IPP Articles Synthesis Table

APA Citation Research Question(s) Key problems/barriers Key Recommendations

Weglarz-Ward, J.M., Santos, 1. How do childcare and EI • Meaningful collaboration • Participants provided
R.M. & Hayslip, L.A. How professionals commonly such as including child care suggestions to support
Professionals Collaborate to collaborate with one another providers in Individualized future collaboration
Support Infants and Toddlers in terms of the methods and Family Service Plans and including building
with Disabilities in Child frequency of collaboration? embedding intervention relationships through
Care. Early Childhood Educ 2. What are the issues related strategies into daily shared training, substitute
J 48, 643–655 (2020). to professional collaboration routines was minimal staffing to attend
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643- among childcare and EI • Participants noted many meetings, and clear
020-01029-5
providers? barriers including liability program and state policies.
3. What are current training concerns; information • One EI provider shared
experiences and innovative sharing; funding and time that she worked with a
strategies that professionals for collaboration; and child care provider with a
could use to support minimal training and predictable routine and
collaboration among childcare understanding of child had the professional
and EI providers? care and EI programming capacity to embed
• EI providers reported that strategies into daily
child care providers’ ability routines
to carry through on • Participants agreed that
suggestions was a understanding each other
significant problem that better supported
impacted their successful collaboration
relationships with child • Childcare providers in
care providers particular discussed how EI
• Both groups identified lack providers having a better
of time to plan together understanding of the
and lack of time to discuss childcare programs would
child and family goals as enhance the success of
issues carryover
• Child care providers most • When EI providers’
commonly commented suggestions consider the
about not being formally materials in the center,
involved in the EI process staffing patterns, and
and struggling to program budget, childcare
communicate with EI providers see them as
providers practical and will most
• Both child care and EI likely try strategies
provider groups identified • Both groups of providers
a lack of staffing as a also reflected on how
definite barrier to long-term relationships
collaboration. with providers supported
• Having minimal staff collaboration.
prevented child care • EI providers also reflected
providers from attending on how collaboration was
IFSP meetings as well as better in centers or family
being able to provide home child cares that they
individualized have visited for many
interventions to children years
during daily routines. • Participants
• EI providers consistently overwhelmingly agreed
identified child care that being on the same
staffing as an issue as well. page through
Two groups of EI providers understanding each other
mentioned that child care in relation to the purposes
staff turnover was of child care and EI and
challenging to building giving each other mutual
relationships respect could create
• Most notably, across all positive working
groups, participants relationships
discussed that
 qualifications for child care • Survey participants across
providers do not include both groups engaged with
education or experience professional development
with children with opportunities on a
disabilities. quarterly basis by
• A lack of understanding of attending workshops
special education services offered through their
was a significant barrier to professional development
inclusion and collaboration entity either in child care
• In all of the child care or EI, professional
focus groups, providers conferences, or online
expressed that they did experiences
not feel appropriately • All groups discussed that
trained to address the online options provide
needs of young children flexibility for providers.
with disabilities or embed Additionally, several child
intervention strategies care providers suggested
into their child care that having in-house
routines trainings during the work
• EI providers reported that day would be ideal
they are not required to • All groups agreed that
have any training either trainings on collaboration
pre-service or in-service on should include child care
serving infants and providers and EI providers
toddlers in child care together
settings or teaming in • Common between the two
general groups was learning more
• All of the EI providers about embedding
across groups discussed intervention strategies
various concerns about into daily routines, using
common or inexpensive
 sharing information with materials, and learning
child care providers more about child
• Providers did not feel that development
the state valued them as • EI providers across groups
professionals as their asked for more training
budgets had been cut in about the child care
recent months system and collaboration
• Child care providers strategies including how to
consistently mentioned build relationships and
that staff salaries were low effectively communicate
and program budgets were with child care providers.
small, preventing them Additionally, EI providers
from purchasing felt that child care
specialized materials, providers needed training
hiring extra staff, or in learning about EI and
attending trainings or the benefits of EI for
conferences children and families
• Several child care • All of the groups urged
providers from different state systems to increase
focus groups discussed requirements for both
how low wages impact child care and EI providers
quality and ability to hire to include more
and retain experienced information about children
