Innovative Practices

Abstract

The dynamic nature of the field of early childhood special education with the implementation of P.L. 99-457 demands that personnel-preparation trainers rethink approaches to training. This paper will describe a flexible graduate training program that builds competence for professionals to work with young children, aged birth to five, with special needs and their families. This competence-based training program is flexibly responsive to the needs and interests of professionals from a number of disciplines while preserving essential core content identified by leaders in the field (McCollum, McLean, McCartan, & Kaiser, 1989). Students use course content and field experiences to build upon existing skills and knowledge. In this way, students develop new competencies for performing the multiple roles needed by professionals working in early intervention. Adult learning theory guides the delivery of the content and promotes a self-directed, competence-building process. In viewing teaching and learning as an interactive process, the assumption is that students will naturally pursue self-growth activities when given appropriate guidance and opportunities to direct their own learning. The role of the instructor as a facilitator in this process is explored in this paper. Student progress in competence-building is evaluated as students learn new roles and assume responsibility for their learning. The competence-building process is discussed as it relates to role preparation, content, practicum, and self-directed learning.