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Preparing Interdisciplinary Early Interventionists Mission Statement and Outcome To provide high quality, research-based preservice training both on and off campus to upper level undergraduate and graduate students in health, education, and human services fields to enable students upon graduation to successfully provide early intervention and support coordination services to infants and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities and their families. Program Description The Preparing Interdisciplinary Early Interventionists for Rural States Project is designed to meet the significant national and regional need for trained personnel from health, education and human service disciplines to work in rural states with infants and toddlers who have developmental delays or disabilities and their families. In 1986, Congress established the Infant, Toddler and Family section of Special Education law (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act - IDEA) to support the implementation of state programs designed to enhance the development of infants and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities, and enhance the capacity of families to meet the special needs of infants and toddlers. This law created a demand for early intervention personnel trained to provide services to these young children and their families. Today, there continues to be a high demand for well trained early intervention personnel. In addition, as part of this Special Education law, Congress established grant programs to provide scholarship support for students to pursue careers in early intervention and support universities in providing early intervention training. The University of Montana’s Department of Psychology and Rural Institute, and Minot State University’s Department of Communication Disorders and Special Education and North Dakota Center for Persons with Disabilities, are jointly providing early intervention training and student scholarship support through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. The University of Montana’s early intervention training program will be implemented in conjunction with the Department of Psychology - Human and Family Development, the Masters of Interdisciplinary Studies programs, and the Rural Institute. In North Dakota the program will be implemented in conjunction with Minot State University’s Department of Communication Disorders and Special Education, and North Dakota Center for Persons with Disabilities. The early intervention courses are available on both The University of Montana’s campus and at Minot State University’s campus. In addition, these courses will be available through a joint distance education on-line program for individuals who do not live close to either campus. On-Campus Early Intervention Training Program at The University of Montana What will the program prepare students to do? The Preparing Interdisciplinary Early Interventionists for Rural States program will enable students to gain competencies and skills for working with infants and toddlers who have developmental delays and disabilities, including low-incidence disabilities. In this program, low-incidence disabilities includes young children with a visual or hearing impairment, or simultaneous visual and hearing impairment, significant mental retardation, or an impairment such as severe and multiple disabilities, severe orthopedic disabilities, autism, and traumatic brain injury. The training will prepare students to meet certification standards in Montana to provide State and Federally supported early intervention services (Part C - Infant, Toddler, and Family Program of the IDEA), as well as set a foundation for The University of Montana's degree granting programs. (Each state has their own certification standards and some other states have accepted people with this training as meeting their state’s standards.) A goal of the early intervention training program is to prepare students from a variety of health, education and human service disciplines with the skills and competencies necessary to provide family-centered early intervention services in rural settings through multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary teams to infants and toddler with disabilities and their families. The early intervention courses will be in addition to a student’s work toward their major in another discipline. The courses are available to both undergraduate and graduate level students. What kind of degree will students get through this program? On-campus students may enroll in one of two tracks, leading either to a minor in Human and Family Development (undergraduate students) or a Master's of Interdisciplinary Studies degree (graduate students) or other health, education or human services Masters program. In the past, the on-campus early intervention interdisciplinary program included students majoring in the disciplines of education, psychology, social work, sociology, physical therapy or pre-physical therapy, communication studies, and nursing. What courses are part of the early intervention training program? Interdisciplinary educational competencies for the early
intervention training program will be covered through six core early intervention
courses that focus on infants and toddlers developmental delays or disabilities.
