Promoting Positive Learning Outcomes Through and Activity Based Approach With Young Children With Disabilities

The provision of individualized and often specialized services to children with severe disabilities in inclusive settings has proved to be a significant challenge. At least three major barriers exist: (a) personnel lack the necessary training for meeting the complex needs of young children with severe disabilities, (b) professionals from a wide range of disciplines and families do not routinely work together in designing, implementing, and evaluating intervention.efforts, and (c) programs lack a systematic or linked approach for developing and implementing individualized intervention. Thus Project PLAY was designed to overcome these barriers by implementing a comprehensive model across a variety of programs in Kentucky and Ohio. The model is a linked approach composed of authentic assessment, meaningful individualized education plans, embedded instruction, and systematic data collection. Based upon research and recommended practice, we maintain that when key program components are linked, outcomes for young children with severe disabilities will be improved. The Project's two major goals are (a) to train diverse staff at model sites to implement authentic assessment, target meaningful skills, embedded instruction during daily activities, and engage in ongoing data collection to monitor children's performance over time; and (b) to evaluate and disseminate the model so that it can be utilized in other settings and sustained over time. In all, four model sites will participate in Project PLAY. Further, a rigorous development, implementation, and evaluation plan will ensure new knowledge and extensive dissemination of findings, thus improving services for young children with severe disabilities. Key stakeholders and consumers will be involved to ensure the integrity and utility of project activities.