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Setting the Stage: Including Children with Disabilities in Head Start

Training Guides for the Head Start Learning Community

Table of Contents | Preface | Introduction | Module 1 | Module 2 | Module 3
| Continuing Professional Development | Resources

MODULE 2: communication counts

Outcomes | Key Concepts | Background Information | Activity 2-1 | Activity 2-2 | Activity 2-3 | Activity 2-4 | Activity 2-5 | Activity 2-6 | Next Steps
download these pdf attachments: Handout 1 | Handout 2 | Handout 3 | Handout 4 |
Handout 5 | Handout 6 | Handout 7 | Handout 8 | Handout 9 | Handout 10 | Handout 11

Learning Outcomes

After completing this module, participants will be able to:

• Identify opportunities they have in their programs to communicate constructively with parents of children with disabilities.
  
  
• Identify types of communication that invite or discourage participation.
  
  
• Talk about disabilities with adults in a way that promotes belonging and invites participation.
  
  
• Talk to Head Start children in a way that fosters inclusion of children with disabilities.

See At A Glance on p. 6 for an overview of activities in this module.

Key Concepts

• Every interaction with children with disabilities and their families can foster or hinder full participation in the program.
  
  
• All staff play a role in creating a welcoming and respectful environment for children with disabilities and their families.

Background Information

Whenever we communicate, in words or actions, we express our attitudes, values, and beliefs. Simple words and gestures can make people feel included or left out. For most Head Start staff, reaching out, communicating respectfully, and building community just comes naturally. However, there are times when we may "forget" how to communicate with respect, especially when we are afraid of saying something that might offend someone.

Constructive communication requires both skill and "heart"–respect, empathy, and caring. By recognizing ways in which our communication fosters or hinders inclusion, and practicing communication that promotes a sense of belonging, each of us will enhance our ability to welcome and support all children and families.

Activity 2-1: Learning from an Excerpt

Purpose: This workshop activity will give participants an opportunity to identify examples of communication that foster or hinder inclusion. They will also develop communication skills that help parents and children feel that they are respected and valued members of the group. The workshop will also help staff members recognize the roles they play in creating an inclusive program.

Preparation

Arrange for: Easel, newsprint, markers, and tape

Duplicate: Handout 1-Maggie and Joey (p. 73): one for each participant

Handout 2-Vignettes (pp. 74-75): one for each participant

Handout 3-Vignette Worksheet (pp. 76-77): one for each group of 5

Handout 4-Constructive Communication (p. 78): one for each participant

Leading the Activity

1. Introduce the activity and review the agenda with participants. Stress that every interaction we have with parents of children with disabilities, no matter how brief, can help them feel valued. Likewise, our interactions can make them and their children feel like outsiders and as if they are different and do not truly belong. In this activity, participants will learn from an expert–Maggie, the mother of a boy with disabilities.
   
   
2. Divide participants into groups of 5 and have them form small groups. Ask for volunteers in each group to choose one of the following roles: reader of the story and vignettes, facilitator of small-group discussion, timekeeper, writer of responses on the worksheets, and person who reports back to the larger group. Pass out Handout 1-Maggie and Joey and Handout 2-Vignettes to each participant.
   
   
3. Ask one of the "readers" of a small group to stand and read the story to the entire group of participants. Then have other "readers" take turns reading the vignettes to the whole group. These vignettes will give participants a sense of Maggie and Joey's Head Start experience.
   
   
4. Lead a brief discussion with the entire group, asking general questions such as, "If you were Maggie or Joey, how would you feel about Head Start?" Help participants see that each person has the ability to make the program a great experience for Maggie and Joey, and to welcome them as true members of the community.
   
   
5. At the end of this large-group discussion, have participants work in their small groups. Pass out one copy of Handout 3-Vignette Worksheet to each small group. Tell participants they will have 20 minutes to discuss the questions and complete the worksheet.
   
