Family-Professional
Partnerships
CONNECT Module 4
Learning Objectives
1.
2.
Describe effective practices for developing
trusting family-professional partnerships in
early care and education programs.
Use a decision-making process to select
partnership-oriented practices linked to (a)
developing an initial friendly relationship,
(b) making shared decisions, and (c)
developing a trusting partnership with
families to address challenging issues.
CONNECT
Introduction
Welcome to the module on family-professional
partnerships developed by CONNECT. This
module builds on the basic communication
practices you learned in Module 3 and extends
to partnership-oriented practices designed to
promote trusting partnerships with families.
Similar to basic communication skills,
partnership-oriented practices require ongoing
practice, reflection, and feedback to improve
effectiveness in developing trusting
partnerships with families.
CONNECT
CONNECT 5-Step Learning Cycle™
You will use a 5-step process taken from evidencebased practice to learn more about partnershiporiented practices between professionals and
families.
Step 1: Dilemma – Consider a dilemma.
Step 2: Question – Turn the dilemma into an answerable
question.
Step 3: Evidence – Consider key sources of evidence.
Step 4: Decision – Integrate sources of general evidence,
different perspectives, and unique contexts to make an
informed decision.
Step 5: Evaluation – Evaluate the practice decision.
CONNECT
Step 1 - Dilemma
5-Step Learning Cycle ™
Step 1
Module 4 | Step 1
 In Step 1 you will hear and read about two
perspectives on a practice dilemma. The dilemma
is about a teacher sharing a concern with a father
of a preschool age child.
 Meet China. She is a teacher in an NAEYC
accredited program that serves children birth
through five years of age.
 China’s program is a large full-day community child
care center. She has become concerned about Aaron, a
four-year-old boy in her classroom.
Video 4.1
Module 4 | Step 1
 Video 4.1: The teacher’s viewpoint
 China, a teacher in a large, full-day child care
center shares a dilemma about how to express
her concerns about little Aaron, a 4-year-old boy
in her class, with his father Aaron. (running time:
2 min. 12 sec.)
Video 4.2
Module 4 | Step 1
 Video 4.2: The family’s viewpoint
 Aaron, the father of little Aaron, a 4-year-old boy
in a preschool classroom, shares his story and
goals for his family’s future. (running time: 1 min.
37 sec.)
Activity 3.1a
Module 3 | Step 1
 Now, take a minute to check your knowledge and
complete Activity 3.1a: Describe the dilemma
Step 2: Question
5-Step Learning Cycle ™
Step 2
Module 4 | Step 2
 In Step 2 you will turn the dilemma about how to
build a trusting partnership into an answerable
question to help guide the search for evidence on a
particular practice.
 You can use a tool called PICO to help create a
focused question that is answerable through
research.
 PICO identifies the most essential information
needed for this question.
PICO
Module 4 | Step 2
 This information consists of short phrases that can
be entered into a web-based search engine to find
the best available research evidence on a particular
practice such as partnership-oriented practices.
 PICO requires that you identify the following
information to develop the answerable question:
P – Person (characteristics of the child or family who will receive the
intervention)
I – Interventions being considered
C – Comparison to other interventions (if there is research that
compares two or more interventions)
O – Outcomes desired
Activity 3.2a
Module 4 | Step 2
 Use PICO to identify the important information
from the dilemma about how to build a trusting
partnership with a family and create the
answerable question in Activity 4.2a.
 After you complete Activity 4.2a, view an
answerable question related to the dilemma
about building a trusting partnership.
Answerable Question
Module 4 | Step 2
 In working with families of young children in early
care and education programs (P), are
partnership-oriented practices (I) effective in
promoting trusting family-professional
partnerships (O)?
Step 3: Evidence
5-Step Learning Cycle ™
Step 3
Module 4 | Step 3
Step 3 is organized into the following four sections to
enable you to consider key sources of knowledge
about partnership-oriented practices.
 Definition – Partnership-oriented practices are defined and
further explained with examples and activities.
 Research – Best available research on partnership-oriented
practices are summarized.
 Policies – Federal legislation and professional guidelines
related to partnership-oriented practices are presented.
