Welcome to Project ITAP - Infants, Toddlers, And Preschoolers
WHAT IS PROJECT ITAP?
Project ITAP: Training Personnel to Serve Infants, Toddlers and Preschoolers:
The George Washington University's Department of Teacher Preparation and Special Education has received funding from the U.S. Department of Education for a combined early intervention/early childhood training project to prepare 39 fully credentialed special education and early intervention personnel. Full-time and part-time students take a 39-hour master's degree program focused on infants, toddlers and preschool children with disabilities. Awards for 70% of tuition costs are awarded on a competitive basis. Program graduates have an obligation to work in the field of early intervention or special education for two years for every year of full-time funding.
The Early Childhood Special Education Program at GW is based on the principles of family-centered, individualized family service plans/individual education plans, natural environments/inclusion, teaming, and service coordination. With a new emphasis in program curriculum, graduates will be prepared to improve services for the DC metropolitan area's infants, toddlers and preschoolers with disabilities through
- coursework that focuses on evidence-based education related to cultural and linguistic diversity, social-emotional development/mental health, positive behavioral intervention
- a programmatic emphasis on literacy to ensure that children meet learning standards
- a two-semester supervised field experience guided by State learning standards
- field placements in a variety of professional partner programs in culturally, linguistically and economically diverse programs in urban areas
- ongoing high quality mentoring and induction using a Community of Practice approach.
Marian Jarrett, Ed.D. has a doctoral degree in Infant Special Education and a Master's degree in speech-language pathology. She is the Lead Faculty in the GW Early Childhood Special Education Program. Dr. Jarrett is a full-time, tenured faculty member in the Department of Teacher Preparation and Special Education. She teaches courses in the areas of language and literacy, infant development, assessment, behavior management, intervention strategies, and family support. Dr. Jarrett has served as principal investigator and co-investigator on several research and training grants.
Dr. Jarrett has experience working in community-based early intervention and early childhood special education programs as well as experience working with urban, minority families in Washington, D.C. as the developmental specialist for GW Hospital and as a co-investigator on an NIH grant with minority women and their infants. Dr. Jarrett's research includes personnel preparation, the needs of families of children with disabilities, and differences in grieving the death of an infant across cultures.
Karin H. Spencer, Ed.D. is the Project Director for Project ITAP. She has Masters degree and a doctoral degree in Early Childhood Special Education from The George Washington University. She has served as a Project Director for three personnel preparation training grants and teaches courses in the areas of materials and methods, affective development and behavior management, infant and early childhood mental health, and family support.
Dr. Spencer has supported young children and their families as a direct service provider in special education and Head Start programs. She has worked in leadership positions providing program planning and coordinating and implementing professional development. Current work includes the development of on-line communities of practice. Dr. Spencer's research includes personnel preparation, cultural and linguistic diversity, and social emotional development.
Lucia Ortiz, M.A. is the Research Assistant for Project ITAP. She has a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and a Master's degree in Education and Human Development with a concentration in Infant Special Education. Ms. Ortiz has extensive training in typical and atypical early childhood development and early intervention services for children with disabilities. She has worked with children from birth to five years old both at home and in inclusive child care settings. Past experience includes coordinating local services for at-risk children and children with varying disabilities, working with culturally and linguistically diverse families, and providing information about the special education law to the public at a national level. Being a native Spanish speaker, she has first hand knowledge of the Latino culture. Ms. Ortiz also has experience with Web based resources and technology.
The Advisory Council comprises expert members of the early intervention and early childhood special education community. All members have deep knowledge and expertise in a variety of topics, with particular emphasis on the ITAP foci. The Advisory Council provides vital support and guidance to the project in a variety of ways. For example, they meet with project staff biannually to discuss Project goals, issues and concerns. Advisory Council members work with Project staff to plan the annual Networking Conference, provide input to guide course development, share their expertise as guest lecturers, mentor students in field placements and actively engage in the ITAP community of practice.
