The Early Childhood Opportunity (EChO) Scholars project was designed to address the following significant needs in Maine: (a) prepare highly qualified early interventionists and early childhood special educators through distance education, (b) develop a system of support through a mentor network, (c) provide a graduate-level early childhood special education (ECSE) curriculum emphasizing current evidence-based practices (EBPs), and (d) develop a feedback loop designed to assess candidate knowledge, skills, and implementation of EBPs. This article describes the results of a 4-year Office of Special Education Programs project designed to support early childhood special educators across rural Maine. Key program components, successes, and future directions for continuous improvement are highlighted.
AllenI. E.SeamanJ. (2013). Changing course: Ten years of tracking online education in the United States. San Francisco, CA: Babson Survey Research Group and Quahog Research Group. Retrieved from http://www.onlinelearningsurvey.com/reports/changingcourse.pdf
2.
AustinL.WhitebookM.ConnorsM.DarrahR. (2011). Staff preparation, reward, and support: Are quality rating and improvement systems addressing these key ingredients necessary for change?Berkeley, CA: Center for the Study of Child Care Employment, Institute for Research on Labor and Employment, University of California at Berkeley. Retrieved from www.irle.berkeley.edu/cscce/?s=staff+preparation+reward+and+support
3.
BeattieJ.SpoonerF.JordanL.AlgozzineB.SpoonerM. (2002). Evaluating instruction in distance learning classes. Teacher Education and Special Education, 25, 124–132.
4.
BrownG. T. L.HarrisL. R. (2013). Student self-assessment. In McMillanJ. H. (Ed.), The SAGE handbook of research on classroom assessment (pp. 367–393). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
5.
BruderM. B. (2004a, December). The national landscape of early intervention in personnel preparation standards under Part C of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA; Study I Data Report). Farmington, CT: A. J. Pappanikou Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities. Retrieved from http://uconnucedd.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/1340/2015/06/pp_data_report_study1_partc_11_14_08.pdf
6.
BruderM. B. (2004b). The national landscape of early childhood special education in personnel preparation standards under 619 of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (Study I Data Report). Farmington, CT: A. J. Pappanikou Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities. Retrieved from http://www.uconnucedd.org/pdfs/projects/per_prep/pp_data_report_study1_619_11_19_08ccs.pdf
7.
BruderM. B.Mogro-WilsonC.StaytonV.SmithB. J.DietrichS. (2009). The national status of in-service professional development systems for early intervention and early childhood special education practitioners. Infants & Young Children, 22, 13–20.
Council of Chief State School Officers. (2011). Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) model core teaching standards: A resource for state dialogue. Washington, DC: Author.
11.
Division for Early Childhood. (2014). DEC recommended practices in early intervention/early childhood special education 2014. Retrieved from http://www.dec-sped.org/recommendedpractices
12.
DunningD.HeathC.SulsJ. M. (2004). Flawed self-assessment: Implications for health, education, and the workplace. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 5, 69–106.
13.
DunstC. J.TrivetteC. M.HambyD. (2010). Meta-analysis of the effectiveness of four adult learning methods and strategies. International Journal of Continuing Education and Life-long Learning, 3, 91–112.
14.
DymondS. K.GilsonC. L.MyranS. P. (2007). Services for children with autism spectrum disorders. Journal Disability Policy Studies, 18, 133–147.
EricksonW.LeeC.von SchraderS. (2012). Disability status report: United States. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Employment and Disability Institute. Available from http://www.disabilitystatistics.org
17.
GoldV.RussellS.WilliamsE. (1993). Special education in northwest Ohio: A case study of rural service delivery problems. Rural Special Education Quarterly, 12, 42–46.
18.
GrossmanP. (2005). Research on pedagogical approaches in teacher education. In Cochran-SmithM.ZeichnerK. (Eds.), A Review of research in teacher education (pp. 425–476). Washington, DC: American Educational Research Association.
19.
HebbelerK. (1994). Shortages in professions working with young children with disabilities and their families. Chapel Hill, NC: NECTAX Coordinating Office Publications.
20.
KucharczykS.ShawE.Smith MylesB.SullivanL.SzidonK.Tuchman-GinsbergL. (2012). Guidance & coaching on evidence-based practices for learners with autism spectrum disorders. Chapel Hill: National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, The University of North Carolina.
21.
LeahyS.LyonC.ThompsonM.WiliamD. (2005). Classroom assessment: Minute by minute, day by day. Educational Leadership, 63, 18–24.
22.
LudlowB.ConnerD.SchechterJ. (2005). Low incidence disabilities and personnel preparation for rural areas: Current status and future trends. Rural Special Education Quarterly, 24, 15–24.
Maine Department of Labor, Center for Workforce Research and Information. (2015). Unemployment and labor force. Retrieved from http://www.maine.gov/labor/cwri/laus.html
McLarenE.RutlandJ. (2013). Preparing early childhood special educators in Appalachian Kentucky. Rural Special Education Quarterly, 32, 46–55.
28.
McLeskeyJ.BillingsleyB. S. (2008). How does the quality and stability of the teaching force influence the research-to-practice gap?Remedial and Special Education, 29, 293–305.
29.
McLeskeyJ.TylerN.FlippinS. (2003). The supply of and demand for special education teachers: A review of research regarding the nature of chronic shortage of special education. Gainesville, FL: Center on Personnel Studies in Special Education.
30.
MesibovG. B.SheaV. (2011). Evidence-based practices and autism. Autism, 15, 114–133.
National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2010). NAEYC standards for early childhood professional preparation. Retrieved from https://www.naeyc.org/caep/standards
33.
National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. (2010). Transforming teacher education through clinical practice: A national strategy to prepare effective teachers. Washington, DC: Author.
34.
National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center. (2011). The importance of early intervention for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. Available from http://www.nectac.org
National Professional Development Center on Inclusion. (2011). Competencies for early childhood educators in the context of inclusion: Issues and guidance for states. Chapel Hill: FPG Child Development Institute, The University of North Carolina.
OdomS. L.BuysseV.SoukakouE. (2011). Inclusion for young children with disabilities: A quarter century of research perspectives. Journal of Early Intervention, 33, 344–356.
39.
OdomS. L.Collet-KlingenbergL.RogersS. J.HattonD. D. (2010). Evidence-based practices in interventions for children and youth with autism spectrum disorders. Preventing School Failure, 54, 275–282.
40.
PalshaS. A.BaileyD. B.VandiviereP.MunnD. (1990). A study of employee stability and turnover in home-based early intervention. Journal of Early Intervention, 14, 342–351.
41.
RushD.SheldenM. (2011). The early childhood coaching handbook. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.
SquiresJ. (1996). Preparing personnel in rural areas. In BrickerD.WiderstromA. (Eds.), Preparing personnel to work with infants and young children and their families: A team approach (pp. 253–272). Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.
44.
StaytonV. C.SmithB. J.DietrichS. L.BruderM. B. (2012). Comparison of state certification and professional association personnel standards in early childhood special education. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 32, 24–37.
