the status of the teacher and materials varied across conditions. Within the combinations of setting events, we also examined teacher behavior. Teacher presence and absence was varied in both studies. The type and rate of teacher prompting were varied in Study 2. The four combinations of setting events produced different rates of social behavior by the children with social delays. The optimal combination of setting events for promoting peer interaction and reducing teacher-child interaction induded teacher absence from the activity, a limited number and form of materials, and children paired with a socially skilled partner. DESCRIPTORS: social skills, setting events, preschool children 249 19922251,249-263 NUMBER 2 (summER 1992)

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Transition Is More Than a Change in Services: The Need for a Multicultural Perspective. Technical Report

This report discusses the transition from early intervention services (EI) to preschool services ... more This report discusses the transition from early intervention services (EI) to preschool services (ECSE), which presents many challenges to children, families, service providers, and programs. The needs and preferences of families from culturally and linguistically diverse groups pose additional challenges. The report reviews the DEC Recommended Practices and NAEYC guidelines, which offer criteria to evaluate currently used transition practices in EI/ECSE and early childhood education (ECE). Within this context, the preparation, implementation and follow-up, and evaluation of transition practices for children, families, and service providers and programs is considered. Conclusions are offered regarding current transition practices and their congruence with recommended practices. Finally, five factors, the 5C's (community context, collaboration, communication, family concerns, and continuity), are presented as additional principles to guide the development and utilization of transition practices for families from culturally and linguistically diverse groups. The report includes extensive references, an annotated bibliography, and a list of available resources from the CLAS Web site.

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FACTS/LRE: Family and Child Transitions into Least Restrictive Environments. Final Report

This final report describes activities and accomplishments of the FACTS/LRE (Family and Child Tra... more This final report describes activities and accomplishments of the FACTS/LRE (Family and Child Transitions into Least Restrictive Environments) project, a 2-year project to promote best practices in the transition process of 3-year-olds with disabilities from early intervention to preschool programs. The project delivered technical assistance to agencies in three states (Illinois, Kansas, and Indiana) and 50 local communities. Technical assistance focused on five components of the transition process: (1) interagency agreements; (2) family involvement; (3) time lines; (4) least restrictive environments; and (5) evaluation. The project resulted in training 39 teams and developing 28 interagency agreemerts on transition, of which 10 have been signed. Other project accomplishments included development and dissemination of five manuals for family members and practitioners and presentations at conferences. Individual sections of the report describe the project's goals and objectives, conceptual framework, outreach and dissemination activities, logistical problems and their resolution, evaluation findings, impact, and future activities. Appendices provide additional documentation of technical assistance to outreach sites, outcomes of technical assistance in writing interagency agreements, and dissemination and public awareness activities.

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Culturally & Linguistically Sensitive Practices in Motor Skills Intervention for Young Children. Technical Report

This report examines the validity of motor intervention practices that have been described as "qu... more This report examines the validity of motor intervention practices that have been described as "quality" practices and the extent to which they are appropriate for all families and children. Misunderstandings and conflicts in the areas of motor skills evaluation and intervention can occur between those providing services and those receiving services if values and beliefs about children and the social and behavioral codes are not addressed by the service providers. A review of the motor development literature reveals a need to revise current practices to be more reflective and responsive to families' differing values, traditions, and perceptions regarding young children's motor development. Existing quality indicators that address core assumptions and professional roles have support in the literature. However, there is a need to consider how a number of variables impact and challenge current thinking about young children's motor development. Examples of these variables include the child's temperament, the child's form of disability, the caregiver's expectations for the child, and the physical features and setting in which the child lives. Finally, the authors suggest revisions to selected current practice indicators considering cultural and linguistic differences. The report includes extensive references, an annotated bibliography, and a list of available resources from the CLAS Web site. (Author/SG) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.

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Working with Interpreters To Plan Early Childhood Services with Limited-English-Proficient Families. Technical Report

Measuring Young Children’s Attitudes Toward Peers With Disabilities

Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, Aug 2, 2012

Young children with disabilities are increasingly attending inclusive early childhood programs wi... more Young children with disabilities are increasingly attending inclusive early childhood programs with their typically developing peers. Within these programs, research efforts and practice have supported young children's understanding and acceptance of peers with disabilities. However, there is limited information about the measures used to assess young children's attitudes toward peers with disabilities. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to critically review the literature on young children's attitudes toward peers with disabilities with an emphasis on measurement issues. Assessment instruments and the type of information that these assessments provide about the dimensions of attitudes toward peers with disabilities based on a conceptual model of attitude formation suggested by Triandis are highlighted. Implications for future research are addressed following the literature review.

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Montessori and Non-Montessori Early Childhood Teachers’ Attitudes Towards Inclusion and Access

Journal of Montessori research, Nov 14, 2015

Montessori and non-Montessori general education early childhood teachers were surveyed about thei... more Montessori and non-Montessori general education early childhood teachers were surveyed about their attitudes toward including children with disabilities and providing these students access to the curriculum. Both groups reported similar and positive system-wide supports for inclusion within their schools. Montessori teachers reported having less knowledge about inclusion and less special education professional development than their non-Montessori counterparts. Implications for professional development and teacher preparation are described. Maria Montessori is called one of the pioneers of special education (Odom et al., 2005). Montessori began her method of education in the early 1900s with children with multiple disabilities residing in Italian institutions. She designed hands-on learning materials to help students with disabilities learn concepts and skills. When tested, these students with special needs outscored typically developing children who were educated in the traditional public schools (Wolfe, 2002). In 1907, Montessori developed a Children's House, educating at-risk young children living in low-income housing in the San Lorenzo district in Rome, Italy. Despite this rich history linking Montessori and special education, the Montessori approach has not been highlighted as a contemporary program for serving children with disabilities. Montessori education is one approach that may provide an educational environment especially suitable to including students with disabilities. The curriculum in Montessori classrooms aligns closely with many early childhood, special-education-recommended practices. The Montessori Method incorporates hands-on, differentiated, self-paced learning in multiage classrooms (Cossentino, 2010). Multiage classrooms offer natural opportunities for peer support and peer tutoring. The scope and sequence of instruction in each Montessori classroom offers children a three-year span of curriculum, from introductory activities through advanced materials and concepts. The Montessori materials themselves provide opportunities for all children to learn and express their learning in different ways, aligning with the special education concept of universal design for learning (Kirk, Gallagher, Coleman, & Anastasiow, 2011). The materials offer multiple means of representation, expression, and engagement. Students manipulate objects, talk about the process, and write about it. For example, a child learning to spell a three-letter word might use a variety of materials, from more concrete to more abstract: the Montessori material called the Movable Alphabet, the chalkboard, or a clipboard with pencil and paper. Similarly, special educators typically use a differentiated or individualized approach to teaching, frequently through the use of multisensory and handson materials (Kirk et al., 2011). These tenets of Montessori education provide a good fit for students with disabilities (

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Transition planning with families in early intervention programs

Infants and Young Children, Apr 1, 1991

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한국 어머니가 발달지체 유아에게 사용한 자연적 언어중재

Korean Journal of Early Childhood Special Education, 2009

Working with interpreters to plan early childhood services with limited-English-proficient family

Teaching Mainstreamed Children to Manage Daily Transitions

Teaching Exceptional Children, Sep 1, 1986

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