   
6. While the groups are working, hang up 3 pieces of newsprint. Write one of the following headings on each sheet: "What made the interaction positive?" "What made the interaction negative?" and "Key features of communication that foster inclusion."
   
   
7. At the end of 20 minutes, ask each reporter from the small groups to summarize the responses on the worksheet. Record responses on the appropriate sheet of newsprint.
   
   
8. After each small group has reported back, ask the large group to look over all the responses and create a list of key features of communication that foster a sense of belonging. Record responses on the third sheet of newsprint.

Tip for the Trainer Handout 4-Constructive Communication is designed for distribution after participants generate a list of key features of communication. However, if the group appears to be struggling, feel free to distribute the handout earlier or use it yourself to guide the discussion.

9. Pass out and review Handout 4-Constructive Communication with participants, noting where the group-generated list and the handout are similar and where they are different. Point out that neither list is complete. Encourage participants to add their own ideas, examples, or strategies to the handout.

Summing Up

Maggie and Joey's story represents the experience of only one Head Start family. However, staff need to be sensitive to the needs, experiences, and perspectives of a range of families. Remind participants that cultural, religious, community, and family norms all play a role in communicating well. Some parents, for instance, may have different beliefs or values about disabilities. Others may not want their children "included" in Head Start because they are concerned about staff's level of knowledge and skill in meeting their child's needs.

The best strategy may be to ask families directly about what they want or need. Staff can understand and respond to the needs of individual families only by communicating respectfully with parents and children. This communication also helps include parents in planning for their children. If we want our interactions to be family focused we must make the time and commitment to understand families from their point of view.

Remind participants that the key features of respectful and constructive communication apply to anyone. Close by emphasizing two points:

• There is no single way to talk with and about children with disabilities and their families.
  
  
• Each of us has the opportunity to help children with disabilities and their parents feel welcomed and valued.

Activity 2-2: One Parent's View

Purpose: Every interaction can help people feel valued or like outsiders. This coaching session will use vignettes, journaling, and reflective practice to help participants better understand the impact of simple, everyday interactions on persons with disabilities.

Preparation

This session has three parts: 1) an introduction on the importance of our everyday communications with children and families; 2) an analysis of vignettes that highlight a variety of interactions between Head Start staff members and Maggie, a parent of a child with disabilities; and 3) a brief discussion about elements of constructive communication. At the end of the session, participants will receive an assignment to document and reflect on their communications with or about persons with disabilities. To prepare for this session:

• Review all the directions and handouts for this session.
  
  
Duplicate Handout 1-Maggie and Joey (p. 73), Handout 2-Vignettes (pp. 74-75), Handout 4-Constructive Communication (p. 78), and Handout 5-Reflection (p. 79): one for each participant.


• Select vignettes from Handout 2 to discuss with participants.

Conducting the Session

1. Welcome participants and discuss the purpose of today's session. Lead a brief discussion about how our interactions with children with disabilities and their parents, even brief ones, can help them feel as if they belong.
   
   
2. Ask participants to think about a time when an interaction helped them feel welcomed. Then have them think about a time when an interaction made them feel like outsiders. After a few moments, ask participants to share their stories and what they recall about how each communication made them feel. Probe for specifics: Was it the person's words that made a difference? The tone? A gesture? What was not said? Be prepared to share your own stories to help the group.
   
   
3. Pass out and read aloud Handout 1-Maggie and Joey. Do the same for any of the vignettes you selected for discussion from Handout 2-Vignettes. Have participants analyze the vignettes one by one. Ask: "What specifically made this interaction positive?" "What made this interaction negative?" "What might change this negative interaction into a more positive one?"
   
   
4. Together, list the elements that can make an interaction positive and welcoming or negative and excluding. For example, you may identify items that are observable, such as words, tone, gestures, facial expression; as well as items that are not observable but rather felt, such as caring and respect, or avoidance. Ask each group member to list the elements under the heading "Positive and Welcoming" or "Negative and Excluding" in their journals.
   
