Project Include: Early Childhood Access through Adaptive Technology

 Project Include provides training, support, and equipment to assist licensed Colorado family child care homes, child care centers, and preschools in developing learning environments and curriculums that are more inclusive for all children, including those with delays and disabilities.

Have Questions? Contact us anytime at ProjectInclude@ucdenver.edu

Project Include offers training, quick program support, Universal Design and Inclusion Kits, and customized coaching and materials support to licensed CO child care programs. Learn more about each of these project resources below!

Step 1 Submit an interest form. Step 2 Complete the training. Step 3 Submit a kit request form. Step 4 Explore the kit and return. Step 5 Access to Coaching and Materials

Training

The Introduction to Universal Design online course is available at no cost on the Colorado Department of Early Childhood’s Professional Development Information System (PDIS). This course will introduce you to concepts of universal design and provide ideas that you can implement right away to make your program more inclusive! Participants must take the training before they are eligible to check out a Universal Design & Inclusion Kit.

Quick Program Support

Participants who have quick questions, would like more information, or need brief consultation, may contact us at ProjectInclude@ucdenver.edu at any time. 

Universal Design and Inclusion Kits

Universal Design and Inclusion Kits are available for check out by licensed child care programs in the state of Colorado who have completed the Project Include interest form and the Introduction to Universal Design training. The kits can be checked out for up to 6 weeks.

All items have a QR code that links to an instructional video detailing how to use the item. The kits are designed to address one of the following topics:

Communication & Literacy                                                            

Designed to promote inclusion and participation of children with disabilities or delays affecting communication and early literacy development.

This might look like:

  • Limited talking
  • Words or phrases that don't make sense
  • Not looking at or attending to books

Examples of kit items include:

  • Recordable speech devices
  • Adapted books
  • Literacy props
  • Toys that promote literacy and communication

                             Communication and Literacy Kit

Behavior & Cognition 

Designed to promote inclusion and participation of children with disabilities or delays affecting behavior and/or cognition.

This might look like:

  • Frequent tantrums or meltdowns
  • Difficulty playing with others
  • Not using toys in expected ways

Examples of kit items include:

  • Tools to support transitions
  • Sensory tools
  • Support for teaching and learning social emotional skills
  • Toys that promote cognitive skills like matching, counting, and sequencing

Behavior and Cognition Kit

Fine & Gross Motor

Designed to promote inclusion and participation of children with disabilities or delays affecting motor development.

This might look like:

  • Difficulty with balance, sitting, kicking, or running
  • Trouble using hands and fingers

Examples of kit items include:

  • Adapted grip toys
  • Adapted grip tools for writing and art
  • Adapted seating options
  • Toys adapted for physical access

Fine and Gross Motor Kit

 

Vision & Hearing

Designed to promote inclusion and participation of children who are blind, visually impaired, deaf, or hard of hearing either temporarily or permanently.

This might look like:

  • Sitting very close to screens
  • Blinking and/or rubbing eyes frequently
  • Difficulty following directions

Examples of kit items include:

  • Toys with multi sensory signals
  • Adapted lighting options
  • High contrast toys and books
  • Braille and sign language literacy tools

 

Vision and Hearing Kit

Our team is also available to respond to questions that programs may have about how to use the kits most effectively. 

Customized Coaching and Materials Support

In this step, participants receive one-on-one training and support on a topic of their choice. Project Include staff will also recommend and purchase items for participants to keep at no cost to their program.

Participants must complete the online training and check out at least one kit to be eligible for this step.




Quotes From Our Participants

Colorado Department of Early Childhood Logo

Project Include is funded by the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) stimulus increase.

Did you know...

- 1 in 7 Colorado parents identified their child as having a delay, disability, or special need.

- Colorado has 3,597 child care programs serving children birth-5.

- One-third of Colorado parents of children with a delay or disability say their child care provider can’t meet their child’s needs. Project Include helps child care providers close that gap.

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two children crafting at a table

Programs in more than 49 of Colorado's 64 counties have expressed interest in Project Include

two young girls playing with building blocks

Over 120 licensed Colorado child care programs have explored a Universal Design & Inclusion Kit

a young girl cutting a piece of paper

Over 95% of survey participants found that items in the kits they borrowed increased inclusion or participation of children in their program

a young boy painting a birdhouse