 Experience-based knowledge – Practitioners and family
leaders share their insights and suggestions on the
importance of partnership-oriented practices.
A. Definition
Module 4 | Step 3
 Partnership-oriented practices include: Enhanced
communication, high expectations, respect, commitment,
equality, and advocacy.
 Partnership-oriented practices encompass both a child focus
and family focus. This means that it is essential to demonstrate
partnership-oriented practices in interacting with children and
parents.
 The family focus builds upon a foundation of practitioners being
able to demonstrate effective basic communication skills with
adults (described in Module 3). The child focus builds upon a
foundation of practitioners being able to engage in practices
that demonstrate effective teaching.
 Figure 1 is a Family-Professional Partnership Framework that
illustrates this definition.
Figure 1
Module 4 | Step 3
Video 4.3
Module 4 | Step 3
 Video 4.3: Description of family-professional
partnership framework
 Dr. Ann Turnbull, Distinguished Professor, CoFounder and Co-Director of the Beach Center on
Disability, describes the family-professional
partnership framework to illustrate partnershiporiented practices.
Examples and Applications
of Partnership-Oriented
Practices
Module 4 | Step 3
 Trust exists on a continuum, and families are at
various points on that continuum when their child
starts in an early childhood program. However, a
trusting partnership evolves over time rather than
happening quickly at the beginning of a relationship.
Building trust can be thought of in terms of three
phases:
 Developing an initial friendly relationship – Being on
beginning ground
 Making shared decisions – Being on middle ground
 Addressing challenging issues – Being on firm ground
Handout 4.1
Module 4 | Step 3
 Handout 4.1 includes examples and applications
of partnership-oriented practices at each phase.
As you go through Step 3 of this module, you will
learn about examples and applications at each
phase separately. Then you will have a chance to
integrate what you have learned across each of
the three phases.
Examples and Applications
of Partnership-Oriented
Practices (cont.)
Module 4 | Step 3
 The length of time it takes to reach a trusting partnership
can vary significantly from one family to another. It is much
easier to address challenging issues when you are on firm
ground in your relationships with families.
 In Module 3 you learned that effective basic
communication practices require individualization with
each practitioner and family, and the same is true for
partnership-oriented practices.
 You will need to adapt the partnership-oriented practices
in this module to each family’s preferred communication
style, cultural considerations, and preferences.
Activity 4.3a
Module 4 | Step 3
 Take a minute to check your knowledge and
complete Activity 4.3: Reflect on your
partnerships with professionals
Developing an Initial
Friendly Relationship –
Beginning Ground
Module 4 | Step 3
 Developing a friendly relationship from the outset requires
that practitioners foster comfortable interactions with
families, characterized by ease and openness. The
development of a friendly relationship occurs as
practitioners demonstrate practices aligned with enhanced
communication, high expectations, respect, commitment,
equality, and advocacy.
 Watch Video 4.4 of Clara, a practitioner, making an initial home
visit with a mother. Then, discuss her initial interactions with
families and reflect on her practices to start the relationship off
on a positive note.
 Next, watch the Video 4.5 of Libby, a teacher, and Kim, a parent
to Ella, to observe and reflect on examples of practices related
to developing an initial friendly relationship (beginning ground).
Handouts
Module 4 | Step 3
 Handout 4.2: Partnership-Oriented Practices:
Observation Checklist
 Handout 4.3: Partnership-Oriented Practices:
Observation Checklist- Answer Key
Video 4.4
Module 4 | Step 3
 Video 4.4: Starting a relationship
Clara, a practitioner, makes an initial home visit
with a mother and describes how to begin a familyprofessional partnership, especially working with
families from different cultural backgrounds.
Video 4.5
Module 4 | Step 3
 Video 4.5: Libby and Kim - Beginning ground
conversation
Libby, a teacher in a child care center, and Kim, a
parent of a 4-year-old girl (Ella), have a
conversation about working together and learning
from one another. This conversation highlights
developing an initial friendly relationship.
