Recent News

• Elevating Early Learning: Discover the Latest Edition of Building Blocks for Inclusive Classrooms 
  

  Anticipation and enthusiasm surround the release of the fourth edition of “Building Blocks for Teaching Young Children in Inclusive Settings.” This latest edition stands as a testament to ongoing progress in early childhood education, offering a blend of innovative insights and practical advice. Dr. Susan Sandall, along with her esteemed co-authors Drs. Ariane Gauvreau, Gail E. Joseph, and Ilene S. Schwartz, has crafted a resource that merges contemporary research with practical strategies, guiding educators in their pursuit of creating inclusive and supportive learning environments for every child.   Sandall, whose expertise in special education and early childhood studies has significantly shaped the field, reflects on the evolution of Building Blocks. “The origins of Building Blocks go way back to the 1990s, when we were tasked with looking at the barriers and facilitators of preschool inclusion,” Sandall shares. “The goal was to identify both the obstacles and supports necessary to make inclusion a reality in preschool settings.” The fourth edition represents a substantial enhancement, integrating new insights and addressing contemporary challenges with a clear, user-friendly approach.   Among the notable updates is a new chapter on ongoing assessment and data-based decision-making. Sandall explains, “We added a chapter on ongoing assessment and data-based decision-making because we needed to be a little bit more explicit about how to collect ongoing information about how children are doing and how to make good teaching decisions.” Another major update is the expanded chapter on teaming and collaboration. “There was a chapter about that in previous editions, but this one is far more up-to-date and consistent with what really is happening in classrooms and systems,” Sandall notes.   A standout feature of this edition is its enhanced focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Unlike previous editions, where DEI was addressed in various contexts, the new edition integrates these principles throughout the text. Sandall highlights, “One of the things we took seriously from feedback from our readers is that they wanted to see themselves in the book and the chapters.” So, while we always thought of classrooms very broadly, we were very intentional in talking about childcare centers, childcare homes, Head Start programs—the whole range of preschool programs.”   The fourth edition also embraces technological advancements with updated resources and tools. New checklists, planning forms, and professional development modules have been added to help educators implement the book’s strategies with ease. Sandall emphasizes, “We’ve added several new useful tools, checklists, and planning forms. We have new resources that people can use.”   A key element in the success of the fourth edition was the extensive workshops and training conducted by the Professional Development and Training (PD) team. Over the past year, the PD team, led by Dr. Ariane Gauvreau, has collaborated with partners in Washington, Oregon, and New Mexico, utilizing the new forms that focus on implementation support. Gauvreau shares, “Many of the updates in this edition came from our PD work and feedback from teaching teams. We heard that program leaders were looking for ways to support teachers as they implement the Building Blocks framework and created many new forms to support this part of the work.” The positive feedback from teachers and leaders has highlighted the practical impact of these efforts.  Sandall and her team have found the success of Building Blocks to be incredibly rewarding. “The feedback has been far beyond what I ever expected,” she says. “The fact that people use it, they grab the next editions, and they update—it’s really quite rewarding.” As Sandall looks toward the future, she expresses excitement about the continued influence of Building Blocks. “We brought Ariane on as an additional author because we want this to continue as we move on to the retirement phase of our lives. We’re excited that this work and this thinking will continue to influence what happens in early childhood settings.”   The fourth edition of Building Blocks highlights a commitment to creating inclusive early childhood education. By combining research with practical tools and a thoughtful approach, it ensures that educators are well-equipped to foster supportive and enriching learning environments for every child. 

