(51) Building Undergraduate Students’ Knowledge of Early Intervention Through an Interdisciplinary Learning Community

Abstract: The Early Intervention Learning Community (EILC) was designed to expand the curricula of undergraduate students in Communication Sciences and Disorders and Special Education by offering interdisciplinary EI experiences, which were not previously available. The goals of the learning community were to (1) increase awareness of EI career opportunities; (2) provide opportunities to learn about EI topics beyond required coursework; and (3) establish student-EI provider relationships through community-based field experiences. This learning community addressed the national shortage of EI providers and aimed to increase student interest, confidence, and preparation for possible future careers in EI. During this presentation, the primary components of the learning community will be shared, along with a summary of the evaluation data gathered from students during the EILC.

Summary of Presentation : There is currently a nationwide shortage of clinicians and other professionals with expertise in early intervention (EI) and birth-3 populations, and this is partially due to a lack of training at the preservice level (CEC, 2019; Farrugia, 2022; Prelock & Deppe, 2015). Some universities have started providing preservice training experiences in EI for their students, but these experiences are typically reserved for students at the graduate level (Lieberman-Betz et al., 2023). Undergraduate students continue to have limited opportunities to learn about EI, which may be a barrier that prevents some students from pursuing these types of opportunities at the graduate level due to a lack of awareness.

To increase awareness of EI in undergraduate students, faculty members in Speech-Language Pathology and Special Education collaborated to design and implement an interdisciplinary learning community. The Early Intervention Learning Community (EILC) began in the fall of 2019. After two semesters of piloting the program, faculty members designed a study to evaluate the outcomes of the EILC and identify areas for improvement. This study included a total of 26 undergraduate students across 4 semesters. Fifteen students were majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD), and 11 students were majoring in Special Education (SED). Data on the students’ learning, experiences, and feedback were collected. This presentation provides a description of the purpose of the EILC, the primary components of the program, and a summary of the evaluation data from the research study. The presentation will end with the researchers’ reflections on how to improve the EILC for future cohorts of undergraduate students.

Purpose of the EILC
The EILC was designed to help decrease the national shortage of EI providers and guide undergraduate students toward paths that will support them in becoming well-prepared, effective, and confident professionals (CEC, 2019). When EI providers are not fully prepared or do not feel supported in their current role, they are more likely to leave the field or provide services that do not effectively increase child development. Studies have shown a lack of training in EI topics and practices at the pre-service level. In a survey of speech-language pathologists (SLPs), physical therapists (PTs), and occupational therapists (OTs), less than 33% stated their education programs prepared them to work “very well” with infants and toddlers. In addition, less than 20% stated their education programs prepared them to work “very well” with families (Campbell et al., 2009). A more recent survey study revealed discrepancies in SLPs’ and university personnel’s perceptions of preservice training in EI (Caesar, 2022). Less than half of SLPs employed in EI settings felt their graduate program prepared them for careers in EI whereas more than 90% of university personnel believed their graduate programs provided adequate training. Providing multiple opportunities to learn and practice skills related to EI may be necessary to adequately prepare future service providers, and it may be necessary to start providing these opportunities earlier, particularly at the undergraduate level.

Our EILC served as an early step for undergraduate students in preparing for careers in EI. The Division of Early Childhood Recommended Practices related to leadership and teaming/collaboration were key in the development of the learning community as these skills often take years to develop and refine (DEC, 2015). We provided our students with multiple opportunities to learn about key topics in EI, facilitating opportunities to engage in interprofessional education with other students, which set them up to be team collaborators once they are employed as EI providers (DEC, 2015; Johnson, 2016). Through our EILC, students were able to connect with EI experts within and outside the university setting, allowing them to learn a variety of perspectives and have a diverse set of experiences. Students explored topics related to family-centered practices, caregiver coaching, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Through this learning community, faculty members and EI providers promoted conditions and mindsets, and taught strategies to support students from multiple disciplines in building interpersonal skills for working with families as a team. The interdisciplinary nature of the learning community introduced students to the value of interprofessional education/practice while also increasing their understanding of the purpose and roles of EI providers.

