Post-Doctoral Leadership Training Program
in Intervention Research for Culturally/Linguistically
Diverse Students with Disabilities
Charles R. Greenwood and Barbara J. Terry
With Contributions by Mary Abbott, Carmen Arreaga-Mayer, Jane B. Atwater,
Kathleen Baggett, Lisa Bowman, Judith J. Carta, Debra Kamps, Jean Ann Summers,
Kathy Thiemann, Cheryl Utley, and Dale Walker
ABSTRACT (OSEP, DOE)
In 2004-05, the special education community is facing unparalleled challenges: (a) An increased market for science-based intervention strategies because of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and the President's Commission on Excellence in Special Education, (b) Likely re-authorization of IDEA in alignment with NCLB with the research mission moved from OSEP to the Institute for Education Science (IES), (c) IES supported research training moved from colleges of education to liberal arts and sciences, (d) Concern that special education intervention research is more difficult to conduct and less frequently practiced, (e) A growing culturally/linguistically diverse (CLD) population of students overrepresented in special education programs, (f) A shortage of minority special educators, doctoral faculty, and knowledgeable research leaders in special education interventions, and (g) The need to bridge the gap between research to practice in LEA and SEA programs around the country. Thus, there is an urgent need to improve the shortage of special education research leaders with expertise in scientifically-based practices and research methodology.
The purpose of this project is to reduce the shortage of both minority and non-minority research leaders in special education - leaders with high-level expertise in the education, treatment, and care of CLD children. Research training will focus on evidence-based instructional interventions for CLD and non-CLD students with disabilities in urban school settings. The requested assistance will enable up to 16 special education professionals to complete a one- or two-year post-doctoral experience at the Juniper Gardens Children's Project (JGCP) at the University of KS. Associates will be recent doctoral degree recipients, university faculty members, researchers, or LEA/SEA/Federal agency staff, who impact the education of urban CLD children. Associates will receive their leadership experiences at the JGCP. The JGCP was awarded the 1996 CEC Research Award for its then 30-year contribution to the education and treatment of exceptional children. Now in its 4th decade, the JGCP is a Center within the University of Kansas' Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies, and Department of Special Education. Building on successful strategies developed in previous projects (Greenwood, Walker, et al., 1995), each associate will design an individualized program of study, selecting from among those domains and competencies that add additional skills and experiences; those known to characterize research leaders. Advances and improvements made to the program include: (a) Enhanced recruitment strategies for attracting qualified members of underrepresented groups, (b) Additions to the portfolio of research projects that provide the broader context for this leadership program, (c) A large and diverse faculty of participating senior research mentors, and (d) Updated competencies.
The competency domains are: (1) research topics with culturally/linguistically diverse populations, (2) science-based practice, (3) environmental assessment and analysis, (4) intervention research designs appropriate to the analysis of growth/change in performance, (5) bridging the gap between research and practice, (6) computer and information technology applications, (7) research communications, (8) experiences conducting research, (9) implications of recent, relevant policies (e.g., NCLB, ESEA, and IDEA reauthorization), and (10) improved research experiences, course offerings, and media/materials that cross-cut conditions of disability, risk, cultural/linguistic diversity, life span (i.e., infancy to adolescence), interventions, and settings (e.g., early childhood special education).
The proposed and prior program graduates represent a substantial impact on the number and of quality of research leaders in the field since 1983. 52 Associates have completed this leadership program (49 still employed, 1 retired, and 1 deceased) working in 16 states including KS. Estimates are that each Associate, after the program impacts 908 other persons each year (e.g., other researchers, policy makers, graduate students, teachers and parents). Program data indicates that each Associate produces many scholarly products per year; and that these works are cited in the works of others. The quality of the program is reflected in the (a) number of Associates engaged in leadership at all career levels (researchers, faculty, administrators, service providers, policy makers), and (b) their evaluations.