Activity 4.4a
Module 4 | Step 3
 Take a minute to check your knowledge and
complete Activity 4.4a: Identify video examples of
developing an initial friendly relationship
(beginning ground)
Making Shared Decisions –
Middle Ground
Module 4 | Step 3
 A trusting partnership moves beyond a friendly relationship as
practitioners and families have multiple opportunities to
interact, exchange information, and share insights with each
other in the process of shared decision-making.
 This evolution of trust occurs as practitioners demonstrate
more sophisticated practices aligned with enhanced
communication, high expectations, respect, commitment,
equality, and advocacy. With the development of trust,
conversations and information exchanges are easier and less
guarded. This allows for more personal topics to be covered
and for more candid exchanges.
 Watch the video to identify and reflect on examples of practices
related to making shared decisions.
Handouts
Module 4 | Step 3
 Handout 4.2: Partnership-Oriented Practices:
Observation Checklist
 Handout 4.3: Partnership-Oriented Practices:
Observation Checklist- Answer Key
Video 4.6
Module 4 | Step 3
 Video 4.6: Libby and Kim - Middle ground
conversation
Libby, a teacher in a child care center, and Kim, a
parent of a 4-year-old girl (Ella), have a
conversation about working together and learning
from one another. This conversation highlights
addressing challenging issues.
Activity 4.5a
Module 4 | Step 3
 Take a minute to check your knowledge and
complete Activity 4.5a: Identify video examples of
making shared decisions (middle ground)
Addressing Challenging
Issues – Firm Ground
Module 4 | Step 3
 A trusting partnership between practitioners and
families enables practitioners to address challenging
issues in a positive and constructive manner.
 As trust evolves from middle ground to firm ground,
partnership-oriented practices such as enhanced
communication, high expectations, respect,
commitment, equality, and advocacy become the
most sophisticated.
 Watch the video to identify and reflect on examples of
practices related to addressing challenging issues.
Video 4.7
Module 4 | Step 3
 Video 4.7: Libby and Kim - Firm ground
conversation
Libby, a teacher in a child care center, and Kim, a
parent of a 4-year-old girl (Ella), have a
conversation about working together and learning
from one another. This conversation highlights
making shared decisions.
Putting It All Together
Module 4 | Step 3
 You have learned partnership-oriented practices for developing
a trusting partnership which involves three phases: (a)
developing an initial friendly relationship (beginning ground),
(b) making shared decisions (middle ground), and (c) addressing
challenging issues (firm ground).
 Although examples and applications of practices were
introduced within these three phases, practices do not always
fall into three discrete categories. Lines are often blurred as
relationships move in the direction of a trusting partnership.
 For additional practice, watch the three videos below to
identify and reflect on examples of practices related to each of
the three phases and developing a trusting partnership.
Video 4.8
Module 4 | Step 3
 Video 4.8: Maggie and Latesha - Beginning
ground conversation
Maggie, a teacher in a child care center, and
Latesha, a parent of a 4-year-old boy (Cameron),
have a conversation about working together and
learning from one another. This conversation
highlights developing an initial friendly
relationship.
Video 4.9
Module 4 | Step 3
 Video 4.9: Maggie and Latesha - Middle ground
conversation
Maggie, a teacher in a child care center, and
Latesha, a parent of a 4-year-old boy (Cameron),
have a conversation about working together and
learning from one another. This conversation
highlights making shared decisions.
Video 4.10
Module 4 | Step 3
 Video 4.10: Maggie and Latesha - Firm ground
conversation
Maggie, a teacher in a child care center, and
Latesha, a parent of a 4-year-old boy (Cameron),
have a conversation about working together and
learning from one another. This conversation
highlights addressing challenging issues.
B. Research
Module 4 | Step 3
 As part of evidence-based practice, families and practitioners can turn to the
best available research to answer questions and solve practice dilemmas. The
best available research should be current and of high quality, have information
about how the practice was implemented and whether it was effective, and be
relevant to the situation in the practice dilemma.
 Terms related to forming trusting partnerships with families are often used
interchangeably – family-professional partnerships, family-provider
relationships, family-centered helpgiving practices, family engagement
practices, and family-centered care. All of these terms reflect the importance of
the relationship between families and early childhood practitioners.
