Question

Describe ways in which professionals and family members prepare children for the change in programs.

Answer 1

A transition is a change from one service or program to another. Families of infants and toddlers with dual sensory impairments (vision and hearing), including multiple disabilities, are likely to experience more transitions than families of other children. One major transition families of toddlers with disabilities face is moving from home or center-based to preschool programs. This change involves not only different settings such as regular or special preschool programs, but also changes from the Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) to the Individualized Education Plan (IEP), and from family focused to child focused services. This chapter will discuss important considerations when transitioning toddlers with dual sensory impairments and other multiple disabilities from home and center-based infant programs to preschool programs.

Preparing the child

The parent and early interventionist from the sending agency should visit the proposed classroom, meet with the receiving teacher and inquire about the curriculum, routine, and activities. If the receiving teacher is not designated, the sending teacher could visit the program, review the curriculum, and observe activities taking place. This will provide some information about the types of expectations and skills that should be focused on in the current program to help the child participate in the new program.

The demands placed on the child will depend on his abilities and the expectation of the new program. Children moving from an infant program to a preschool program will be expected to participate actively as they become familiar with the new environment and its routine. These expectations may be particularly challenging for those children with dual sensory impairment.

Another change that may be particularly challenging for the child and the family is the expectation for the child to travel alone to school and attend class without family members. New encounters with peers, unknown adults, and different environmental feedback may be overwhelming for some preschool children when they are away from the family. Many of these stressors can be addressed in advance to help the child become familiar with his new experiences and environments. For example, an object such as a new stuffed animal backpack could be used to indicate to the child that he will be going to his new school. He will wear the backpack when the early interventionist and parent visits the new program with the child if appropriate. The child could be introduced to the classroom by the orientation and mobility (O&M) instructor while the other children are outdoors. This strategy would reduce environmental noises so that the child could make the most of his visual and auditory abilities. The child could be shown where his backpack will be kept and placed there during his first visit. The O&M instructor could next introduce the child to the playground and to the other children. Later they can all return indoors as a group.

The backpack may be used as an object cue in the calendar box (at home or infant program) to signify when the child will be going to preschool. Other objects that may be used to prepare the child for the transition include: providing the child with a familiar object from home such as a toy; a cassette recording of familiar music, environmental sounds or voices of family members; or a family member’s personal belonging such as a piece of clothing. Objects and materials from the new program could possibly be used in the home.

The role of the parent

Parents will respond differently according to the needs of their family. It is not uncommon for parents to express excitement about their new found personal time. However, they may also experience feelings of guilt. In some families, changes may be difficult as they consider issues such as transportation, their child’s specialized equipment, or complications around feeding or breathing needs (Hains et al. 1991). Aside from these concerns, parents must also face the responsibility of selecting the most appropriate program for their child, negotiating a new schedule, finding new services, educating personnel about their child’s special needs, and preparing their child and family for the change (Hains et al.1988). Transitions may bring about additional changes that may include the following: the use of an orthopedic walker, adaptive mobility devices, braces, FM systems, special education buses arriving at their home, new terminology for the parent, new service providers and a multitude of other changes. While transitions cannot be eliminated, parents can be better prepared through collaboration with and support from the planning team.

Some ways parents may help prepare the child

• Visiting the new program with their child
• Arranging visits to the new program with the early interventionist; helping the child become familiar with the new teachers, classroom and the school
• Arranging after-school activities or visits with children from the new program
• Riding on the bus to the new school with their child (Hains, Fowler, & Chandler, 1988)