Grant to Improve Services for Young Children who Have Complex Communication Needs and Benefit from Augmentative or Alternative Communication Systems
Early Language and LiteracyÌýEducation withÌýAT/AAC forÌýPre-professional Speech-Language Pathologists and Special Educators: Interdisciplinary Preparation to Support Young Children with Complex Communication Needs Who Benefit from AT/AAC Systems (Project Early LEAPS).
The focus of the project is on collaborative preparation in Family Centered Early Intervention for speech-language pathologists and special educators. ÌýThe program is designed to provided practitioners with knowledge and skills to improve the early language and pre-literacy skills of young children with complex communication needs who use or would benefit from augmentative or alternative communication systems.
We recognize the heterogeneous nature of children with complex communication needs and prepare grant trainees to serve as direct service providers and consultants to other early intervention professionals.​​​​​​​​​
Each year, this grant from the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) in the U.S. Department of Education provides three consecutive semesters of free tuition for four or five graduate students from the Speech-Language Pathology program in the Department of Audiology & Speech Pathology at UTHSC and four or five students in the Special Education program in the Department of Theory and Practice in Teacher Education at UTK.
The focus of the preparation is on Family Centered Early Intervention and designed to improve the early language and pre-literacy skills of young children with complex communication needs who use or would benefit from augmentative or alternative communication systems. We recognize the heterogeneous nature of children with complex communication needs and prepare grant trainees to serve as direct service providers and consultants to other early intervention professionals.
If you participate in the Early Leaps grant, no additional time will be added to your educational degree program. The courses and practica required of grant scholars are designed so that they fit into the regular degree schedule and are already required for your degree program or available as elective content.
If you would like more information about this grant funding opportunity, please contact Dr. Ilsa Schwarz in Audiology and Speech Pathology at ischwarz@uthsc.edu or Dr. MariBeth Coleman in Special Education at mbc@utk.edu.
Affiliated Faculty and StaffÌý
Ilsa Schwarz, PhD
Professor Emerita
Project Co-DirectorÌý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý ÌýÌý
UTHSC Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology
Project Co-Director
Associate Professor
UTHSC Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology
Project Co-DirectorÌý
Associate Professor
UTK Program in Special Education, Dept. of Theory and Practice in Teacher Education
Project Co-DirectorÌý
Assistant Professor
UTK Program in Special Education, Dept. of Theory and Practice in Teacher Education
Clinical Assistant Professor
UTHSC Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology
Senior Lecturer, Special Education Internship Supervisor
UTK Program in Special Education, Dept. of Theory and Practice in Teacher Education
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