   

Tip for the Coach
Handout 4-Constructive Communication can be used to help lead the discussion in step 4.

5. Tell participants to think about the chances they have during a typical day to interact either with a person (child or adult) with a disability or a parent of a child with a disability. Help participants list all the opportunities they have for interacting, such as on the bus, greeting children in the morning, eating lunch, in the supermarket, at a parents' meeting, etc.

Tip for the Coach
Identifying an opportunity for an interaction is an important first step in completing the assignment that participants will be given (below). You may want to help them list specific opportunities for interactions. You may also need to facilitate a situation in which an interaction, no matter how brief, can occur.

6. Pass out Handout 4-Constructive Communication and review it with participants. Point out the similarities and differences between the participants' list and the handout. Remind participants that neither is complete. Encourage them to add new items to the handout as they complete their assignment.

Wrap-up and Assignment

Briefly summarize the session with participants; focus on all that they know about constructive communication, from their own experiences and from what they have learned from Maggie and Joey. Stress the importance of skills and techniques as well as the importance of underlying qualities such as empathy and caring that promote a sense of belonging.

Tell participants that you will invite a parent of a child with disabilities (or an adult with disabilities) to join the group during the next coaching session. Give participants a copy of Handout 5-Reflection, and review it with them. Ask participants to complete the assignment and bring it to the next coaching session, One-to-One. Thank participants for their participation and confirm a time and place for the next meeting.

Activity 2-3: What Should I Say?*

Purpose: In order for children with disabilities to be an integral part of the program, staff must communicate respectfully with and about them, so that they will feel valued for who they are and what they have to offer. In this workshop activity, participants will sharpen skills needed to communicate respectfully about children with disabilities.

Preparation

Arrange for: Overhead projector

Markers for transparencies

Blank transparencies (or pencil and paper) A few completed transparencies Easel, newsprint, markers, and tape

Make: Transparencies with sample prompts and responses.

First, read through all the directions for this activity and choose a few prompts from Handout 9-Prompts (p. 85). Then choose both appropriate and inappropriate responses from Handout 10-Responses (pp. 86-87) that match the prompts you selected. Add or substitute prompts and responses that reflect issues experienced in your program.

Duplicate: Handout 6-Responding to Questions (pp. 80-81): one for each participant

Handout 7-Choosing Words with Dignity (pp. 82-83): one for each participant

* Adapted with permission from J. Rothschild-Stolberg, M. Rutman, and D. Heller. 1985. Talking: Between the Lines. A Workshop on Communicating with Children in Early Childhood Mainstream Settings. New York: New York University Resource Access Project, Region II.

Leading the Activity

1. Introduce the activity and review the agenda with participants. Tell participants that in this activity, they will each get a chance to practice answering questions about children with disabilities. Assure participants that they will not have to practice in public.
   
   
2. Ask participants to close their eyes and think about their day-to-day interactions with children, either at home or in the program. Tell them to think about a child with whom they interact easily. Ask them to think about how they would describe the way they answer this child's questions. Have participants open their eyes; then ask for a few volunteers to share their responses. Typically, people will say that they try to understand what the child is truly asking, or that they try to answer honestly, or that they answer in a way that is appropriate to the developmental level of the child.
   
   
3. Now ask participants to think about a time when it was difficult to answer a child's questions. Maybe they could not find the words to convey what they were really thinking or they just didn't know what to say.
   
   
4. Pass out a transparency to each participant and several markers for participants to share. (Transparencies are ideal, but paper and pencils will do.) Tell participants that you will read a prompt and that they will write down the actual words they would say as a response. Assure participants that no one will be required to share responses with anyone else and all responses will be anonymous.
   
   
5. Read aloud one of the prompts you prepared in advance. Then ask participants to write down the actual words they would say in response (rather than a description of the response). Remind participants that there are many answers that are constructive and appropriate.
   
