Itinerant Special Education Services
Itinerant Services are one option as part of the continuum of services provided through school districts to preschool children identified with special needs.
Benefits of providing early childhood special education services in the natural environment include:
- Serving children in their natural environment
- Minimizing transitions for the child and the family
- Developing and nurturing existing relationships
- Building a sense of belonging
- Valuing peer models
- Providing multiple opportunities to practice skills across the entire school day
- Allowing for continuity of Services
- All children benefit from strategies utilized within classrooms
- Consultation, collaboration and partnering between and among the family, the early learning staff, and the special education service providers
Itinerant Services include:
- Helping children meet the goals on their Individualized Education Plan (IEP).
- Ongoing communication and consultation between and among teachers, directors, families and itinerant staff.
- Training opportunities onsite and at the Colonial Early Education Program.
- Ongoing communication and consultation between and among adult family members, early learning staff, and special education staff.
- Sharing activities that families can try at home.
- Sharing information about developmental milestones and child development with families.
- Sharing community resources with families.
What to expect from Itinerant Services at a Community Placement:
Families and early learning program staff will engage in ongoing open communication with special education providers.
Itinerant staff will:
- Support children with special needs as they participate in activities within the classroom to the maximum extent possible.
- Demonstrate how to implement accommodations for children with special needs within the classroom.
- Plan with community based staff to support differentiated instruction.
Community Based staff will:
- Welcome Itinerant Staff into their classrooms.
- Contribute to IEP development.
- Follow recommendations related to IEP
Who We Are:
- Special Education Teachers
- Speech and Language Pathologists
- Occupational Therapists
- Physical Therapists
Our Goal:
To provide young children identified with special needs with access to the support necessary to be able to participate and be successful in the natural early learning environment. Services may be provided in a child care, a Head Start Center, or a private preschool.