The Hilton/Head Start Training Program Final Report: 5 Year Visual Executive Summary (2002 through 2007)
Programs rated themselves on four specific practices in the area of inclusion that related to the current level of EHS/MSHS programs’ ability to effectively identify and serve infants and toddlers with disabilities. A bar graph displays the summarized results of the “Our Perceptions of Inclusion” ratings. Items between 0 – 1 indicate that no plan is in place. Items between 1 – 3 indicate that programs are in the planning stage. Items between 3 – 7 indicate that a practice is being partially implemented. Items between 7 – 10 mean the practices are being fully implemented.
For item 1, our team has a vision, shared by family and staff, for including infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families, including significant disabilities, in our program – programs had a mean score of 4.5, in Year 2 a 6.8, in Year 3 a 7.75 and in Year 4 an 8.4. For item 2, our program has a written recruitment and enrollment policy, which has been approved by the Policy Council, that clearly states a commitment to serving infants and toddlers with significant disabilities and their families – programs had a mean score of 6.3, in Year 2 a 7.95, in Year 3 a 8.5 and in Year 4 a 9.1. For item 3, the program uses targeted strategies for recruiting infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families, including those with significant disabilities – programs had a mean score of 5.2, in Year 2 a 7.05, in Year 3 a 7.85 and in Year 4 an 8.5. Lastly, for item 4, our program makes adaptations to the learning environment and instructional methods to ensure that infants and toddlers with disabilities can participate fully in the program – programs had a mean score of 6.3, in Year 2 a 7.95, in Year 3 a 8.5 and in Year 4 a 9.0. It is noted that the difference in average ratings was significant for all items at an alpha level of 0.001.
SpecialQuest teams in general increased in scores from Year 1 to Year 4 moving into full implementation across all of these practices for all items (see chart above). The largest increase from Year 1 to Year 4 was 84% on item 1, programs’ rating of practices that support a clear team vision.
Participants cited the provision of training as an important factor in nurturing a positive attitude toward enrolling and serving infants and toddlers with disabilities in EHS/MSHS programs.
A bar chart indicates a comparison of the average ratings of participants regarding their skills in working with infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. In Year 1, 18 percent of participants indicated their skills were improved very much, 19 percent in Year 2, 23 percent in Year 3, and 28 percent in Year 4. In Year 1, 33 percent of participants indicated their skills were improved much, 45 percent in Year 2, 46 percent in Year 3, and 40 percent in Year 4. In Year 1, 30 percent of participants indicated their skills were improved a fair amount, 25 percent in Year 2, 24 percent in Year 3, and 23 percent in Year 4. In Year 1, 14 percent of participants indicated their skills were improved a little, 9 percent in Year 2, 7 percent in Year 3, and 8 percent in Year 4. And finally, in Year 1, 3 percent of participants indicated their skills were not at all improved, 1 percent in Year 2, 1 percent in Year 3, and less than 1 percent in Year 4.
A second bar chart indicates a comparison of the average ratings of participants regarding their comfort in working with infants and toddlers with disabilities in EHS/MSHS programs. In Year 1, 24 percent of participants indicated their comfort increased very much, 26 percent in Year 2, 33 percent in Year 3, and 38 percent in Year 4. In Year 1, 36 percent of participants indicated their comfort increased much, 44 percent in Year 2, 42 percent in Year 3, and 37 percent in Year 4. In Year 1, 26 percent of participants indicated their comfort increased a fair amount, 23 percent in Year 2, 19 percent in Year 3, and 20 percent in Year 4. In Year 1, 11 percent of participants indicated their comfort increased a little, 6 percent in Year 2, 6 percent in Year 3, and 5 percent in Year 4. And finally, in Year 1, 4 percent of participants indicated their comfort was not at all increased, 2 percent in Year 2, 1 percent in Year 3, and less than 1 percent in Year 4.
On average, across the four years, more than 90% of the participants indicated that because of their participation in SpecialQuest, they were at least “a fair amount” more skilled and comfortable in working with infants and toddlers with significant disabilities. As the charts depict, there was an upward trend across all four years with participants indicating that that their skill and comfort “very much” increased.