staff. with disabilities and early
• EI providers across groups childhood programs.
also mentioned that the • Some providers
state no longer recommended that such
compensates providers for trainings should be
collaboration time mandated for providers.
• Participants discussed that One EI provider suggested
a significant barrier was that if collaboration was
 providers not knowing required then there needs
enough about each other to be a system of
• EI providers in all groups monitoring and
mentioned that they often accountability to ensure
engaged with child care that providers follow
providers who did not through.
know the purpose of EI or • For childcare providers,
understand the role of the top three desired
specific EI providers topics for future trainings
• All groups said that included strategies for
childcare providers in helping children with
general learned about EI disabilities during daily
through their interactions routines and activities,
with EI providers who how to identify a child
visited their programs with a disability, and
• In each focus group, at supporting children with
least one participant behavioral issues
discussed that respecting • For EI providers, the top
each other as three desired topics for
professionals was an issue future trainings included
in building collaborative embedding interventions
relationships into daily routines,
• Childcare providers felt collaboration strategies,
disrespected as and coaching strategies.
professionals. • Each of the groups
• EI providers were discussed that to facilitate
concerned that child care collaboration among
providers thought they professionals, they needed
were making judgments to build relationships with
about their programs and each other. To this end,
them as professionals someone in each group
 although EI providers did suggested a forum or focus
not feel they did. On the group that includes child
other hand, EI providers care and EI providers as
felt that they were being well as families that have
judged during visits children receiving services
• In general, both child care in child care settings to
and EI providers had foster conversations to
difficulty finding the time, identify existing supports
energy, and funding to and develop solutions to
attend current trainings. overcome barriers.
• Several child care • Bringing providers
providers considered that together, whether by
paying for training (e.g., separate professional
registration costs, travel group or together, to
expenses, and share resources and
compensation for missed problem solve, like
work hours) was a barrier communities of practice,
to seeking out such was suggested in most
professional development groups as well.
options • All of the child care
provider groups suggested
that having EI providers on
staff at child care
programs, either full or
part time, would be ideal
• All child care provider
groups suggested the ideal
solution to collaboration
and inclusion was the use
of consultation
Weglarz-Ward, J. M., & 1. What does the literature • In addition to preferring • Education professionals
Santos, R. M. (2018). Parent say regarding the inclusion experienced caregivers, believed that general
and professional perceptions of of young children with parents sought out educators and specialists
inclusion in childcare. Infants disabilities and providers who were willing should share ownership of
& Young Children, 31(2), 128- developmental delays and to accept a child with a interventions. They
143. those at risk for disabilities disability and collaborate desired intervention
and delays in childcare with parents and techniques that could be
settings from the specialists used within play,
perspectives of parents • Mohay and Reid (2006) caregiving, and classroom
and professionals? reported that childcare activities as well as
2. What is known about the providers desired more guidance to adapt
collaboration among early regular support and materials and the
childhood professionals information from environment
(e.g., childcare providers, specialists • These studies revealed that
IDEA Part C providers, • The majority of education creating a clear
special educators) in professionals felt that it understanding of each
childcare settings? was important to provide other’s roles and
individualized instruction responsibilities as well as
by appropriately training understanding each
general educators and discipline’s philosophy
facilitated successful
specialists.
collaboration
• Both specialists in school
• Dinnebeil et al. (2006)
settings and childcare discovered that groups of
providers in community professionals were more
settings felt excluded likely to come to consensus
during planning on the role of itinerant
• In the examination of the teachers if they were
role EI providers as regularly engaged in
consultants in the study by activities together
Wesley et al. (2001), • Researchers also found that
providers often took on an a greater understanding of
 expert role. This devalued each other’s profession or
childcare providers’ discipline supported
knowledge, experience, collaboration. In turn,
and role in the child’s education professionals
services. Early intervention were less defensive and
providers’ comfort level as more receptive to
consultants was impacted suggestions from
specialists
by the perceived
• Participants suggested
knowledge, skills, and
learning about teaching
beliefs of childcare
styles, environmental
providers arrangements, schedules
• Time constraints and routines, and peers in
significantly impacted the classroom
collaboration. Family • The investigation of
childcare home providers communication between
as often the sole professionals of children
providers, expressed who were dually enrolled
frustration with time as in special education and
they need substitute care childcare revealed that
to attend meetings or strong communication
trainings between professionals
