Early Childhood Special Education and Assistive Technology Blog

By: Carrie Portrie , EC-SEAT Coordinator The National Association for theEducation of Young Children (NAEYC) with the Fred Rogers Center for EarlyLearning and Children’s Media (2012) joint position statement Technology and Interactive Media as Tools in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8 states when technology is used wisely and with intention it “support learning and relationships,” (p. 1). When children and adults learn together the potential for positive development can enhance relationships throughout an early learning community (p. 1). Technology includes a variety of tools and devices including but not limited to: “computers, tablets, multitouch screens, interactive whiteboards, mobile devices, cameras, DVD and music players, audio recorders, electronic toys, games, e-book readers, and older analog devices still being used such as tape recorders, VCRs, VHS tapes, record and cassette players, light tables, projectors, and microscopes,” (NAE...

When developing supports and curriculum for very young learners in early childhood settings and at home, it is important to look toward evidence-based practices and professional competencies put forth by your organization and state. The New Hampshire Child Development Bureau, Division for Children, Youth and Families, and the NH Department for Health and Human Services (2013) have written New Hampshire’s Infant and Toddler Workforce SpecializedCompetencies . This document provides core knowledge, components and topics for the infant and toddler workforce in NH. Core Knowledge 4: Promoting Child Growth and Development includes children with special needs. Among the knowledge and skills listed is: “ Skill 4.1T4S2: Participates in multidisciplinary planning teams, and provides input in and follows specific plans for infants/toddlers (Individual Family Support Plan, Individualized Health Plan); incorporates assistive technology as needed.” The Infant Toddler Credential Task Force ...

Executive function skills develop through positive adult interactions and positive learning experiences early on in life and are entwined with emotional well-being (Blair & Diamond 2008, Florez, 2011). The Center on the Developing Child refers to executive functioning as, “the ability to hold onto and work with information, focus thinking, filter distractions, and switch gears…like an airport having a highly effective air traffic control system to manage the arrivals and departures of dozens of planes on multiple runways,.” Executive functioning and self-regulation skills rely on: working memory, mental flexibility, and self-control (Center on the Developing Child, 2011.).   Biologically the brain is prepared and expecting to be shaped by experience according to Dr. Jack Shonkoff at the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. Young children develop higher mental functions as they learn from others and their environment (Tools of the Mind, 2013). Specificall...

Navigating the research and policies regarding learning outcomes, competencies, goals, standards from federal and state organizations can be quite overwhelming. The documentation exceeds the field of early childhood and special education to include public health, medicine and more. With good reason, many educators are wary of standards for their “one size fits all” notions, but standards are dynamic not static. They can empower children and educators and offer professional preparation “more valuable than a list of rules to follow,” (NAEYC, 2009, p. 2). The question remains, how do we work together effectively to implement standards and coordinate professional practices? The United States Office of Planning Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families (OPRE) released Conceptualizing and Measuring Collaboration in the Context of Early Childhood Care and Education offering some suggestions. Professionals working one-on-one, in classrooms, and in state-level agencies...