Purpose: Adaptations such as adjusting task materials or using assistive technology expose children with disabilities to a wider range of daily living and educational activities and improve developmental and academic outcomes. Although adaptations are frequently used with older children with disabilities, they are not described on Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs) or widely used with infants and toddlers. Early interventionists, service providers, and IFSP development teams need support systems for documenting and increasing the use of adaptations for infants and toddlers with disabilities.

The researchers are addressing this need by developing an IFSP form and accompanying web-based performance support system to help service providers develop and increase use of adaptations for infants and toddlers with disabilities. The purpose of this study is to design, launch, and conduct an initial evaluation of the adaptation-based IFSP and support system.

Project Activities: A four-phase development process is planned. During the first phase, existing datasets will be reviewed to inform the development of the adaptation-based IFSP form, process, and professional development materials. In the second phase, the developed form and process will be tested and refined based on its use with families and their children who have just entered the Part C early intervention system. The third phase involves the development and launch of web-based performance support tools for creating adaptation-based IFSPs. The final phase includes the initial evaluation of the adaptation-based IFSP form, process, and support tools using random assignment of six states to experimental or control conditions. In this initial evaluation, the researchers will obtain evidence of the potential effects of the form, process, and materials on outcomes for families, their young children with disabilities, and providers.

Products: Expected products include an adaptation-based IFSP form, a web-based performance support system, and professional development materials. Additional products include reports on the potential efficacy of the form and process on family, child, and provider outcomes and characteristics that may influence these outcomes.

Structured Abstract

The researchers are addressing this need by developing an IFSP form and accompanying web-based performance support system to help service providers develop and increase use of adaptations for infants and toddlers with disabilities. The purpose of this study is to design, launch, and conduct an initial evaluation of the adaptation-based IFSP form and support system.

Setting: The research will occur in Arizona, Pennsylvania, and six other states to be determined.

Population: Approximately 200 families and their children who have just begun receiving early intervention services through Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) as well as their associated providers will participate in this research. Children who participate in the research must be under 24 months of age at the start of the study. While participating families will be racially and ethnically diverse, all will be required to use English as their primary language in the home.

Intervention: The IFSP form and accompanying web-based performance support system will be based upon several data sources including states' IFSP forms, interventionists' practices—particularly their use of adaptations with infants toddlers with disabilities—and family routines and activities. Instructions for conducting interviews with families and a process for using data sources to develop IFSPs and monitor child progress will also be developed. Project staff will provide 12 hours of formal training on the IFSP form, process, and accompanying web-based performance support system to all participating providers. Staff will also provide ongoing support and mentoring to supervisors who will in turn provide support and mentoring to providers.

Research Design and Methods: A four-phase development process is planned. During the first phase, existing datasets will be reviewed to inform the development of the adaptation-based IFSP form, process, and professional development materials. In the second phase, a single-group, pre-test/post-test design will be implemented to test the form for its feasibility. The third phase involves the development and launch of web-based performance support tools for creating adaptation-based IFSPs. The final phase includes the initial evaluation of the adaptation-based IFSP form, process, and support tools using random assignment of six states to experimental or control conditions. In this initial evaluation, the researchers will obtain evidence of the potential effects of the form, process, and materials on outcomes for families, their young children with disabilities, and providers.

Control Condition: The contrast group will receive an intervention that focuses on conducting family interviews as part of the IFSP development process and goal-attainment scaling for measuring developmental progress and IFSP objectives.

Key Measures: Data on the development, practicality, and feasibility of the IFSP form and on implementation fidelity will be collected. In addition, child functional and adaptive behavior skills and family care-giving practices will be assessed.

Data Analytic Strategy: Quantitative data analysis techniques and approaches including multivariate analysis of variance, hierarchical linear modeling, and moderator analyses will be utilized to determine preliminary effects of the form on families, their young children with disabilities, and providers. Also, data will be analyzed to determine family, child, and provider characteristics that may influence observed outcomes; the type and intensity of professional development necessary to use the IFSP form and process, and the perceived value and feasibility of the IFSP form and materials from the perspective of participating early intervention providers and families.

Products and Publications

Book chapter

Campbell, P.H., and Wilcox, M.J. (2012). Using Assistive Technology to Promote Inclusion in Early Childhood Settings. In L. Muccio (Ed.), Spotlight on Young Children and Technology (pp. 36–43). Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Journal article, monograph, or newsletter

Campbell, P., Milbourne, S., and Wilcox, M. (2008). Adaptation Interventions to Promote Participation in Natural Settings. Infants and Young Children, 21(2): 94–106.

Cardon, T., Wilcox, M.J., and Campbell, P.H. (2011). Caregiver Perspectives About Assistive Technology Use With Their Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders. Infants and Young Children, 24(2): 153–173. doi:10.1097/IYC.0b013e31820eae40

Cardon, T., Wilcox, M. J., & Campbell, P. H. (2011). Young children with ASD: Caregiver perspectives about assistive technology use during activities/routines. Infants and Young Children, 24 (2), 153–173, doi: 10.1097/IYC.0b013e31820eae40

Guimond, A., Wilcox, M., and Lamorey, S. (2008). The Early Intervention Parenting Self-Efficacy Scale (EIPSES): Scale Construction and Initial Psychometric Evidence. Journal of Early Intervention, 30(4): 295–320. doi:10.1177/1053815108320814

Kling, A., Campbell, P.H., and Wilcox, M.J. (2010). Young Children With Physical Disabilities: Caregiver Perspectives About Assistive Technology. Infants and Young Children, 23(3): 169–183. doi:10.1097/IYC.0b013e3181e1a873

Popp, T., and Wilcox, M.J. (2012). Capturing the Complexity of Parent-Provider Relationships in Early Intervention: The Association With Maternal Responsivity and Children's Social-Emotional Development. Infants and Young Children, 25(3): 213–231. doi:10.1097/IYC.0b013e318258c63a

Wilcox, M.J., and Woods, J. (2011). Participation as a Basis for Developing Early Intervention Outcomes. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in the Schools, 42(3): 365–378. doi:10.1044/0161–1461(2011/10–0014)

Wilcox, M.J., Campbell, P.H., Fortuno, L., and Hoffman, J. (2013). A First Look at Early Intervention and Early Childhood Providers' Reports of Assistive Technology Reuse. Journal of Special Education Technology, 28(3): 47–58.