 Learn more about the effectiveness research on family-centered helpgiving
practices by reading Handout 4.4: Research Summary on Family-Centered
Helpgiving Practices. This summary is based on a research synthesis on familycentered helpgiving practices, which are a set of practices similar to the
partnership-oriented practices described in this module.
Audio 4.1
Module 4 | Step 3
 Audio 4.1: Perspectives of Dr. Beth Harry
 Dr. Beth Harry, a professor and chair of special education at
the University of Miami, discusses the importance of
earning the trust of parents from diverse backgrounds
through demonstrating respect for their perspectives.
 Dr. Harry has described the transforming impact of her
daughter with special needs on her personal and
professional life.
 She is a nationally recognized leader in research related to
cultural diversity within the field of special education,
especially on the topic of family-professional partnerships.
Handout 4.4
Module 4 | Step 3
 Handout 4.4: Research Summary on Family-
Centered Helpgiving Practices
Activity 4.8a
Module 4 | Step 3
 Take a minute to check your knowledge and
complete Activity 4.8a: Apply the research to
practice
C. Policies
Module 4 | Step 3
 In addition to the best available research on
family-professional partnerships, you can turn to
federal legislation and professional guidelines to
answer questions about practice.
Policies
Module 4 |Step 3
 For this module on family-professional partnerships, information on
policy is drawn from two sources: the Head Start Performance Standards
and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
 The Head Start Performance Standards include a standard on Family
Partnerships (45CFR 1304.40). A central focus of Head Start is to work
closely with families to improve the lives of young children. The Family
Partnerships standard includes policies directed at engaging in a
collaborative partnership-building process with parents, and creating
individualized family partnership agreements.
 For children with identified disabilities, IDEA has as one of its most
significant themes an emphasis on parents being equal partners with
professionals in making educational decisions about their children.
Handout 4.5: Policy Advisory – The Law Governing Family-Professional
Partnerships summarizes key Head Start Performance Standards and
IDEA provisions for Part C (ages birth-3) and Part B (ages 3-21) programs
related to families.
Professional Guidelines
Module 4 | Step 3
 DEC Recommended Practices: A Comprehensive Guide for
Practical Application in Early Intervention/Early Childhood
Special Education (2005) is the result of an effort that
integrated the best available research evidence with knowledge
gained through experience in practice. The final set of practices
was determined through a consensus process.
 Within the DEC Recommended Practices, family-professional
partnerships are specifically addressed in the Family-Based
Practices (F1-F17), and are organized into four categories:
 Families and professionals share responsibility and work
collaboratively,
 Practices strengthen family functioning,
 Practices are individualized and flexible, and
 Practices are strengths and assets-based.
Supplemental Materials
Module 4 | Step 3
 To learn more about the NAEYC and DEC
professional guidelines, and the Head Start
Performance Standards, see Supplemental
Materials.
Activity 4.9a
Module 4 | Step 3
 Take a minute to check your knowledge and
complete Activity 4.9a: Consider the policy on
family-professional partnerships
D. Experience-Based
Knowledge
Module 4 | Step 3
 Earlier you considered two important sources of evidence: the
best available research and policies/professional guidelines
about family-professional partnerships. Experience-based
knowledge is another source of evidence to help guide your
decision-making. Experience-based knowledge is the “knowhow” that comes from solving problems, overcoming barriers,
and making decisions in everyday life.
 CONNECT staff identified parents and practitioners from around
the country who have experienced-based knowledge on the
topic of family-professional partnerships and invited them to
share their views.
 Now listen to audio clips from phone interviews with these
spokespersons and identify important considerations to keep in
mind about developing trusting partnerships.
Audio 4.2: Janice Fialka
Module 4 | Step 3
 Janice and her husband have two wonderful adult-
children, Micah and Emma. They love to laugh together,
travel, and discuss social justice issues at the kitchen table.
Janice is a social worker, national speaker, author, and is
active in the disability justice movement.
 She is also the Special Projects Trainer for Early On
(Michigan's Part C Training and T.A. system). Micah is one
of the new wave of adults with intellectual disabilities who
attend college. To learn more about Janice and Micah's
work, go to www.danceofpartnership.com and
www.throughthesamedoor.com.
