 |
|
UPLink is a federally funded interdisciplinary training project
designed to address the need to: (a) increase the number and
quality of personnel serving young children (0-5) with low-incidence
disabilities and their families in diverse settings; (b) build
strong university-community partnerships for the preparation
of qualified personnel in urban environments; and (c) increase
the number of professionals from traditionally underrepresented
groups to serve children with low-incidence disabilities (e.g.,
autism, visual impairment, hearing impairment, severe orthopedic
impairment, severe mental retardation, traumatic brain injury)
and their families. The training component of the program
provides for teacher licensure for 16 graduate students yearly
(for 5 years) in early childhood special education with specialized
training in severe disabilities and interdisciplinary work
with early childhood educators and related services personnel.
In addition, the program provides for a 10-credit interdisciplinary
specialization certificate in early intervention and disabilities
for 12 graduate students yearly from early childhood education,
nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychology
and social work.
Major activities
- Develop and provide a comprehensive interdisciplinary
program with specialty components in early intervention
and low-incidence disabilities
- Develop and implement a collaborative, community-based
fieldwork experience that places trainees
on interdisciplinary teams in infant, preschool and urban
community settings
- Enhance recruitment of well-qualified
students, faculty, and staff from traditionally underrepresented
groups and retain graduates by providing the opportunity
for a post-graduate mentorship
- Provide the parent(s) of a young child with a low-incidence
disability with the opportunity to mentor a student in the
program for one full year through the family mentorship
experience
- Develop case-based instructional tapes and course vignettes
on low-incidence disabilities relevant to the 0 to 5 population
and suitable for delivery through Web-based instruction
- Disseminate project content, information
and materials to faculty of Virginia's higher education
institutions and others involved in the preparation of personnel
serving young children with low-incidence disabilities
- Conduct systematic evaluation to monitor
project implementation, objectives and outcomes
|
