The Scholars Project: Maine’s Distance Education Model for Preparing Early Childhood Special Educators to Work With Young Children With Disabilities

Abstract

The Early Childhood Opportunity (EChO) Scholars project was designed to address the following significant needs in Maine: (a) prepare highly qualified early interventionists and early childhood special educators through distance education, (b) develop a system of support through a mentor network, (c) provide a graduate-level early childhood special education (ECSE) curriculum emphasizing current evidence-based practices (EBPs), and (d) develop a feedback loop designed to assess candidate knowledge, skills, and implementation of EBPs. This article describes the results of a 4-year Office of Special Education Programs project designed to support early childhood special educators across rural Maine. Key program components, successes, and future directions for continuous improvement are highlighted.