The Value of Technology in Early Intervention

(taken from the July/August newsletter: 2000 DIRECTIONS Technology in Special Education, published by DREAMMS for Kids, Inc. Assistive Technology Solutions, 273 Ringwood Road, Freeville, NY 13068-5606, 607.539.3027 Fax 607.539.9930; email: Greetings@dreamms.org; www.dreamms.org)

Some educators have a knack for planning, and it can get them into trouble. These are the people who are called upon to write grants on short notice, to deelop curriculum and conjure up new programs at the drop of a hat. Linda Heiland displays her considerable skill in the following overview of early interention. Warning to readers: this information is so comprehensive and convincng that it could almost stand alone as the basis for a grant. Share with caution, or you too could become a grant writer...

The Problem in a Nutshell
Providing quality services for disabled and developmentally delayed children remains a high priority for the nation, the states, and the local communities. Yearly, more and more children are identified as developmentally delayed or showing early signs of more debilitating disabilities. Each year the shortage of qualified educators, paraeducators, and caregivers increases. There are two basic plans of attack for coping with this growing problem: (1) recruit and train more personnel to provide quality services in the education of this population of children and (2) provide more intensive early intervention programs for children identified at birth by collaborative agencies.

Several federal agencies have been developed to assist in the provision of such services, but the time, locations, personnel and monies are simply inadequate to address the growing need. States have also recognized the increasing need for additional services but are plagued by the same problems that local communities are facing: a lack of trained personnel service locations, time and monies.

Rural communities are by far the hardest hit in this growing crisis. Many people are relocating to smaller rural communities, seeking a better lifestyle for their families away from the problems fostered by the larger urban areas. At the same time, many educators are leaving the smaller rural communities to seek the excitement, convenience, and larger salaries that the urban areas offer. The result is that smaller rural communities throughout the United States are losing personnel that is desperately needed to provide services for a growing population of exceptional children.

Proposed Solutions Many programs have been developed and implemented to provide services for school-age exceptional children through inclusionary classrooms. Historically, research has demonstrated that this service situation works well for the disabled children and does not diminish the quality of education that is offered for the other children in the class. This solution, however, places an additional burden on the already overburdened general education classroom teacher. Qualified paraeducators, under the direction of certified special education and classroom teachers, are necessary in such situations to assist the special needs students with assistive and adaptive devices, methodology, and support to make this learning strategy successful.

In Praise of Early Intervention One step toward a viable solution to this growing problem is the development and implementation of quality early intervention programs for children in the birth through three-year age range. The primary conclusion after approximately fifty years of research is this: quantitative and qualitative data indicate that early intervention results in increased developmental and educational gains for the child and improves the general functioning of the entire family. As a result of early identification and program participation, fewer Special Education and other habilitative services are necessary for these exceptional children. Early intervention programs result in the participating children requiring less special education and other habilitative services later in life. Children who have participated in such programs are retained less often and in some cases are virtually indistinguishable from their non-handicapped peers later in life (U.S. Department of Education, KidSource, 1999).

Technology in Early Intervention One vitally important component of early intervention programs is the introduction of technology to all children as soon as possible. Technology, if successfully integrated, will allow these children to better manage their lives and to interact more fully and more meaningfully with ideas and with others in their environment (Gilbert, 1999). The potential success of a "connected" education that involves not only students, but parents, future educators, instructors, caregivers, members of the community, families and local service providers is virtually limitless. Early intervention through a collaborative team approach should provide the incentive, stimulation and support necessary for these children to succeed later in life. Training should emphasize the communication and collaboration skills that will enhance an educator's and a paraeducator's ability to work with the parents and siblings of disabled children without infringement of the parent/student right. Future training for educators and paraeducators should address the ability to develop activities enhanced by technology that focus on the child and the family, not only in the facility setting but in the home setting as well. Such programs combine the strategies for sensory stimulation, communication skills, and appropriate social interaction skills in a combined home-based and facility-based program of intervention.

Programs that consistently review, revise and adapt assistive and adaptive technology (high-tech as well as low-tech) will assist infants and toddlers in becoming happy, healthy and having the ability to learn all that they possibly can, as early as possible. This "Heads up" strategy will expose children to the stimulation that is necessary for so many of them to facilitate continued growth and development and allow them to share many of the same experiences afforded children without special needs.

Research has repeatedly proven that developmentally appropriate, open-ended software designed to stimulate and support communication can be transformed in an early educational setting to facilitate awareness, confidence, and the control necessary for these children to initiate communication and to reveal abilities that may not have been apparent previously. The early use of technology has the potential to encourage exploration, risk-taking, and discovery learning. (Knofo, 1994).

In Conclusion... Early intervention programs that begin at birth or soon after result in greater developmental gains that tend to remain with the children longer. Additionally, the likelihood of developing additional problems is greatly reduced (Cooper, 1981). Parents and teachers who work together can create a climate for obtaining information, stimulate information and develop an atmosphere to enhance motivation, creativity and discover the value of learning.

Early intervention programs have repeatedly proven to be a cost-effective means of developing a long-term solution to some of these problems. High specialized and comprehensive services required to produce the desired developmental gains are frequently, on a short term basis, more expensive to implement than traditional school delivery models. However, significant long-term studies of early intervention programs throughout the country produce consistent data that the long-term cost effectiveness and the benefits to the children and the families far outweigh the initial cost of implementing such a program.

The theory is that the introduction of technology in early intervention programs in a consistent, sustained basis will assist developmentally delayed children to "catch up" with their non-disabled peers. This in turn will eliminate the need for additional services for these children as they age and progress through the more traditional school structure. Multi-faceted, technology-infused early intervention programs that involve the parents and families offer reap the additional benefits of improved attitudes of parents and siblings toward these children. The support, guidance and availability of much-needed information help to alleviate some of the many outside stresses, frustrations and helplessness that parents and siblings often experience with the birth of a disabled child. Current data indicate that side effects of this type of program include reduced numbers of divorces, suicides, and child abuse.

In conclusion, the ultimate goal is the development and implementation of a quality program for special needs children that will benefit not only these children and their families, but will assist in alleviating some of the pressures that are being placed on an already overburdened education system. With the appropriate planning, training and assistance in implementation, technology-infused early intervention programs could be the first step toward success in this venture.

Linda W. Headland is Manager of the Student Learning Outcomes/Assessent Program, and Special Education Liasion, Central Arizona College, Coolidge, AZ 85233, (520) 426-4215; linda_heiland@python.cac.cc.az.us

* The Catalyst is the newsletter of the Western Center for Microcomputers Special Education, Inc. and is a quarterly newsletter providing comprehensive coverage of technology in the fields of special education and rehabilitation. Published since 1981, subscription costs are $18.00 for organizations and $12.00 for home use. Contact them at: 1259 El Camino Real, PMB 275, Menlo Park, CA 94025.