UHCL prof to share best practices for young children with disabilities

October 6, 2016 | Jean Rudnicki

University of Houston-Clear Lake Assistant Professor of Special Education Elizabeth Beavers will serve as the Texas “ambassador” to spearhead the dissemination of new recommended practices for the care and education of young children with disabilities. Beavers, who has worked in the field of early childhood special education for more than 25 years, was selected by the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center to join a group of 16 experts forming a national cohort to disseminate information and provide training within their states.

“As an Ambassador, I’ll promote collaboration through professional learning experiences,” Beavers explains. “By bridging dialogue around the Recommended Practices, we can bring together the worlds of public preschool programs, early childhood intervention, private early care and education, and related private and public services.”

The new Recommended Practices were developed by the Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children to provide guidance to practitioners and families about the most effective ways to improve learning outcomes and promote the development of young children, birth to age 5, who have or are at-risk for developmental delays or disabilities.

The Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center also offers a suite of products for practitioners and families to learn how to apply the Recommended Practices to developmental interventions in everyday routines and settings involving children and families. All of the products and resources are free, including popular videos starring “aRPy,” an animated spokesperson created by the ECTA Center. The center is affiliated with the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Beavers, who joined the UHCL College of Education faculty in 2011, has served extensively on behalf of young children and families, teaching and working with school systems, preschools, and Head Starts. Her roles have included classroom teacher, program coordinator, consultant, trainer, teacher educator, and active leader in professional organizations.

For more information about the recommended practices, contact Beavers by email at Beaversea@uhcl.edu.