• Other structural barriers to facilitated better decision
collaboration including making for professionals
billing or funding for and more consistency for
children’s services
planning or consultation
• Childcare providers desired
time and limited scope of
more collaboration with
their role within policy
specialists and saw
constraints. numerous benefits for
• Lack of administrative themselves as well as
support and buy-in was children and families. They
also perceived as a barrier preferred therapy to take
 • EI providers felt that a lack place within the classroom
of quality childcare or home in the context of
programs, large group and daily activities and with
adult-child ratios, staff children without
turnover, and low levels of disabilities
staff education were
barriers to collaboration
• Communication between
professionals was also a
prominent factor that
impacted collaboration.
• A lack of translation of
research and ideas around
collaboration into effective
practice was evident. For
example, participants in
the study by Wesley et al.
(2001) spoke of
collaboration and
consultation but were
unable to describe specific
concepts, stages, or
techniques
• Researchers concluded
that professionals may lack
awareness of the empirical
knowledge base of
consultation and
collaboration
Weglarz-Ward, J.M., Santos, 1. What were child care • Commonly, limited • Both child care and EI
R.M. & Timmer, J. Factors providers’ experiences experience, education, and providers indicated that
That Support and Hinder with infants and toddlers training with children with being provided with or
Including Infants with with disabilities? 2 disabilities negatively providing strategies that
Disabilities in Child 2. What were child care and impacted providers’ beliefs blend with daily routines,
Care. Early Childhood Educ EI providers’ beliefs on about the inclusion of activities, and schedules
J 47, 163–173 (2019). inclusion? children with disabilities was most beneficial as well
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643- 3. What factors promoted and a willingness to accept as providing strategies to
018-0900-3 and hindered the children with disabilities in use with all children
inclusion of infants and their care • For children and families,
toddlers with disabilities • Top barriers reported by participants indicated that
in child care settings from child care providers were a benefit of EI in child care
the perspectives of child (1) not enough training for was being able to have
care and EI providers? child care providers, (2) children practice strategies
4. What were the similarities high teacher-student across home and child care
and differences between ratios, (3) child care settings as well as families
child care and EI providers programs are not designed being able to team with
in relation to these for children with child care and EI.
factors? disabilities, (4) not enough • Factors that support the
quality child care inclusion of infants and
programs, (5) not enough toddlers in child care
early intervention services, settings (from table 2):
and (6) lack of planning • Positive working
time. relationships among
• EI providers indicated that people from different
not enough training for agencies, programs, and
child care providers was professions
the most prominent • Special services and
barrier, followed by not therapies are planned
enough quality child care together with family and
programs, high teacher- other caregivers
student ratios, lack of • Clearly defined roles of
planning time, and poor adults involved in
 program design as providing special therapies
prominent barriers. and services
• Parents’ resistance to • Flexible hours for staff that
discuss their child’s make it possible to meet
disability with child care with families at their
providers, parents being convenience
afraid to ask for help, and • High quality child care
parents not programs are available
communicating or • Child care programs have
providing child care clear mission statements
providers with information that support serving
about their child’s children with and without
disability and EI services disabilities together
were common comments • There are appropriate
• Not formally including standards for hiring staff
child care providers in the for child care programs
EI process, funding for • Training provided to
collaboration, and lack of prepare child care
training for child care providers to effectively
providers were listed work with young children
with disabilities who are
enrolled in child care
programs
• Training provided to
prepare early
interventionists to
effectively work with
young children with
disabilities who are
enrolled in child care
programs
• Administrators who are
willing to take risks and act
creatively to overcome
barriers
• Having at least one
inclusive early childhood
program highly visible in
the community
• Resources such as
consultants, books, or
videos are available to
support inclusion in child
care programs
• Staff show through their
actions and practices that
all children are valued
regardless of differences
 Parent & Professionals Synthesis Table
Adult Key problems/barriers Key recommendations
Parents • In addition to preferring • For children and families,
experienced caregivers, participants indicated that
parents sought out a benefit of EI in child care
providers who were willing was being able to have
to accept a child with a children practice strategies
disability and collaborate across home and child care
with parents and settings as well as families
specialists being able to team with
• Parents’ resistance to child care and EI.
discuss their child’s
disability with child care
providers, parents being
afraid to ask for help, and
parents not
communicating or
providing child care
providers with information
about their child’s
disability and EI services
were common comments

