The purpose of the AIM project is to study a model of induction and professional development to determine how effective it is in bringing about positive outcomes for early childhood special educators and the children they serve. This knowledge will be used to provide guidelines for other such induction and professional development efforts in the future. Toward this end, a field test and pilot study were conducted with early childhood special education participants in 2006-2007. From fall 2007 through 2009, the AIM project is also conducting a replication research study with a quasi experimental, non-equivalent group design.
Specifically, we are dedicated to answer the following questions:
- Does participation in AIM result in improved support and peer relationships for early career paraeducators and early childhood special educators and their supervisors and peers?
- Does participation in AIM result in early career paraeducator and early childhood special educator skill and knowledge?
- Does participation in AIM result in improved early career paraeducator and early childhood special educator job satisfaction and likelihood of commitment and growth in the profession?
The answers to these questions are being collected from participating paraeducators and early childhood special educators, mentors, and supervisors both pre and post AIM implementation through surveys, curriculum materials and assessments, and classroom observations. Final project findings will consist of individual and group-wise descriptive (frequency counts, etc.), parametric, and non-parametric statistical analyses, and content analysis of qualitative and open-ended survey responses.
We invite you to check back to this page in Fall 2009 for a summary of preliminary findings.