NCLD Launches New Early Education Web Site

The Recognition and Response system is an emerging early childhood practice designed to help teachers and parents respond to signs of learning difficulty in young children as early as possible, beginning at ages three or four, before they experience school failure and before they are referred for formal evaluation and services through special education.

The conceptual framework for the Recognition and Response system was developed by the University of North Carolina's Frank Porter Graham (FPG) Child Development Institute in collaboration with the National Center for Learning Disabilities, the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the Communication Consortium Media Center, and key state partners in Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland and New Jersey.

Approximately five percent of school-age children are identified as having learning disabilities. Recognizing and responding to their needs and the needs of other children who struggle during the pre-school years is consistent with the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and with Response to Intervention (RTI) approaches for school-age children. Early and targeted interventions in the pre-K years, based on individual learning characteristics, can help at-risk children at the onset of their K-12 educational careers.

The FPG Child Development Institute has recently completed a review of research that underscores the importance of recognizing and responding to critical early warning signs of learning difficulty in young children.  The paper, titled "Recognition and Response: An Early Intervening System for Young Children At Risk for Learning Disabilities," discusses the challenges for early educators and parents in addressing the learning difficulties of pre-school age children. It also advocates for a new systemic approach that can help early educators and parents ensure early school success for all children, including those at risk for learning disabilities.

On October 1, 2006, the National Center for Learning Disabilities, Inc. launched a multi-faceted Web site focused on Recognition & Response. RecognitionandResponse.org is a comprehensive online resource that provides:

• Essential information about the Recognition & Response system and how it can improve outcomes for all children;
• Strategies, tools and resources that facilitate effective implementation of Recognition & Response practices;
• Technical assistance to education and policy professionals in support of Recognition & Response model implementation;
• Access to authoritative information and resources that link Recognition & Response to Response to Intervention and other proven and promising systemic practices.

RecognitionandResponse.org was developed and is managed by the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD), in collaboration with national and state organizations. Click here for more information about program partners.

The Web site and program initiative are funded by grants from the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation. Additional funding for the Web site is provided by the Cisco Systems Foundation.

For more information, go to www.RecognitionandResponse.org.