• Alumna Spotlight: Veronica Fleury
  

  Dr. Veronica Fleury is an associate professor of Special Education at Florida State University dedicated to optimizing learning opportunities for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Her research delves into understanding how core behavioral characteristics of ASD influence learning to inform the development of effective instructional strategies. Dr. Fleury’s intervention work is grounded in applied behavioral analysis. She earned a doctorate from the University of Washington and has extensive experience in teaching, consultation, and research. She strives to bridge the gap between research and practice to improve outcomes for children with ASD. Q. How has your special education training from the University of Washington shaped your approach to autism research and intervention? My doctoral training equipped me with the foundational skills that I needed to design and conduct high-quality, methodologically rigorous studies. This was just the beginning of a lifelong learning journey; however, I attribute the rate of my scholarly growth over the past decade to the strong foundation that I received at the University of Washington. My doctoral training prepared me to think critically about educational research, identify gaps in our knowledge and areas for improvement, and ask—and answer—socially meaningful questions. One could argue that most doctoral training programs at research-intensive institutions provide (or should provide) similar technical training; however, I think what distinguishes the training that I received at the University of Washington was the added value of “human-ness” combined with rigorous research. I believe my advisor, Dr. Ilene Schwartz, was influential in this regard. I vividly recall her stating in class that the most effective interventions are not useful if consumers are unwilling or unable to use them. (Note: I think this may have been during my master’s program in a teacher preparation course, which was well before I entered the doctoral program!). This was an epiphany for me, and careful consideration of social validity is integral in my current research. Developing educational interventions with strong social validity requires understanding current needs and an appreciation for the unique demands and constraints that educators and caregivers face in the “real world.” Strong research-practice partnerships are invaluable in this regard. Healthy research-practice partnerships, however, must be curated. Social science research, for all its admirable traditions, has been at times an extractive industry, and social scientists have not always been good partners with their communities. I saw Dr. Ilene Schwartz and many other UW faculty actively work to create healthy and mutually beneficial relationships with community schools. When I was a preschool special education teacher in Bellevue Public Schools, Ilene regularly attended and provided her expertise in our meetings in which we discussed student progress for those in our autism extended day programs, even stating in one meeting that it was “her favorite part of the week.” I think her close ties to the local educational community allowed her to keep abreast of current educational needs, but perhaps more importantly, empowered us to provide better instruction to our students and feel valued. Though this was before my doctoral training, these early experiences instilled in me a professional and ethical obligation. Q. What did you learn about how peer networks affect young children’s social and literacy skills from your work on the Peer Networks Project at UW? My work as a graduate research assistant on the Peer Network Project was instrumental in my scholarly development—and ultimately influenced my career trajectory—in countless ways. Though my experience led to numerous insights about research and what it means to be a good researcher, I will highlight three insights. Insight #1: Applied research is “messy.” Researchers who conduct studies in natural learning environments, such as classrooms, do not necessarily have overt control of all factors that may influence intervention outcomes. I began working on the Peer Networks project in its first year. Witnessing the launch of a large-scale, multi-site research project afforded me a unique opportunity to see how a well-crafted, meticulously designed research proposal came to life. Sometimes, even the best-laid plans do not work out as initially intended. Something good “on paper” may require adjustments or modifications when working with real humans and learning contexts. Insight #2: Team science makes our work better, but it is not always easy! The Peer Networks Project was a collaborative effort amongst smart scholars who worked together to achieve a common goal. The research team comprised individuals who contributed uniquely to the conceptualization and realization of the study. As a multi-site project, its success relied upon strong leadership and collaboration across and within study sites. My experience as a research assistant on this project shed a different light on the “social” of social science. Effective project management involves “people management” (so select your people wisely!). Insight #3: Most traditional learning activities rely heavily on social communication skills. The Peer Networks Project was built upon the premise that we learn by interacting with our environment and the people within our environment. This project made me think about the structure of learning activities in classrooms. Although academic difficulties are not a diagnostic characteristic of ASD, the core behavioral difficulties that define ASD—social-communication deficits and the presence of restricted, repetitive behaviors—often impede students’ ability to actively participate in, and learn from, traditional classroom activities. Many activities that we use to teach core content, such as reading, rely heavily on social interaction (e.g., asking and answering questions, engaging in discussion, observing teachers and peers demonstrate a skill). Peers can be a tremendous influence for learning new skills; however, we need to ensure that children with ASD have appropriate instructional and social support to reap the full benefits of peer-mediated instruction. Q. What are some key findings or promising interventions from your research on instructional strategies for young children with ASD? MMy recent intervention work is focused on using shared book reading (i.e., adults reading aloud with children) as a context to develop early literacy and language skills in young children with autism. Reading aloud with children is a developmentally appropriate activity in many homes and early childhood classrooms that can …

• Farewell & Thank You with Dr. Ilene Schwartz
  

  As Dr. Ilene Schwartz prepares to retire from the University of Washington in August 2024, we want to celebrate her incredible career and contributions.  Since joining the UW special education faculty in 1991 and becoming the director of the Haring Center for Inclusive Education in 2007, Dr. Schwartz has been a leader in applied behavior analysis (ABA), autism, inclusion, and sustainable educational interventions.  She founded Project DATA, a model preschool program for children with autism, at the Experimental Education Unit in 1997.  This program is still in operation at the Haring Center. Dr. Schwartz, earned her Ph.D. from the University of Kansas and is a board-certified behavior analyst (BCBA). Her dedication to providing high-quality education for all children is truly inspiring.  Join us in honoring Dr. Ilene Schwartz by enjoying her insights and reflections in the following Q&A. Could you share a brief reflection on your time at the College of Education?  I have experienced a lot of change over my 33 years at the College of Education.  I have worked for 5 deans and across the different leaders I have been impressed by the support that I have received to work every day to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities through preparing professionals (e.g., behavior analysts, researchers), conducting research, and providing service in the community.  What achievements or contributions are you most proud of during your time here?  I am most proud of Project DATA and my graduate students. Project DATA is a school based program for young children with autism. When we developed this program in 1997 we wanted to be sure that all children with autism, regardless of background or ability, had access to a high quality program.  Working with my doctoral students over the last 3 decades has taught me so much and has been a lot of fun.  What will you miss the most about working at the College of Education?  I will miss working with our incredible team at the Haring Center.  We have worked hard to create an inclusive community that is welcoming to all.  This is not just about children with and without disabilities and their families, but staff, graduate students, faculty, and all employees.  What are your plans or aspirations for the future?  I retire on August 31 and leave for France on September 2!!  Is there a message or piece of advice you would like to share with your colleagues and the College community?  Inclusion, kindness, welcoming, and belonging are not just words that should be applied to early childhood programs.  We need to work with everyone at the College of Education, regardless of background or beliefs, to create a world in which everyone can participate, everyone belongs, and everyone feels valued.