   
6. Ask for volunteers to pass in their transparencies or papers. Select several responses to read aloud to the group. At this point, add in the transparencies you made earlier with responses of your own that match the selected prompt. Before reading each aloud, remind participants that the responses are anonymous and that you have added a few responses of your own.
   
   
7. Use the overhead projector and read the responses one at a time. Ask participants to analyze each response and discuss how it fosters or creates a barrier to inclusion. After analyzing all responses to one prompt, point out that many responses seem to foster inclusion, regardless of particular word choice. Write the key elements or principles of constructive responses generated by the group on newsprint.
   
   

Tips for the Trainer

• Handout 6-Responding to Questions, will be used as a handout later in the activity, but you might want to refer to it now to help guide the discussion.
  
  
• During the discussion, issues related to confidentiality may surface. Remind participants that children and parents have a legal right to confidentiality. In general, no information should be shared without the parents' written permission, but there are exceptions (such as the mandate to report abuse or neglect). In any case, parents and children deserve privacy and respect. Refer to p. 93 for a discussion of confidentiality.
  

8. If time permits, use another prompt and repeat the process.
   
   
9. Ask participants to find common elements that foster inclusion. Write them on newsprint. Next ask the groupto identify elements that create barriers, and record these, too. Handout 6-Responding to Questions might help guide this discussion.
   
   
10. Summarize key points on newsprint and pass out Handout 6-Responding to Questions to each participant. Review similarities and differences between the items on the newsprint and the points on the handout.
    
    
11. Pass out Handout 7-Choosing Words with Dignity and briefly review the information in the handout.

Summing Up

Remind participants that every interaction with or about children with disabilities can show they are valued members of the group. These interactions may be long or very brief, and may involve anybody in the program: children, staff, parents, or community members. Words are important, but the feelings that go along with the words are critical in promoting inclusion.

Activity 2-4: One-to-One*

Purpose: In order for persons with disabilities to be a part of the program or community, staff must consistently and respectfully communicate with and about them, so that they feel valued for who they are and what they have to offer. In this coaching session, strategies such as guided reflec tion, asking questions, modeling, and interviewing will be used to help participants further sharpen the skills needed to communicate constructively with and about persons with disabilities.

Preparation

This session has three parts: 1) a review of the assignment; 2) a discussion with a parent of a child with disabilities (or an adult with disabilities) about communication; and 3) a follow-up discussion, synthesizing what was learned. At the end of the session, participants will receive an assignment. This assignment will involve analyzing responses to questions about disabilities, then asking colleagues for their thoughts. To prepare for this session:

• Review all the directions and handouts for this session. Add or substitute items to Handout 9-Prompts (p. 85) and Handout 10-Responses (pp. 86-87) that reflect the cultures, issues, and typical circumstances in your program.
  
  
• Duplicate Handout 4-Constructive Communication (p. 78), Handout 7-Choosing Words with Dignity (pp. 82-83), Handout 8-Directions for Participants (p. 84), Handout 9-Prompts (p. 85), and Handout 10- Responses (pp. 86-87): one for each participant.
  
  
• Arrange for a parent of a child with disabilities (or an adult with disabilities) to spend about 30 minutes with you during your next coaching session. The person you invite should be able and willing to discuss aspects of communication in an open and positive way and be responsive to participants' questions. A parent in the program whom you know well or a spokesperson from an advocacy group are good choices.

* Adapted with permission from J. Rothschild-Stolberg, M. Rutman, and D. Heller. 1985. Talking: Between the Lines. A Workshop on Communicating with Children in Early Childhood Mainstream Settings. New York: New York University Resource Access Project, Region II.

Give the guest information about the participants in the group and the purpose of the discussion. Include one or two items for the guest to think about ahead of time. Ask the guest to be ready to discuss how people can respond to questions about disabilities with dignity and respect.

The guest should join the session about 30 minutes after it begins.

Conducting the Session

1. Welcome participants and briefly discuss the purpose of today's session. Tell participants that you will first review their assignments. Then an "expert" will give her point of view about communication that is respectful and inclusive.
   
