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COLORADO SPECIALQUEST BIRTH-FIVE INITIATIVE. Public Awareness Webinar May 26, 2009. Goal of Today’s Webinar.
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COLORADO SPECIALQUEST BIRTH-FIVE INITIATIVE Public Awareness Webinar May 26, 2009
Goal of Today’s Webinar For you to gain awareness and understanding of Inclusive Practices for children with disabilities from the Federal and State level and how the SpecialQuest Birth-Five Early Childhood Approach can be used to support the sustainability of inclusive practices in your program and community.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES • Describe definitions of inclusion from a federal and state, and personal perspectives • Discuss SpecialQuest Birth-Five and how it aligns with state and federal principles. • Recognize ways you can use the SpecialQuest Approach and materials back “home”. • Explain that the Colorado SpecialQuest state leadership team represents many agencies and working to provide technical assistance to include all children
When we say Inclusion… Make this slide on key themes are words generated from the public when we ask this question
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 as full members of families, communities, and society. The desired results of inclusive experiences for children with disabilities and their families include a sense of belonging and membership, positive social relationships and friendships, and development and learning to reach their full potential. The defining features of inclusion that can be used to identify high quality early childhood programs and services include (1) access, (2) participation, and (3) supports. (Definition from DEC/NAEYC) http://community.fpg.unc.edu/resources/articles/Early_Childhood_Inclusion/view
WHAT IS THE EARLY CHILDHOOD COLORADO BIRTH-EIGHT VISION? • Early childhood inclusion in Colorado will embody 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 as full members of families, communities, and society. • We have adopted part of the joint position statement from DEC and NAEYC
WHAT IS SPECIALQUEST BIRTH-FIVE? • A Vision that States and local communities collaborate to provide quality inclusive services for young children with disabilities and their families. • This work is supported by embedding specific SpecialQuest materials and resources around inclusive practices into professional development and service systems.
OSEP key principles for early intervention providers… Put them here.
HISTORY OF SPECIALQUEST • Builds upon Hilton/Early Head Start Training Program (1997–2007) • Professional development for over 500 Early Head Start and community partners • SpecialQuest teams participated in interactive learning experiences and follow-up support provided by Learning Coaches. • Continuous improvement processes guided program development and evaluation
APPROACH • Designed to touch the “head, heart and hands” and create inclusive communities for young children with disabilities. • Relationship/team-based approach enhances inclusive services, family leadership skills, and service delivery. • Teams participate in learning which uses parallel process and continuous improvement strategies. • Teams are supported with coaching, facilitation, and follow-up to implement high quality inclusive services.
SPECIALQUEST BIRTH-FIVE GOALS • Support and expand the SpecialQuest Community, including • Over 500 SpecialQuest graduate teams • Over 70 SpecialQuest Ambassadors • 10 SpecialQuest State Leadership Teams, : Colorado, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wyoming
FROM THE FIELD… “SpecialQuest has given my program a blueprint for implementing responsive services for children and families. We have expanded from looking at training direct staff to looking at the program itself…This new approach is really making an impact in [our state].”
HOW CAN SPECIALQUEST SUPPORT ME AROUND INCLUSION TRAINING AND MATERIALS? • SpecialQuest Multimedia Training Library (English & Spanish) available online for FREEwww.specialquest.org • Share lessons learned relating to family leadership, transition, birth–five populations and use of approach and materials by faculty • An interactive website providing: • Networking opportunities • Discussion forums • Stories from families • Resource bank of practical tools focused on inclusion
SPECIALQUEST MULTIMEDIA TRAINING LIBRARY • Go to www.specialquest.org • Click on the Multimedia Training Library icon • Search for video by: • title • session • keyword • content by volume • supplements • Preview and download resources • Learn more about the SpecialQuest approach and materials • What are your questions around Inclusion? What do you want to know more about regarding inclusion?
WHAT’S IN THE LIBRARY? The volumes are organized by themes: • Including Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities • Building Relationships with Families • Collaboration and Teaming The Web-based SpecialQuest Multimedia Training Library viewing downloadable at no cost.
AN EXAMPLE OF A VIDEO IN THE TRAINING LIBRARY • Together We’re Better
HOW CAN THE CO SPECIALQUEST BIRTH-FIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM SUPPORT YOU? • Technical Assistance • Facilitating a Community Perceptions of Inclusive Practices (CPIP) with your community • Professional Development planning related to Inclusion • Building Collaboratives and Teams • Train the Trainer September 2009 for more information go towww.eicolorado.org “Calendar” • Your ideas?...
Sustainability of Inclusion- Your Lessons Learned!!!! What practices have sustained? What worked why? What didn’t work why? What will you try next? We want to hear how its going!.. follow up conference call -June 2009
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT • What insights have you gained today? • What ideas and strategies would you be interested in or could take back to your program? • What worked? • Suggestions?
CONTACT INFORMATION • SpecialQuest www.specialquest.org • Do you have questions about using the SpecialQuest Birth-Five Approach and materials? coloradospecialquest@gmail.com ??? • Colorado State Liaison- Holly.Wilcher@ccd.edu 303-355-5205