Kansas Inservice Training System: Infant/Toddler Component


This project will continue support for the Kansas Inservice Training System (KITS) to include professional development and technical assistance for staff and programs providing early intervention services to infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. The continued growth and development of a comprehensive statewide training system, addressing professional development needs of infant/toddler early intervention professionals, paraprofessionals, related services personnel and families in the State of Kansas, is essential to assure quality services. Therefore, this project will continue to enhance a professional development and technical assistance program and provide learning opportunities through support of a variety of collaborative training and technical assistance activities on a comprehensive statewide basis.

The project will provide results-based professional development and technical assistance to the early intervention programs in the state, for infants/toddlers with disabilities (Part C of IDEIA). Additionally, parents and staff of network agencies collaborating with those programs will be afforded opportunities to be involved with training and technical assistance activities.

Results based staff development needs will be addressed at three levels of training – Level 1-Proactive/General Issues Staff Development, Level 2-Focused Staff

Development, and Level 3-Intensive Staff Development. This will be accomplished through collaboration with the state lead agency (Kansas Department of Health and Environment) and will be based in research-validated strategies.

The project's goals will be accomplished through activities such as Level 1 and 2 results-based training, a summer institute, dissemination of information through a quarterly newsletter and web site, utilization of a listserv, provision of network technical assistance (Level 3), development of new interventionist, new administrator and technical assistance packets for practitioners in the field and based on research validated resources, and management of the identification of exemplary practices in the state. Additionally, the project will expand learning opportunities through such avenues as web based threaded discussion and training, video streaming, and self-study materials. Further, the program will continue to build the statewide early childhood resource center.  This center houses material for professionals and families to access in support of services, program or individual needs as well as support through Internet information resources. These include online access to state and national resources, training/TA materials, and KDHE guidance documents. These materials are accessible through the Internet from across the state, which facilitates the interaction of resource materials with the needs of the state, specific agencies and individuals. The program also maintains an online searchable training calendar.

Finally, this program will continue to support and utilize existing structures and opportunities for staff development occurring throughout the state through collaborative linkages with other agencies, programs, organizations, and projects in the field of early intervention and early childhood education.

Funding Agency

Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE)

Website

Kansas Inservice Training System

Principal Investigator

Staff