Audio 4.3: Samtra Devard
Module 4 | Step 3
 Samtra resides in Bear, Delaware, with her husband and their
three children, one of whom has a disability. Samtra is the
founder of the HOPE Center Network for Families – which
operates under the core belief that “Every Child Has
Possibilities”.
 Samtra is a devoted advocate for children and their families and
is particularly interested in advocating for systems change. She
is a parent leader in numerous national and state organizations
and initiatives, as well as a writer and speaker at workshops
and conferences nationwide.
 Samtra holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical
Engineering from Drexel University. Learn more at about the
HOPE Center Network for Families at
www.hopecenterofde.com.
Audio 4.4: Subarna Dharia
Module 4 | Step 3
 Subarna is a pediatrician whose main area of interest is
serving children with disabilities. After working in private
practice for several years, she now works for the Infant and
Toddler Connection of Fairfax-Falls Church in Virginia.
Subarna is also the proud mother of two boys. Subarna
works with families of children with developmental delays
as a resource of medical knowledge.
 Her oldest son has global developmental delays and
inspired her to help other families overcome the
challenges associated with special needs. Subarna is
interested in the early diagnosis and treatment of
disabilities so that children have every opportunity to
succeed.
Audio 4.5: Rosalia Fajardo
Module 4 | Step 3
 Rosalia is Director of Outreach for the Parent
Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC). She
came to the U.S. from Colombia when her advocacy
as a special advisor to the Justice Minister brought
threats against her life.
 Through her background as a lawyer, she has applied
her expertise in advocacy, community organization,
and empowerment to assist countless children and
families with a message of hope and change.
 Rosalia's personal experiences as a parent of a child
with disabilities and her knowledge of services has
made her a lifeline for immigrant families.
Audio 4.6: Salvador Moran
Module 4 | Step 3
 Salvador is an early childhood special educator who works
with children who are culturally, linguistically and ability
diverse in preschool programs in the Arlington, Virginia,
public schools.
 He strives to empower parents to advocate for their
children, seeing the value of building authentic
relationships with families. Salvador makes learning
meaningful for children by listening to their family stories
and building on their funds of knowledge.
 Currently, he is a doctoral student at George Mason
University in the Early Childhood Special Education
program, concentrating on social justice for young children
and their families.
Step 4: Decision
5-Step Learning Cycle ™
Step 4: Decision
Module 4 | Step 4
 In Step 4 you will integrate sources of evidence,
different perspectives, and unique contexts to
make an informed decision. Making an informed
decision requires that you:
 Consider perspectives and contexts,
 Integrate evidence with perspectives and contexts to
make a decision, and
 Plan for implementation.
A. Consider Perspectives
and Contexts
Module 4 | Step 4
 Step 3 provided an opportunity to consider general
sources of evidence about engaging in partnershiporiented practices in order to develop trusting
partnerships with families. Now you will need to
think about what you learned in Step 3 in light of
China and Aaron’s unique situation. To help you
understand the contexts further, listen to their
perspectives.
 Use the information from these perspectives to
describe the unique contexts in which this dilemma
occurs in Activity 4.11a.
Audio 4.7
Module 4 | Step 4
 China’s perspective (little Aaron’s teacher)
 China, a teacher in a child care center talks about her
relationship with Aaron, the father of a 4-year-old in
her classroom, and about how to express her concerns
about little Aaron to him (running time: 0 min., 54
sec.).
Audio 4.8
Module 4 | Step 4
 Aaron’s perspective (little Aaron’s father)
 The father of little Aaron, a 4-year-old boy in a
preschool classroom, shares his thoughts on
being involved in the classroom and his views on
little Aaron’s teacher, China (running time: 0 min.,
51 sec.).
Activity 4.11a
Module 4 | Step 4
 Take a minute to complete the Core Activity
4.11a: Consider the unique contexts
B. Integrate Evidence and
Contexts to Make a
Decision
Module 4 | Step 4
 To decide which partnership-oriented practices China
should use to develop a trusting partnership with Aaron,
the father, and how she should use them, you will need to
integrate general sources of evidence with the different
perspectives and unique contexts in this dilemma.