Childcare providers • Meaningful collaboration • Childcare providers in

such as including child care particular discussed how EI
providers in Individualized providers having a better
Family Service Plans and understanding of the
embedding intervention childcare programs would
strategies into daily enhance the success of
routines was minimal carryover
• Child care providers most • Some providers
commonly commented recommended that such
about not being formally trainings should be
involved in the EI process mandated for providers
and struggling to • For childcare providers,
communicate with EI the top three desired
providers topics for future trainings
• Having minimal staff included strategies for
prevented child care helping children with
providers from attending disabilities during daily
IFSP meetings as well as routines and activities,
being able to provide how to identify a child with
individualized a disability, and supporting
interventions to children children with behavioral
during daily routines. issues
• Most notably, across all • All of the child care
groups, participants provider groups suggested
discussed that that having EI providers on
qualifications for child care staff at child care
providers do not include programs, either full or
education or experience part time, would be ideal
with children with • All child care provider
disabilities. groups suggested the ideal
• A lack of understanding of solution to collaboration
special education services and inclusion was the use
was a significant barrier to of consultation
inclusion and collaboration • Education professionals
• In all of the child care believed that general
focus groups, providers educators and specialists
expressed that they did should share ownership of
not feel appropriately interventions. They
 trained to address the desired intervention
needs of young children techniques that could be
with disabilities or embed used within play,
intervention strategies into caregiving, and classroom
their child care routines activities as well as
• Child care providers guidance to adapt
consistently mentioned materials and the
that staff salaries were low environment
and program budgets were • Participants suggested
small, preventing them learning about teaching
from purchasing styles, environmental
specialized materials, arrangements, schedules
hiring extra staff, or and routines, and peers in
attending trainings or the classroom
conferences • Factors that support the
• Several child care inclusion of infants and
providers from different toddlers in child care
focus groups discussed settings (from table 2):
how low wages impact • Positive working
quality and ability to hire relationships among
and retain experienced people from different
staff. agencies, programs, and
• All groups said that professions
childcare providers in • Special services and
general learned about EI therapies are planned
through their interactions together with family and
with EI providers who other caregivers
visited their programs • Clearly defined roles of
• Childcare providers felt adults involved in
disrespected as providing special therapies
professionals. and services
• Several child care • Flexible hours for staff that
providers considered that make it possible to meet
paying for training (e.g., with families at their
registration costs, travel convenience
expenses, and • High quality child care
compensation for missed programs are available
work hours) was a barrier • Child care programs have
to seeking out such clear mission statements
professional development that support serving
options children with and without
• Mohay and Reid (2006) disabilities together
reported that childcare • There are appropriate
providers desired more standards for hiring staff
regular support and for child care programs
information from • Training provided to
specialists prepare child care
• The majority of education providers to effectively
professionals felt that it work with young children
was important to provide with disabilities who are
individualized instruction enrolled in child care
by appropriately training programs
general educators and • Training provided to
specialists. prepare early
• Time constraints interventionists to
significantly impacted effectively work with
collaboration. Family young children with
childcare home providers disabilities who are
as often the sole providers, enrolled in child care
expressed frustration with programs
time as they need • Administrators who are
willing to take risks and act
 substitute care to attend creatively to overcome
meetings or trainings barriers
• Top barriers reported by • Having at least one
child care providers were inclusive early childhood
(1) not enough training for program highly visible in
child care providers, (2) the community
high teacher-student • Resources such as
ratios, (3) child care consultants, books, or
programs are not designed videos are available to
for children with support inclusion in child
disabilities, (4) not enough care programs
quality child care • Staff show through their
programs, (5) not enough actions and practices that
early intervention services, all children are valued
and (6) lack of planning regardless of differences
time.
• Not formally including
child care providers in the
EI process, funding for
collaboration, and lack of
training for child care
providers were listed

