How long a list would you like? In the interests of efficiency, we're going to give you the short and to-the-point list to get you started (we apologize to all those organizations we haven't listed here). This starter list will definitely lead you into the wider network and keep you informed in the ongoing work in early intervention.
- National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (NECTAC).
www.nectac.org/
NECTAC supports the implementation of the early childhood provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Its mission is to strengthen service systems to ensure that children with disabilities (birth through five) and their families receive and benefit from high quality, culturally appropriate, and family-centered supports and services. The center addresses this mission by working primarily with the state agencies responsible for ensuring EI services.
- CLAS, the Early Childhood Research Institute on Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services.
www.clas.uiuc.edu
CLAS identifies, evaluates, and promotes effective and appropriate early intervention practices and preschool practices that are sensitive and respectful to children and families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. You won't believe how many materials they offer to guide early intervention practice---and in multiple languages as well. We mention quite a few of them in these Foundations pages, but you'll want to visit anyway and see how much more there is.
- Research and Training Center (RTC) on Early Childhood Development.
www.researchtopractice.info
The RTC on Early Childhood Development is conducting applied research on knowledge and practice that improves interventions associated with the healthy mental, behavioral, communication, preliteracy, social-emotional, and interpersonal development of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with or at risk for developmental disabilities. You'll find a wealth of information about effective early childhood intervention practices based on research on the RTC's Web site.
- Early Childhood Research Institute on Measuring Growth and Development (ECRI-MGD).
http://ici2.umn.edu/ecri/index.html
The ECRI-MGD was launched in October 1996 with a mission to produce a comprehensive system for continuously measuring the skills and needs of individual children with disabilities from birth to eight years of age. A wide range of reports and manuals encapsulating their results are available at the link above.
- The ECO Center.
www.the-ECO-center.org
ECO is the Early Childhood Outcomes Center: Demonstrating Results for Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers with Disabilities and Their Families. If you're looking for research-based info on how to measure outcomes and the success of your efforts, you'll soon find yourself at ECO.
- TRACE.
www.tracecenter.info/
TRACE stands for Tracking, Referral and Assessment Center for Excellence. The major goal of TRACE is to identify and promote the use of evidence-based practices and models for improving child find, referral, early identification, and eligibility determination for infants, toddlers, and young children with developmental delays or disabilities who are eligible for early intervention or preschool special education. Lots of great stuff here!
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Division for Early Childhood (DEC).www.dec-sped.org/DEC is especially for individuals who work with or on behalf of children with special needs, birth through age eight, and their families. DEC promotes polices and advances evidence-based practices that support families and enhance the optimal development of young children who have or are at risk for developmental delays and disabilities. Visit DEC's publications page to connect with (for-sale but on-point)
DEC's Recommended Practices series.
- IDEA Infant and Toddler Coordinators Association.
www.ideainfanttoddler.org/index.htm
This association promotes the mutual assistance, cooperation, and exchange of information and ideas in the administration of the IDEA Infant and Toddler Program. It also provides support to the state coordinators. Membership in the Association is open to the agency within each state or jurisdiction that has been designated as the Part C lead agency. Membership fees are established in relation to the Federal Part C allocation.