Early intervention and special education programs provide supports and services to children with disabilities so they can develop, learn, and grow to reach their fullest potential. Early intervention focuses on family engagement and includes specialized services such as physical, occupational, or speech therapy for infants and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities in their natural environments. Special education programs provide therapies and educational services to preschool and school-age children in the least restrictive environment. FPG's work in early intervention and special education is extensive and conducted at every level of the system (i.e., national, state, and local ). Our technical assistance projects include tools, resources, and processes to support system leaders in building the infrastructure necessary to facilitate practitioners’ use of evidence-based practices to improve outcomes for children with disabilities and their families. Projects also provide faculty and professional development providers with strategies for preparing the early childhood workforce to support the learning and development of young children with disabilities.
Featured FPG News Story
The International Early Childhood Inclusion Institute is designed for individuals working toward inclusion at all levels and in a wide variety of roles. Attendees include classroom teachers and assistants, government officials, family members, faculty, and researchers. The 2022 Institute welcomed more than 500 attendees both in person and virtually.
Featured Resource
It is critical for children to see themselves in the books they read. This is especially important for children of color and children with disabilities, as they are frequently not represented in children’s literature. In this blog post, STEMIE's Chih-Ing Lim, PhD, and Hsiu-Wen Yang, PhD, share how storybooks can be powerful tools in building children's identity.
Featured Project
The Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center supports state IDEA Part C and Section 619 programs in developing high-quality early intervention and preschool special education service systems, increasing local implementation of evidence-based practices, and enhancing outcomes for young children with disabilities and their families.
