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ABSTRACT INFORMATION
Title: 'What We've Learned About Home Visits In Two Countries: Insights From Early Interventionists' Track: 3 - Language Acquisition and Development Keyword(s): home-based early intervention, South Africa, US Learning Objectives: Have insight into the challenges and exciting opportunities that exist when providing home-based early intervention in developed and developing countries. Gain insight into ways to meet the cultural needs of families Know more about the HI HOPES Early Intervention Program In South Africa Know more about the SKI-HI Institute and the SKI-HI Model of early intervention at Utah State University Abstract: Four years ago the The Centre for Deaf Studies at the University of the Witswatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa partnered with the SKI-HI Institute at Utah State University to create a home-based early intervention program based on the SKI-HI Model for children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families in South Africa. We had many questions about how a home-based program designed for the United States would transfer to a developing country with a different cultural and historical background. The journey has been an exciting one and both partners have learned a great deal. In this session we will be sharing some of the lessons we have learned over the past four years, including administrative challenges, selection of intervention staff, and direct service delivery. We will also discuss the adjustments that have been made to “South Africanize” the SKI-HI Model to fit the diverse needs of South Africa, a country that has 11 official spoken languages/cultures plus a variety of ‘unofficial’ languages/cultures as well. The presentation will be supported by the data from the 3 year pilot program, including comments from parents who have received services and teachers who are seeing a drastic improvement in the communication skills of the children that are transitioning into their classrooms. Presentation: This presentation has not yet been uploaded or the speaker has opted not to make the presentation available online. Handouts: Handout is not Available
PRESENTER(S) / AUTHOR(S) INFORMATION
Paula Pittman - SKI-HI Institute      Credentials: Ph.D. Director, SKI-HI Outreach      Other Affiliations: Director, Utah Parent Infant Program, Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind       Paula Pittman has been involved in the education of children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families for 30 years. She was one of the developers of the original Deaf Mentor Program at the SKI-HI Institute and is the director of outreach for the SKI-HI and Deaf Mentor Programs. She is currently the director of the Utah Parent Infant Program at the Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind and serves families in that program as a Parent Advisor as well.       ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - Nonfinancial - Claudine Storbeck - HI HOPES      Credentials: Ph.D. Director, HI HOPES Director, Centre for Deaf Studies University of the Witswatersrand       Dr. Storbeck is the Director of the HI HOPES early intervention program in Johannesburg, South Africa. She created the Centre for Deaf Studies 11 years ago at the University of the Witswatersrand to better equip teachers of the deaf or hard of hearing to work in a classroom setting and meet the needs of children who are deaf or hard of hearing. She currently directs the HI HOPES Program, a home-based early intervention program for South Africa, works as a Parent Advisor in this program, and remains the director of the Centre for Deaf Studies at the University of the Witswatersrand.       ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - Nonfinancial -