   
2. Have participants choose one of their interactions, describe it, and then share the responses they recorded on Handout 5-Reflection.
   
   
3. After participants report back, pass out Handout 4-Constructive Communication. Ask participants to discuss their interactions using the handout as a framework. Help participants focus on what seemed to work well and what didn't work as well. Ask participants to share
   what they might do differently in a similar situation. Tell participants that they may be able to work toward their goals during the discussion with the invited guest.

Tip for the Coach
This discussion should help participants reflect on their interaction in a nonjudgemental way. They can share what worked well and what they would change in the future. The discussion gives participants a safe place to begin to think about action, self-reflection, discussion, and goal setting.

4. Help prepare participants for the discussion with the invited guest. Tell participants about the guest and what she will speak about. Tell participants there will be time for each of them to ask at least one question from Handout 5-Reflection. Ask them to participate actively in the discussion. Assure them that this is an opportunity to learn more and is not a "test."

Tips for the Coach

• The discussion with the guest should be open and informal, not an interview. If the participants do not ask their questions naturally during the conversation, stop the discussion early to allow time for a brief question-and-answer period at the end.
  
  
• The discussion with the guest has three purposes. Participants will learn from an "expert"; they will see you model constructive communication; and they will practice their communication skills in a safe place.

5. Welcome the guest and ask participants to introduce themselves. To start the discussion, briefly describe the work you and the participants are doing together, and ask the guest to share her experience. Continue the discussion for 20 to 30 minutes. End the discussion on time and thank the guest for her time and insights.

6. Debrief with participants, focusing on two areas. First ask them what they learned from the guest. For example, you might ask: "What seemed new to you?" "What surprised you?" or "What contradicted something you believed?" Then ask participants to reflect on their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors during the conversation.
   

Tip for the Coach
One point that may surface during the debriefing is that every person, child, and family is unique. The ideas and feelings expressed by the guest may be very different from ideas expressed by others. Make sure that participants understand that all people and families are different and that personal history and prefer ences, religion, community norms, and culture can all play a part in the development of our values and beliefs. Probably the best way to get guidance is to talk with families openly about their interests and needs.

Wrap-up and Assignment

Briefly summarize the session with participants. Give each participant a copy of Handout 7-Choosing Words with Dignity, and review it with them. Have a brief discussion about critical elements for constructive communication, especially as it relates to persons with disabilities. Acknowledge that while specific words and phrases are important to use or avoid, and certain skills and techniques are helpful in communicating, words and techniques are not enough. Genuineness, empathy, caring, and
respect–qualities very familiar to Head Start staff–are essential for creating an inclusive community and have been shown to be key ingredients of constructive communication.

Give participants a copy of Handout 8-Directions for Participants, Handout 9-Prompts, and Handout 10-Responses and review the handouts with them. Ask participants to complete the assignment and bring it to the next coaching session, Making a Plan. Thank participants for their participation and confirm a time and place for the next meeting.

Activity 2-5: What Does It Mean for Me?

Purpose: This workshop activity will help participants see how they can foster inclusion within their program. It will also help participants iden-personal goals for communicating with parents of children with disabilities, and with and about children with disabilities.

Preparation
Arrange for: Easel, newsprint, markers, and tape

Duplicate: Handout 11-Goals (p. 88): one for each participant

Leading the Activity

1. Introduce the activity by explaining to participants that many Head Start staff may think that working with children with disabilities and their families is the job of the disabilities services coordinator or the teacher. However, all staff help create a welcoming environment for children and their families. Tell participants that in this activity, they will identify their roles in fostering inclusion for children with disabilities. They will also create personal goals to strengthen their ability to do so.
   

Tip for the Trainer
Part of this activity is designed to help staff members become more aware of the roles they play in helping families feel welcome. To achieve this, divide the group into job-similar groups. If you are not familiar with the roles of participants, ask for a show of hands by job category (e.g., teaching staff, family advocates, bus drivers, etc.). Then divide participants into groups of 4 to 6 people.

