Preparation of Interdisciplinary Early Intervention for Rural States

Project Description:

This project is executed by The University of Montana Rural Institute and UM's Department of Psychology, along with Minot State University's Department of Communication Disorders and Special Education and the North Dakota Center for Persons with Disabilities. The two universities jointly administer the project, which provides interdisciplinary early intervention training for personnel to serve infants, toddlers, and young children with low-incidence disabilities and their families. The objective is to fulfill the significant need in Montana and North Dakota for trained personnel to work with these children and their families. In Montana, the program is implemented in conjunction with the Department of Psychology-Human and Family Development, the Masters of Interdisciplinary Studies program, and The University of Montana Rural Institute on Disabilities. In North Dakota the program is implemented in conjunction with Minot State University's Department of Communication Disorders and Special Education, and the North Dakota Center for Persons with Disabilities.

Goals are to:

1. Revise, implement, expand and evaluate curricula and provide six pre-service interdisciplinary early intervention courses and an intensive end-of-course practicum, as well as provide scholarships and support for 100 students;

2. Provide training in both on-campus classes and through distance education courses;

3. Develop the strategies necessary to provide the training courses through distance education methods at two universities.

Students targeted will be upper level undergraduate students, non-degree graduate students, and graduate students from health, education, and human services disciplines. Students who complete the series of courses and practicum will be qualified to meet Montana's and North Dakota's Part C requirements for certification of professionals providing early intervention services. Graduates of the program will be qualified in Montana and North Dakota to be employed by Part C service provider agencies, as well as other health, education, and human service agencies or programs that serve Part C children and families.

Contact Info:

Ted Maloney
Project Director
tmaloneyr@ruralinstitute.umt.edu
406-243-2897