 Complete Activity 4.12a to summarize and integrate these
sources of evidence and to make a recommendation.
Activity 4.12a
Module 4 | Step 4
 Take a minute to complete the Core Activity
4.12a: Use evidence-based practice decisionmaking
C. Plan for Implementation
Module 4 | Step 4
 Once a decision has been reached about which partnership-oriented
practices to use, you will need to think about how China might
implement these practices. The plan for implementation requires that
you:
 Review the partnership-oriented practices that are recommended to
establish a trusting partnership. Review the partnership-oriented practices
in Handout 4.1 and Activity 4.10a with particular attention to the examples
and applications that might be especially effective for China to use with
Aaron.
 Identify practices that China can use with Aaron at the beginning ground,
middle ground, and firm ground phases to establish a trusting partnership.
Complete the implementation plan in Activity 4.13a to show how China can
use specific partnership-oriented practices to build a trusting partnership
with Aaron. (Remember that China will need to incorporate the basic
communication strategies in Module 3 related to attending and active
listening, seeking and verifying information, and joining and supporting.)
Step 5 - Evaluation
5-Step Learning Cycle ™
Step 5: Evaluation
Module 4 | Step 5
 In Step 5 you will consider ways to evaluate the
plan for engaging in partnership-oriented
practices that resulted from the decision-making
process. The following information can help you
think about what methods you can use, sources
of information you will need to gather and people
who should be involved in the evaluation:
 What is meant by assessment and evaluation,
 The purpose of evaluation, and
 Gathering and using assessment information.
A. What is Meant by
Assessment and Evaluation
Module 4 | Step 5
 Assessment is the process of systematically gathering information as
part of an evaluation. Evaluation is a broader term that refers to all of
the methods used to find out what happens as a result of using a
specific intervention or practice. The knowledge that practitioners and
families gain as a result of evaluating a practice through assessment
helps them understand the effects of the practice, make appropriate
changes, or plan a different practice, if needed. For example, in the
situation with China and Aaron, gathering assessment information about
Aaron’s satisfaction with partnership practices could help China
determine if their relationship was evolving into a trusting partnership.
The results of an evaluation also can indicate the need to consider
additional ways to enhance a trusting partnership.
 To learn how well partnership-oriented practices are working, China will
need to gather assessment information to help her evaluate the familyprofessional partnership between her and Aaron.
B. Purpose of Evaluation
Module 4 | Step 5
 To help decide what information to gather to
assess the development of a trusting partnership,
China should consider the following purposes for
conducting an evaluation of the implementation
plan:
 To monitor the development of a trusting partnership,
 To guide planning and decision-making, and
 To report and celebrate progress.
C. Gathering and Using
Assessment Information
Module 4 | Step 5
 Determine if the intervention was implemented
 Handout 4.6 is a conversation guide that China can use with a mentor (such as a program director or
program coach) or with a larger team to discuss and reflect on the extent to which she implemented
partnership-oriented practices to establish an initial friendly relationship (beginning ground) to build a
trusting partnership with Aaron.
 Determine if the intervention was effective
 Handout 4.7 is a copy of the Beach Center Family-Professional Partnership Scale (Family Version) that
Aaron can use to report on the extent to which he is satisfied with the partnership that he and China
are in the process of building. Handout 4.8 is a copy of the Beach Center Family-Professional
Partnership Scale (Professional Version) that China can use as a self-assessment to reflect on her
satisfaction with her partnership with Aaron.
 Summarize and use assessment results
 Once an assessment has been conducted, a key task will be for China to review the assessment
information, including the scales that she and Aaron completed. She should note areas of high
satisfaction as well as areas for improvement. She could invite Aaron to make a couple of suggestions
to recommend steps that she and/or others in the childcare program could take in order to best build
on his strengths and preferences to address continuing needs. In order to track the development of her
trusting partnership with Aaron over time, China may file the completed scales to compare with future
ones.