2. Give each group a marker and a sheet of newsprint. Tell participants to fill in the role they have in the program (e.g., teachers, cooks, managers, etc.). Then write the heading "Communicating with Children with Disabilities and Their Parents." Ask participants to make a list of all the opportunities they have within their roles for communicating with parents of children with disabilities as well as with their children. You may need to give examples, such as in the hallways, at parent meetings, and at pick-up time. Allow 20 minutes to complete the task. Ask each group to hang the completed newsprint on the wall.

3. Ask each group to report back. Then have the entire group share reactions. Ask participants to find similarities and differences among the various groups' responses. Point out the numerous times we interact with families regardless of our Head Start roles. Stress that each interaction is an opportunity to foster a sense of belonging for the parent and the child.
   
   
4. Point out that we all have strengths and we all have room to grow. Ask participants to close their eyes as they think about the following questions:
   
   
• Is it easier to speak with the parent when the child is present or not present?
  
  
• Are some disabilities more difficult for you to accept? Be nonjudgemental about?
  
  
• Do these feelings create barriers between you and the parent? Between you and the child?
  
  
• Are you at ease in some situations but nervous in others?
  
  
• Do you try to avoid talking or answering questions about disabilities?
  
  
• Is it difficult for you to speak out about the rights of persons with disabilities in the program or the community?
  

Ask participants to open their eyes.

Tip for the Trainer This step will increase participants' awareness of their own thoughts, feelings, and responses to persons with disabilities. This awareness is a first step in setting individual goals to create more inclusive programs and communities.

5. Pass out Handout 11-Goals, and read the directions aloud. Remind participants that they will not have to share their responses, although they may share them with a partner when they have completed the form. Give participants 5 minutes to complete the handout. Ask for volunteers to share their thoughts, insights, or what they wrote or drew.
   

Summing Up

Close the session by summarizing key points from the activity as well' as points made by the group. Emphasize that all of us in Head Start have an opportunity to communicate with others in ways that create belonging, and that we each should identify ways we can increase our ability to do so. Remind participants that although word choice, gestures, and skill in communicating are very important, they are not enough. The more important message is beneath the words and gestures. Genuineness, empathy, caring, and respect–qualities very familiar to Head Start staff–are critical to creating an inclusive community and have been shown to be essential ingredients of constructive communication.

Activity 2-6: Making a Plan

Purpose: In order for children with disabilities to feel as if they truly belong, they must feel valued for who they are. In this coaching session, participants will develop goals for strengthening their ability to communicate constructively with and about children with disabilities.

Preparation

This session has two parts: 1) a discussion of the assignment and 2) a goal-setting exercise for strengthening each participant's ability to communicate constructively about persons with disabilities. At the end of the session, participants will choose Next Steps to work on to extend their learning. To prepare for this session:

• Review all the directions and handouts for this session, and Next Steps: Ideas to Extend Practice (p. 71).
  
  
• Duplicate Handout 6-Responding to Questions (pp. 80-81), Handout 11-Goals (p. 88), and Next Steps: Ideas to Extend Practice (p. 71): one for each participant.
  
  
• Read through the Resources section (pp. 135-142), particularly those recommended for Module 2. Note resources that may be helpful as participants apply their new skills to their daily work.

Conducting the Session

1. Welcome participants and briefly discuss the purpose of today's session.
   
   
2. Ask participants to review their notes on Handout 9-Prompts and Handout 10-Responses. Then lead a discussion about the assignment, asking for general reactions.
   
   
3. Next, ask participants to share their specific reactions. Remind them that there is no single "right" answer. Review each prompt and the matching response. Ask participants: "Which responses are constructive and inclusive, and why?" and "Which are destructive and exclusive, and why?" Ask participants to share any responses they wrote and explain how these responses promote belonging. After analyzing all prompts and responses, have participants make two lists: "What Makes Answers Constructive" and "What Makes Answers Destructive."

