Preparing Professionals to Serve Infants and Toddlers with Handicaps and Their Families: An Integrative Analysis across Eight Disciplines

Abstract

This article summarizes the status of, and recommendations for, preparation programs for early intervention personnel across eight disciplines. Surveys were conducted to determine the extent to which entry-level students in each discipline receive academic preparation and clinical experiences to provide services to infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. Although considerable variability was found across disciplines, the average student receives little specialized information—practical knowledge—relative either to the infancy period or to working with families. Alternative strategies for improving infant personnel preparation are discussed and policy implications of each are addressed.

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