• Preparation of Personnel for Career in Special Education: Graduate Early Intervention Personnel Preparation
• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Fetal Alcohol Effect (FAS/FAE)
• Early Intervention Paraprofessional Training
• Inclusion

Preparing Early Interventionists/Early Childhood Special Educators to serve infants, toddlers and preschoolers at risk or with identified disabilities and their families in Alaska. The purpose of this graduate training program is to support the preparation of highly trained professionals who can implement, evaluate and facilitate the delivery of services to infants, toddlers, and preschoolers who experience disabilities and their families.

The Alaska Early Intervention Low-Incidence Training Program Grant
Purpose: The purpose of this project is to provide masters level preparation to 38 students to serve infants and toddlers who experience autism, fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), and severe disabilities, and their families, in rural Alaska. In addition through collaboration with the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) and the State of Alaska Department of Education and Early Development (DEED), related service providers and early interventionists will be supported to build their capacity to provide family-centered services to young children who experience low incidence.

Method: Training will be accomplished through a 36 credit competency-based educational program involving: a two-course sequence offered through the University of Alaska Anchorage Distance Delivery technology; a summer intensive clinical course and practicum; a six-semester clinical study in autism, FAS/fetal alcohol effects, and severe disabilities including respite for families, community-based assessment, and intervention; and leadership activities in the areas of care coordination, consultation, and inservice training. Training will be done in collaboration with state agencies. The early interventionists trained in this project will demonstrate competencies in family-centered care, assessment of infants and toddlers with low-incidence disabilities, intervention for infants and toddlers, collaboration, and leadership for systems change.

Funding Agency: United States Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs

Funding Level: $1.25 million

Funding Period: (2003-2008)

Project Director: Susan Ryan, Ph.D.

A Case Study of Students Who Experience Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Fetal Alcohol Effects in Rural, Remote and Urban Alaska

The Alaska Department of Health and Social Service, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome project, was established in 2000 through the efforts of Senator Ted Stevens. The focus of the state project is exclusively on fetal alcohol syndrome and other alcohol-related birth defects. Prevention of alcohol-related birth defects and improvement services to individuals across the state who already have FAS/ARBD is a primary area of concentration.

The University of Alaska Anchorage, Center on Human Development will conduct the evaluation of the FAS project. Dr. Susan Ryan is involved in this evaluation. Her team of evaluators will conduct case studies of students who experience fetal alcohol syndrome in rural, remote and urban Alaska.

The purpose of this qualitative evaluation is to describe in detail the educational and life experiences and outcomes of students who experience FAS/FAE. The study will compare these experiences and outcomes across ages in order to draw one kind of longitudinal picture of program effectiveness at different points in a student’s educational career. The study will also identify barriers to and facilitators of successful educational and life outcomes with an emphasis on how those are defined similarly and differently by educators, family members, and students.

The evaluation will rely upon three data collection methods: (1) group and individual interviews with educators, diagnostic team members, family members and students, (2) participant observation of students’ classrooms, various meetings among professionals and between professional and families, and (3) document collection and analysis of a wide range of relevant documents ranging from policy statements to student Individual Education Plan and day-to day data collected on student performance.

Funding Agency: Alaska Department of Health and Social Services

Funding Level: $60,000 each year

Funding Period: 2006

Project Title: Specialized Training for Associates in Rural Settings

Project Director: Mary Cavalier, M. Ed.

Project Evaluator: Susan Ryan, Ph.D.

Funding Agency: United States Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs

Funding Level: $284,235

Funding Period: (1996-2000)

Resulting Products:

Ryan, S. & Wallstrom, T., (2001). Program evaluation and implications of a rural early intervention associate preparation program. Infant and toddler intervention: A transdisciplinary journal, 11(1), 27-49.

Description: The Specialized Training for Associates in Rural Settings (STARS) Project is a collaboration between the State of Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Public Health, Section of Maternal Child and Family Health, Special Needs Services Unit (MCFH/SNU) and the University of Alaska’s Center for Human Development: University Affiliated Program (CHD:UAP). It was funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services, Office of Special Education Programs.

The main goal of the STARS Project was to create and implement a training program for early intervention associates, home visitors who would assist families of infants and toddlers with or at risk for developmental disabilities, or delays, primarily in remote areas of Alaska.

The University of Alaska Anchorage, Department of Special Education, was awarded an U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs grant under the Special Projects competition. This grant entitled the Alaska Regular Education Full Inclusion Project was a three-year in-service training grant. Regular education teachers and special education teaching assistants received training to build their capacity to support the needs of students who experience disabilities within the general education classrooms. Over fifty teams from across Alaska received training in the areas of: (a) team collaboration; (b) curriculum modifications; (c) cooperative learning; and (d) building parent partnerships.

Project Title: Regular Education Full Inclusion Project

Funding Agency: United States Department of Education (USDOE)., Office of Special Education (OSEP) Programs

Funding Level: $330,000

Funding Period: (1992-1995)

Project Director: Susan Ryan, Ph.D.

Resulting project products:

Ryan, S. & Dennis. R. (2000). Experiences and Perceptions of Rural Alaskans General Educators: Implication for Preparation in Inclusive Practices. Rural Special Education Quarterly, 19(3/4), 30-44.

Ryan, S. & Paterna, L. (1997). Junior high school inclusion strategies: Use of the natural support matrix and cooperative learning lesson-planning system. Teaching Exceptional Children, (30)2, 36-41.

Ryan, S. (1995). Implications for, and the meaning of, supporting young rural Alaskan children with complex needs. Rural Special Education Quarterly, (14)4, 9-19.

Ryan, S. & Jack, M. (1993). The Alaska Regular Education Full Inclusion Project. Collaborative Educator, (7)2, 1-4.

Ryan, S. (1995). Supporting the needs of students who experience disabilities in regular education classrooms and schools: A training module series. (Eds). ASETS: Anchorage, AK.

Young, M. (1995). Together, the spirit of belonging. University Affiliated Program of Alaska: Center for Human Development.