EI providers • EI providers reported that • When EI providers’

child care providers’ ability suggestions consider the
to carry through on materials in the center,
suggestions was a staffing patterns, and
significant problem that program budget, childcare
impacted their providers see them as
relationships with child practical and will most
care providers likely try strategies
• EI providers consistently • EI providers also reflected
identified child care on how collaboration was
staffing as an issue as well. better in centers or family
Two groups of EI providers home child cares that they
mentioned that child care have visited for many
staff turnover was years
challenging to building • EI providers across groups
relationships asked for more training
• Most notably, across all about the child care
groups, participants system and collaboration
discussed that strategies including how to
qualifications for child care build relationships and
providers do not include effectively communicate
education or experience with child care providers.
with children with Additionally, EI providers
disabilities. felt that child care
• EI providers reported that providers needed training
they are not required to in learning about EI and
have any training either the benefits of EI for
pre-service or in-service on children and families
serving infants and • Some providers
toddlers in child care recommended that such
settings or teaming in trainings should be
general mandated for providers
• All of the EI providers • One EI provider suggested
across groups discussed that if collaboration was
various concerns about required then there needs
sharing information with to be a system of
child care providers monitoring and
• Providers did not feel that accountability to ensure
the state valued them as
 professionals as their that providers follow
budgets had been cut in through.
recent months • For EI providers, the top
• EI providers across groups three desired topics for
also mentioned that the future trainings included
state no longer embedding interventions
compensates providers for into daily routines,
collaboration time collaboration strategies,
• EI providers in all groups and coaching strategies.
mentioned that they often •
engaged with child care
providers who did not
know the purpose of EI or
understand the role of
specific EI providers
• All groups said that
childcare providers in
general learned about EI
through their interactions
with EI providers who
visited their programs
• Childcare providers felt
disrespected as
professionals.
• EI providers were
concerned that child care
providers thought they
were making judgments
about their programs and
them as professionals
although EI providers did
 not feel they did. On the
other hand, EI providers
felt that they were being
judged during visits
• EI providers felt that a lack
of quality childcare
programs, large group and
adult-child ratios, staff
turnover, and low levels of
staff education were
barriers to collaboration
• EI providers indicated that
not enough training for
child care providers was
the most prominent
barrier, followed by not
enough quality child care
programs, high teacher-
student ratios, lack of
planning time, and poor
program design as
prominent barriers.
Both EI and Childcare • Participants noted many • Participants provided
Providers barriers including liability suggestions to support
concerns; information future collaboration
sharing; funding and time including building
for collaboration; and relationships through
minimal training and shared training, substitute
understanding of child staffing to attend
care and EI programming meetings, and clear
program and state policies.
• Both groups identified lack • One EI provider shared
of time to plan together that she worked with a
and lack of time to discuss child care provider with a
child and family goals as predictable routine and
issues had the professional
• Both child care and EI capacity to embed
provider groups identified strategies into daily
a lack of staffing as a routines
definite barrier to • Participants agreed that
collaboration. understanding each other
• Participants discussed that better supported
a significant barrier was successful collaboration
providers not knowing • Both groups of providers
enough about each other also reflected on how long-
• In each focus group, at term relationships with
least one participant providers supported
discussed that respecting collaboration.
each other as professionals • Participants
was an issue in building overwhelmingly agreed
collaborative relationships that being on the same
• In general, both child care page through
and EI providers had understanding each other
difficulty finding the time, in relation to the purposes
energy, and funding to of child care and EI and
attend current trainings. giving each other mutual
• Both specialists in school respect could create
settings and childcare positive working
providers in community relationships
settings felt excluded • Survey participants across
during planning both groups engaged with
professional development
• In the examination of the opportunities on a
role EI providers as quarterly basis by
consultants in the study by attending workshops
Wesley et al. (2001), offered through their
providers often took on an professional development
expert role. This devalued entity either in child care
childcare providers’ or EI, professional
knowledge, experience, conferences, or online
and role in the child’s experiences
services. Early intervention • All groups discussed that
providers’ comfort level as online options provide