Tips for the Coach

• Handout 6-Responding to Questions will be used as a handout later in the session. You might want to refer to it now to help guide the discussion.
  
  
• During the discussion, issues related to confidentiality may surface. Remind participants that children and parents have a legal right to confidentiality. In general, no information should be shared without the parents' written permission, but there are exceptions (such as the mandate to report abuse or neglect). In any case, parents and children deserve privacy and respect.
  
  
• Participants may feel that they can't say whether a response is "constructive" or "destructive" without knowing more about the situation. They may question the relationship between the people, the tone, what else was said, etc. This is an important insight. Use it to reinforce the idea that communication is complex. Words and techniques are important, but the underlying "heart" of the message is the essential communication.

4. Give each participant a copy of Handout 6-Responding to Questions. Review the handout with participants, comparing the items on the handout with the experiences and ideas generated by the participants.
   
   
5. Have participants share the results of their homework and analyze the responses given by staff members. Use the lists participants generated earlier as a framework for the discussion. Remind participants that the staff members' identity should not be disclosed.

6. Tell participants that while we all have strengths, we all have room to grow. We can improve by developing specific goals for ourselves. We can also use the responses of the staff members, along with our experience in the program, to make specific recommendations for program improvement.
   
   
7. Give each participant Handout 11 -Goals and remind them that their goals should relate to written and oral communication with and about children with disabilities. Tell participants they will have 5 minutes to complete the handout. Then ask them to share their responses to My Goals. Help them identify the steps and supports they need to reach their goals.
   
   
8. Ask participants for recommendations about how the program might improve its ability to communicate with children and adults with disabilities. For example, participants might suggest staff training to heighten awareness and strengthen communication skills. They might also have ideas for advocacy in the community or books and posters that the program could display to promote inclusion. Tell participants you will bring their recommendations to the management team.

Wrap-up and Next Steps

Briefly summarize the session with participants and highlight key points. Emphasize that all of us in Head Start, regardless of our roles, have an opportunity to communicate with others in a way that creates belonging. We all should identify ways we can improve our skills to do so. Distribute and review Next Steps: Ideas to Extend Practice. Together, select one option for continuing your work. Thank participants for their participation and confirm a time and place for a follow-up meeting.

Next Steps: Ideas to Extend Practice

As a supervisor, you can encourage staff members to practice what they have learned in this module. Ways to accomplish this include:

1. Help participants develop and work on a "Back Home Plan." These plans might be developed by individuals or by job-alike groups. Handout 11-Goals can be used as a first step in creating plans.

   Each plan should include a specific goal or goals and strategies to reach the goal. For example, goals might include having a constructive discussion with a particular parent of a child with disabilities, chatting with a child with disabilities, or advocating for change in the program or the community. Have staff share their plans with at least one other person. As a member of the group, develop your own "Back Home Plan" and share it with the group. Later, plan a "Follow-through Celebration" to celebrate the group's accomplishments.
   
   

2. Continue to encourage reflective practice. Ask participants to use a tape recorder or a journal to summarize individual interactions they have with and about persons with disabilities. Ask them to note what they said and did, what worked, and when they felt comfortable or uncomfortable. Use this to help staff recognize where they are strong and where they have difficulty. Reassure staff that supervision is a legitimate place to raise concerns and share difficulties.
   
   
3. Feature a parent panel. Invite Head Start parents who have children with disabilities to talk about their experiences. Learn from their point of view what communication–verbal, nonverbal, written–helped or would have helped them feel included in the program. Have a question-and-answer period at the end to give participants a chance to practice communicating about children with disabilities.

   As an alternative, have a panel consisting of adults with disabilities. Ask them to share their experiences, focusing on how communication–verbal, nonverbal, written–helped or hindered their sense of belonging in the community.

   Your local speakers' bureau or Resource Access Project will be able to help you identify speakers for this session.