Importantly, best practices for rural services will be superimposed across
the core courses and practicum experience. The core courses and practicum
are: Practical applied experiences will be embedded in each of these courses, as well as gaining experience through providing a mandatory 100 hours of volunteer home-based respite services for a family with a young child with a disability, to be completed over the two year period of time. The HFD 490 is an intensive practicum that follows the completion of the core courses where, under supervision of certified early interventionists, the student will have the opportunity to apply their training in an early intervention service agency. In addition, the core early intervention courses will address Montana's Part C (Infant and Toddler with Disabilities Program of the IDEA) requirements for certification of Family Support Specialists, which are the professionals providing early intervention Part C home-based services. Click here for downloadable information about the program. (Link not currently available) What types of student scholarships and supports are available for Students enrolled in the on-campus Early Intervention Program? Scholarship and support funds are available on a limited basis for students. In order to be eligible for scholarship and support funds, a student must be (1) enrolled in the early intervention courses being offered for the semester, (2) committed to taking all the early intervention courses and practicum, and (3) planning on a career in early intervention. In general, the scholarship support can be used towards meeting a student’s education expenses, such as tuition, books and materials. The scholarship and support funds are from the U.S. Department of Education which has a requirement that students who accept the scholarship and support funds are required, after graduation, to work in early intervention for a specific period of time based on the amount of scholarship and support the student received. Click here for downloadable information about the scholarships. (Link not currently available) In addition, there is limited amount of support available for student
assistantships. These funds are available for two or three advanced undergraduate
or graduate students to assist faculty in the Click here for downloadable information about student assistantships. (Link not currently available) This is an EEO/AA scholarship program. Applicants from traditionally under-represented groups, minorities, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Off-Campus Distance Education Early Intervention Training Program from The University of Montana through Minot State University Who should take the distance education early intervention training? The distance education off-campus early intervention training is designed for people who are not able to attend the on-campus program in Montana but want to take the early intervention courses. This part of the program is specifically aimed at people who may have an undergraduate degree in a health, education or human service discipline and want to pursue a career in early intervention or enhance their early intervention skills. What will the program prepare students to do? The distance education program will enable students to enhance their skills for working with infants and toddlers who have developmental delays and disabilities, including low-incidence disabilities. In this program, low-incidence disabilities includes young children with a visual or hearing impairment, or simultaneous visual and hearing impairment, significant mental retardation, or an impairment such as severe and multiple disabilities, severe orthopedic disabilities, autism, and traumatic brain injury. The training will prepare students to meet certification standards in Montana to provide State and Federally supported early intervention services (Part C - Infant, Toddler, and Family Program of the IDEA) services in Montana, as well as set a foundation for The University of Montana's degree granting programs. (Each state has their own certification standards and some other states have accepted people with this training as meeting their state’s standards.) Like the on-campus program, the goal of the distance education early intervention training program is to prepare students from a variety of health, education and human service disciplines with the skills and competencies necessary to provide family-centered early intervention services in rural settings through multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary teams to infants and toddler with disabilities and their families. The courses are available to both undergraduate and graduate level students. What kind of certification or degree will his program prepare students for? Off-campus students may enroll in one of two tracks leading either to the competencies/skills necessary to apply for Montana Early Intervention Certification or initial work towards a graduate program at The University of Montana plus the necessary skills/competencies to apply for Montana Family Support Specialist Certification. In the past, the off-campus early intervention interdisciplinary program has included students with majors in the disciplines of education, psychology, social work, sociology, physical therapy, speech therapy, communication studies, and nursing. What courses are part of the distance education early intervention training program? Interdisciplinary educational competencies for the early intervention training program will be covered through six core early intervention courses that will focus on infants and toddlers developmental delays or disabilities. Importantly, best practices for rural services will be superimposed across the core courses and practical experiences. In addition, the core early intervention courses will address Montana's Part C (Infant and Toddler with Disabilities Program of the IDEA) requirements for certification of Family Support Specialists, which are the professionals providing early intervention Part C home-based services. The content of the courses is based on the on-campus courses. (See the On-Campus section above.) How do students enroll in the distance education program? While students from Montana will work with faculty and staff at The University of Montana, all off-campus students, including students from Montana, will enroll for the early intervention courses through Minot State University. The course cost through Minot State University are the same for students from Montana and North Dakota. Each course will follow the calendar for Minot State University semesters. The courses are designed to be self-paced within the time period of a semester. Students will be required to have the computer skills necessary to take a distance education course, have access to a computer with specific minimum capabilities and memory and a specific minimum internet connection. In addition, there will be an annual summer institute to cover issues and provide access to resources that may not be widely available. This also provides an opportunity to meet other students and the project faculty. Click here for downloadable information about the program. (Link not currently available) What types of student scholarships and supports are available for Students enrolled in the off-campus Early Intervention Program? Scholarship and support funds are available on a limited basis for students. In order to be eligible for scholarship and support funds, a student must be (1) enrolled in the early intervention course being offered for the semester, (2) committed to taking all the early intervention courses and practicum, and (3) planning on a career in early intervention or are currently working in early intervention. In general, the scholarship support can be used towards meeting a student’s education expenses, such as tuition, books and materials. The scholarship and support funds are from the U.S. Department of Education which has a requirement that students who accept scholarship and support funds are required, after completion of their course work, to work in early intervention for a specific period of time based on the amount of scholarship and support the student receives. Click here for downloadable information about the scholarships. (Link not currently available) This is an EEO/AA scholarship program. Applicants from traditionally under-represented groups, minorities, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. For Further Information About The University of Montana Early Intervention Training Program For more information about the course work, scholarships, student assistantships, or the Preparing Interdisciplinary Early Interventionists for Rural States project at The University of Montana, contact: Susie Morrison
For Information About the Minot State University’s Early Intervention Training /Early Childhood Special Education Program For more information about the course work, scholarships, student assistantships, or the Preparing Interdisciplinary Early Interventionists for Rural States project at Minot State University, contact: Dr. Alan Ekblad
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52 Corbin Hall
Missoula, MT 59812
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