consultants was impacted flexibility for providers.
by the perceived Additionally, several child
knowledge, skills, and care providers suggested
beliefs of childcare that having in-house
providers trainings during the work
• Other structural barriers to day would be ideal
collaboration including • All groups agreed that
billing or funding for trainings on collaboration
planning or consultation should include child care
time and limited scope of providers and EI providers
their role within policy together
constraints. • Common between the two
• Lack of administrative groups was learning more
support and buy-in was about embedding
also perceived as a barrier intervention strategies into
• Communication between daily routines, using
professionals was also a common or inexpensive
prominent factor that materials, and learning
impacted collaboration. more about child
development
• A lack of translation of • All of the groups urged
research and ideas around state systems to increase
collaboration into effective requirements for both
practice was evident. For child care and EI providers
example, participants in to include more
the study by Wesley et al. information about children
(2001) spoke of with disabilities and early
collaboration and childhood programs.
consultation but were • Each of the groups
unable to describe specific discussed that to facilitate
concepts, stages, or collaboration among
techniques professionals, they needed
• Researchers concluded to build relationships with
that professionals may lack each other. To this end,
awareness of the empirical someone in each group
knowledge base of suggested a forum or focus
consultation and group that includes child
collaboration care and EI providers as
• Commonly, limited well as families that have
experience, education, and children receiving services
training with children with in child care settings to
disabilities negatively foster conversations to
impacted providers’ beliefs identify existing supports
about the inclusion of and develop solutions to
children with disabilities overcome barriers.
and a willingness to accept • Bringing providers
children with disabilities in together, whether by
their care separate professional
• group or together, to share
resources and problem
solve, like communities of
 practice, was suggested in
most groups as well.
• These studies revealed that
creating a clear
understanding of each
other’s roles and
responsibilities as well as
understanding each
discipline’s philosophy
facilitated successful
collaboration
• Dinnebeil et al. (2006)
discovered that groups of
professionals were more
likely to come to consensus
on the role of itinerant
teachers if they were
regularly engaged in
activities together
• Researchers also found that
a greater understanding of
each other’s profession or
discipline supported
collaboration. In turn,
education professionals
were less defensive and
more receptive to
suggestions from
specialists
• The investigation of
communication between
professionals of children
who were dually enrolled
 in special education and
childcare revealed that
strong communication
between professionals
facilitated better decision
making for professionals
and more consistency for
children’s services
• Childcare providers desired
more collaboration with
specialists and saw
numerous benefits for
themselves as well as
children and families. They
preferred therapy to take
place within the classroom
or home in the context of
daily activities and with
children without
disabilities
• Both child care and EI
providers indicated that
being provided with or
providing strategies that
blend with daily routines,
activities, and schedules
was most beneficial as well
as providing strategies to
use with all children
• Both child care and EI
providers indicated that
being provided with or
 providing strategies that
blend with daily routines,
activities, and schedules
was most beneficial as well
as providing strategies to
use with all children

Common themes for collaboration barriers:

Liability concerns with information sharing, funding and time for collaboration, and minimal training and understanding of childcare
and EI programming.

Lack of time and staffing to plan together and discuss child and family goals.

Lack of funding for trainings and conferences.

Both professionals not knowing enough about each other, issues with respecting each other as professionals, and lack of
communication.

Lack of administrative support

Lack of awareness of empirical knowledge, and limited experience, education, and training with children with disabilities

Common themes for possible solutions/ideas for successful collaboration:

Building relationships through shared training, substitute staffing to attend meetings, and clear program and state policies.

Understanding each other better and maintaining long-term relationships with providers.
Online options for trainings and conferences provided better opportunities to attend them.

Trainings specifically on collaboration should be required for both EI and childcare providers.

Building relationships via forum or focus group that includes childcare and EI providers, as well as families that have children
receiving services in childcare settings.

Having a greater understanding of each other’s profession or discipline

Working together to provide strategies for both parties that blend with daily routines, activities, and schedules was most beneficial
as well as providing strategies to use with all children.

Bringing providers together to share resources and problem solve.