Assessment Principles
Module 4 | Step 5
 Although it has been a standard approach in early childhood programs to
conduct child assessments, it is not as typical to conduct ongoing assessments
of partnership-oriented practices carried out with families. In order to ensure
that partnership-oriented practices are implemented appropriately and are
effective in their outcomes, assessment is vital. It is important to keep in mind
the following assessment principles:
Use multiple sources of information (parents, teachers).
 Use multiple methods of gathering information (family rating scales, anecdotal





records).
Consider partnership-oriented practices in different contexts and situations (formal
parent-teacher meetings, dyadic exchanges, group situations).
Gather assessment information over multiple points of time.
Determine if partnership-oriented practices were implemented in the way they were
intended.
Involve the entire team, including the family, in planning, conducting, and
interpreting assessment results.
Use assessment results to modify practices if needed.
Summary and Wrap Up
Summary and Wrap Up
Module 4
 Let’s review what you have learned in Module 4 about how to use
partnership-oriented practices with families in order to develop trusting
partnerships.
 In Step 1 you read about a practice dilemma related to China and Aaron.
 In Step 2 you turned this practice dilemma into an answerable question, with
a focus on finding out whether engaging in partnership-oriented practices
would enhance a trusting partnership between China and Aaron.
 In Step 3 you considered key sources of knowledge about partnershiporiented practices, including the best available research evidence, policies
and professional guidelines, and experience-based knowledge.
 In Step 4 you integrated these sources of evidence with the perspectives of
China and Aaron to make an informed practice decision, and created a plan
for implementing your decision.
 In Step 5 you considered ways to evaluate the plan for using partnershiporiented practices to develop a trusting partnership.
References and Credits
Acknowledgments
Module 4
 Many, many people contributed their time, talents,
expertise and valuable resources to the making of
this module. We would like to acknowledge and give
special thanks to the following contributors:
 China Kluttz, Aaron Shah, Cherie Takemoto, and Rud
Turnbull.
 We would also like to give special thanks to our
experience-based knowledge experts: Samtra Devard,
Subarna Dharia, Janice Fialka, Rosalia Fajardo, and Salvador
Moran.
References
Module 4
 Blue-Banning, M., Summers, J.A., Frankland, H.C., Nelson, L.L., & Beegle, G.

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(2004). Dimensions of family and professional partnerships: Constructive
guidelines for collaboration. Council for Exceptional Children, 70(2), 167-184.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA), Pub. L. No. 108-446.
For complete source of information, go to http://idea.ed.gov/
Pérez-Méndez, C., Moore, S.M. (Producers), and Landlocked Films LLC (coProducer). (2005). Beyond words: Effective use of translators, interpreters, and
cultural mediators [VHS]. Available at http://www.puentesculturales.com and
http://www.landlockedfilms.com
Sandall, S., Hemmeter, M.L., Smith, B., & McLean, M. (Eds). (2005). DEC
recommended practices: A comprehensive guide for practical application in
early intervention/early childhood special education. Missoula, MT: Division for
Early Childhood.
Summers, J.A., Hoffman, L., Marquis, J., Turnbull, A., Poston, D., & Nelson, L.L.
(2005). Measuring the quality of family–professional partnerships in special
education services. Exceptional Children, 72(1), 65-83.
The CONNECT Team

Module 4
Investigators
Pam Winton
Principal Investigator
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Heidi Hollingsworth
Research Associate
Gina Harrison
Graphic Designer
Virginia Buysse
Co-Principal Investigator
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Don Trull
Videographer
Beth Rous
Co-Principal Investigator
University of Kentucky

Ann Turnbull
Co-Principal Investigator
University of Kansas
Project Staff
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chih-Ing Lim
Project Coordinator
Jonathan Green
Director of Electronic Communication
Maggie Connolly
Module Coordinator
Christine Lindauer
Research Associate

University of Kentucky
Patricia Singleton
Instructional Design Specialist
Project Interns
Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC)
Cherie Takemoto
Executive Director
(also doctoral candidate at George Mason University)
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Hattice Dogan
Graduate Research Assistant
Jessica Dykstra
Graduate Research Assistant
Earlham College
Robert Ezekiel Hart
Student Intern