1. Creating Supportive, Inclusive Placements for Deaf Preschoolers The River School Model Sarah Wainscott

2. Purpose of Presentation Provide a rationale and overview of an inclusion model: The River School Share strategies for effective intervention programming within inclusion setting Hidden Agenda: –Think differently about intervention –Children with hearing loss are children first –Maximize the potential of EHDI

3. Priority Focus: Competence commensurate with typical hearing peers for skills in: Communication Spoken language Socialization Goal is broad competency and generalized skills

4. Timeliness of Inclusive Intervention Programming: Advent of universal newborn hearing screening Positive outcomes for EI participants Earlier implantation & advancing technology Research related to incidental language learning for implant users IDEA policy regarding least restrictive environment Narrow scope of traditional oral approach Best practices in early childhood education

5. Inclusion Model of Education Underlying Principles M ultifaceted approach should be used to support the development of communication, spoken language, and social skills. Intervention services should be imbedded within a context of developmentally appropriate early childhood curriculum, and alongside hearing peers. – –Potential benefit in more natural context

6. Components of Model: Small groups of primarily typical hearing peers Transdisciplinary team of Educator and SLP Strong developmental framework Focus on spoken language and literacy Family-centered programming Result: Intensive services in least restrictive environment

7. Developmental Framework: Setting the Stage Create an Appealing, Inviting Environment Improve the Acoustics Think About Groupings Carefully Plan Schedule Create the Culture of the Classroom

8. Transdisciplinary Teaming Diverse team of professionals Shared ownership of classroom Cross-training and role release Broad professional development Teachers as facilitators

9. The Role of Typical, Hearing Peers Play partners Language models Social agents Standard of typical development Context of Least Restrictive Environment

10. Language & Learning: Select Target Areas Social Development Play Skills Pre-Literacy Skills Auditory Development

11. Language & Social Development TARGETS Initiating, Responding, and Maintaining a Conversation Exchanging Information Negotiating and Resolving Conflict Developing Relationships

12. Language & Social Development STRATEGIES Facilitating and Modeling Interaction Manipulating Environment and Materials Using Scripting Deliberately Grouping Valuing Individual Identity and Grouplife

13. Language & Play Skills TARGETS Developing Concepts Using Functional and Symbolic Play Engaging in Dramatic Play Developing Understanding of Roles and Responsibilities

14. Language & Play Skills STRATEGIES Providing (and Frequently Changing) Engaging Props and Materials Narrating and Supporting Play Using Extending and Questioning Following the Childrens Interests Using Themes (Books, Concepts)

15. Language & Pre-Literacy Skills TARGETS Using Vocabulary and Background Knowledge Using Symbols and Sequencing Using Knowledge of Language Structure Reading for Comprehension

16. Language & Pre-Literacy Skills STRATEGIES Providing Foundational Vocabulary Base Linking Print Information with Childs Experiences Providing a Variety of Reading Materials Using Environmental Print Using a Strong Approach to Phonological Awareness and Phonics Placing a High Priority on Reading Checking for Comprehension Imbedding Reading & Writing in Routine

17. Auditory Development For Early Identified D/HoH TARGETS Detecting a variety of sounds Discriminating saliently different to saliently similar sounds Identifying environmental sounds &speech Comprehending content information Following conversation

18. Auditory Development For Early Identified D/HoH STRATEGIES Using listening tasks in routines and play Experimenting with sounds Integrating auditory information with other sensory input Using repetition, redundancy, & acoustic highlighting

19. Language, Listening, and Learning Identify Targets Set the Stage Partner Effectively Use Multiple Strategies Create incidental opportunities to make natural connections

20. Is the Model working for emerging language users, targeting competence in communication, spoken language, and socialization? Preliminary data suggest that implanted deaf children educated in an inclusion model show trends of: –high frequency of interactions –greater peer-driven communication –frequent initiation of communication –rapid progress toward linguistic communication Inclusion Model of Education The BIG question...

21. Resources: www.riverschool.net Where We Work: The River School www.ASHA.org ASHA Leader March 2005 www.ASHA.org Mouthtime At The River School; M.O.Kane Advanced Bionics Loud & Clear Sarah Wainscott – Educational Consultant wainscot@erols.com