Format and Organization
The EILC is a 1-credit independent study that provides undergraduate students with an introduction to EI through the following learning experiences: (1) self-guided online modules covering key early intervention topics; (2) guest speaker meetings with experts in the field; and (3) community-based observations in natural environments with practicing EI providers and a peer partner from a different discipline. Students independently completed a series of 5 online modules during the first 8 weeks of the semester; the second 8 weeks of the semester were devoted to guest speaker meetings and community-based observations. Students completed reflections before and after observation experiences. In this presentation, we will provide specific details about the content covered in the online modules and provide examples of guest speaker topics. The questions used to guide student reflections before and after community-based observation experiences will be shared.

Outcomes and Next Steps
To evaluate the outcomes of the EILC, we used student artifacts to measure learning as well as changes in student confidence. Student artifacts included the following: (1) confidence rating surveys to examine confidence with early intervention topics and practices; (2) social validity surveys to identify student expectations, preferences, and learning needs; and (3) written reflections to examine student experiences during observations in the field and their ability to apply content learned from the modules. Both quantitative and qualitative data were extracted from the student artifacts. Using methods of Thematic Analysis, written reflections were analyzed for themes to identify consistent experiences among students and new knowledge gained (Braun & Clarke, 2012).

During the presentation, the themes and any noted changes in student confidence, knowledge, or skills will be shared as well as recommendations for improving the EILC for future cohorts. At this time, preliminary data has revealed that student confidence levels increased across all areas measured, but specifically in areas that were formally targeted within the EILC, such as understanding the rules/regulations/laws of EI, the use of caregiver coaching strategies, and the pros/cons of different models of EI service delivery. Data from the written reflections and social validity surveys have revealed that students valued the opportunity to observe EI providers in the field, and they appreciated the opportunities to collaborate and learn from their peers, faculty members, and EI providers from other disciplines. Suggestions for improving the EILC included (a) expanding the EILC to other disciplines beyond CSD and SED, (b) increasing the number of guest speaker meetings during the semester, (c) discussing specific strategies to better support families with different cultural/linguistic backgrounds, and (d) providing opportunities for hands-on practice with EI-related skills.

Conclusion
Given the critical shortage of EI providers in the state of Illinois and beyond, the EILC may be an effective means of supporting students in pursuing careers in EI. If anything, the EILC at least increases undergraduate students’ awareness of careers in EI and the evidence-based practices EI providers use. We are currently modifying the EILC to incorporate student feedback and recommendations. In the future, we plan to follow the students that have completed the EILC and determine if this experience supported them in obtaining employment in EI settings after graduation.

References

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2012). Thematic analysis. American Psychological Association.

Campbell, P. H., Chiarello, L., Wilcox, M. J., & Milbourne, S. (2009). Preparing therapists as effective practitioners in early intervention. Infants & Young Children, 22(1), 21-31.
Caesar, L. G. (2022). Speech-language pathologists’ perceptions of pre-service knowledge and skill training in early intervention. Communication Disorders Quarterly, 43(2), 75-83.

Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). (2019). Special education legislative summit: Issue brief. Retrieved from https://specialeducationlegislativesummit.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/SELS-2019-Shortages-of-Special-Education-Teachers-and-Early-Intervention-Providers.pdf

Division for Early Childhood (DEC). (2015). DEC recommended practices. Retrieved from https://divisionearlychildhood.egnyte.com/dl/xJpIXrINZ2/

Farrugia, A. M. (2022). From higher education to hands-on: A qualitative examination of the preparation of early intervention speech-language pathologists. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 7(3), 758-766.

Johnson, A. (2016). Interprofessional education and interprofessional practice in communication sciences and disorders: And introduction and case-based examples of implementation in education and health care settings. Retrieved from http://www.asha.org/uploadedFiles/IPE-IPP-Reader-eBook.pdf

Lieberman-Betz, R. G., Brown, J. A., Wiegand, S. D., Vail, C. O., Fiss, A. L., & Carpenter, L. J. (2023). Building collaborative capacity in early intervention preservice providers through interprofessional education. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 54(2), 504-517.
Prelock, P. A., & Deppe, J. (2015). Speech-language pathology: Preparing early interventionists. Infants & Young Children, 28(2), 150–164.