Doctoral Candidate Brochure: Kimberly L. Travers
Doctoral Dissertation Defense
of
Kimberly L. Travers
For the Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
Early Intervention Special Education
Fostering Early Intervention Professionals’ Individualized Family Service Plan Quality: The Effectiveness of the Family Outcome Training and Assessment
Friday, June 26
9 a.m.
124 Nixon Hall
Fostering Early Intervention Professionals’ Individualized Family Service Plan Quality: The Effectiveness of the Family Outcome Training and Assessment
This study used a sequential mixed-methods research design to examine strategies for improving the development of family-focused outcomes within the Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs). This study consisted of two integrated phases: (a) development and preliminary content validation of the Family Level Outcome Assessment Tool (FLOAT) and (b) evaluation of the Family Level Outcome Workshop (FLOW), an online professional development intervention for EI professionals.
Participants included 77 EI professionals responsible for developing IFSP outcomes as part of their professional responsibilities. Practitioner competency in writing family-focused outcomes was measured using FLOAT Section 2. Outcome-writing performance was compared between practitioners who completed the FLOW (intervention group) and those in business-as-usual (control group).
Study Phase 1 results supported the initial content validity of the FLOAT and demonstrated interrater reliability for outcome scoring. In Study Phase 2, practitioners who participate in the FLOW intervention achieved significantly higher posttest scores that those in the control group, indicating improved ability to develop high-quality, family-focused IFSP outcome statements.
These findings suggest that structured assessment tools and targeted professional development can strengthen family-centered practice and improve the quality of family-focused IFSP outcomes in EI.
91ÖÆƬ³§ the Candidate
Kimberly L. Travers
M.Ed. Early Childhood Intervention Specialists
91ÖÆƬ³§ University, 2014
B.A. Psychology,
University of Toledo, 1994
Kimberly has over 25 years of experience in Part C Early Intervention at the local, state, and national levels. This includes service provision and coordination for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families, as well as training, technical assistance, and policy development. Kimberly’s professional and personal experiences have shaped her focus on family outcomes in Early Intervention.
Alongside her field experience, Kimberly has spent 10 years as an instructor and grant coordinator at the College of Education, Health, and Human Services, School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences, at 91ÖÆƬ³§ University. She teaches in the graduate Early Intervention Certificate program and the undergraduate EI minor, where Early Intervention Developmental Specialists and Speech-Language Pathologists develop the skills needed for careers in Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education.
Kimberly has spoken at local, state, and national conferences on policy and practice topics, with a focus on effective EI practices, parent capacity building, IFSP outcomes, and family outcomes. She has also published on developing high-quality IFSP outcomes and on actions that promote successful transitions into, within, and out of neonatal intensive care units.
Doctoral Dissertation Committee
Director
Sanna Harjusola-Webb, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Special Education
School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences
Co-Director
Ching-I Chen, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Special Education
School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences
Outside Program Area
Ji-Ann Li, Ph.D.
Professor
School of Foundations, Leadership, & Administration
Graduate Faculty Representative
Richard Cowan, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
School Psychology
College of Education, Health, and Human Services