The PIPs Project

• The PIPs project will accept 12 new scholars who will begin their program in the summer of 2020.
• Those interested in applying for funding through PIPs must also apply for the CMSD or B-K master's program. PIPS funding is contingent upon acceptance into one of these graduate level programs. Click here for more information regarding application requirements.
• Scholars who are funded through PIPs will fulfill a service obligation following the completion of their program. The service obligation entails working in a professional capacity with young children with disabilities for two years for every year of funding.
• Potential students will need the following information and materials when applying for PIPs funding:

1. Undergraduate GPA
2. Graduate GPA if applicable
3. GRE scores or MAT scores
4. A statement of purpose addressing their philosophy of working with young children with disabilities and their families, as well as their educational and professional goals (2-3 pages)

Apply for Funding

April 2020: Our PIPs scholars virtually presented their capstone projects, demonstrating their collaborative skills, knowledge, and flexibility. The scholars worked hard to create products, such as a welcome packet for parents whose children are transitioning from preschool to kindergarten, a curriculum for a play group of children ages birth-4 with disabilities, a child-centered communication portfolio for a child transitioning from early intervention to preschool, and literacy activities and handouts for parents and professionals of preschoolers with disabilities. The projects incorporated evidence-based practices for working with young children with disabilities and emphasized family-centeredness and team collaboration. We are so proud of the work they have done over the past two years!

October 2019: Key personnel from the PIPs program participated in an Office of Special Education Programs presentation at the Council for Exceptional Children-Division for Early Childhood’s International Conference on Young Children with Special Needs and Their Families. The presentation highlighted the planning year, scholar coursework, practicum experiences, the Summer Institute, and lessons learned.

September 2019: Jennifer Grisham-Brown, professor and program chair in the interdisciplinary early childhood education program and director of the Early Childhood Laboratory School at the University of Kentucky, delivered a presentation entitled, “Practices to Promote Positive Transitions for Young Children.” Her talk focused on person-centered planning and how to engage families and children in assessment and intervention. Grisham-Brown's presentation was sponsored by grants from the PIPs Project and the Georgia Sensory Assistance Project (GSAP).

June 2019: The PIPs project's inaugural Summer Institute was held in Dawsonville, Georgia, May 31–June 2. Over the course of two days, UGA PIPs scholars worked with Mercer University physical therapy students and Brenau University occupational therapy students, building interdisciplinary collaboration skills to support young children with complex needs and their families using evidence-based practices. Six interdisciplinary student teams engaged in case-based learning through the application of new content presented by interdisciplinary faculty and family representatives, who facilitated students' learning and engagement throughout the weekend. Faculty and family representatives included: Philippa Campbell, PhD, Thomas Jefferson University; M. Irma Alvarado, PhD, and Laura Carpenter, PhD, Brenau University; Alyssa Fiss, PhD, Mercer University; Elizabeth 'Elisa' Kennedy, PhD, University of South Alabama; Rebecca Lieberman-Betz, PhD, Cynthia Vail, PhD, Jennifer Brown, PhD, Laura Nichols, EdS, Sarah Wiegand, MEd, and Emily Adams, MDE, UGA; Angie Dudley; and Harper Calhoun.

March 2019: All 12 PIPs scholars were enrolled in a one-credit interdisciplinary practicum, where they worked together in teams of two to three to plan and implement interventions for young children with complex needs and their families with guidance from a professional mentor in home, classroom, and community settings. Each team will present their projects for discussion with PIPs scholars and faculty in April.

September 2018: Linda Hagood, a speech language pathologist with experience working with students who have visual impairment and additional disabilities, including autism, deaf-blindness, and intellectual disability visited the University of Georgia on Thursday, Sept. 20, for a breakfast with PIPs scholars. Her evening seminar entitled, "It Takes a Village: Working Together to Support Students with Complex Needs," was a collaboration between the PIPs grant and the Georgia Sensory Assistance Project (GSAP; Vail, project director).

June 2018: The inaugural group of PIPs scholars has started their program with an Infants and Toddlers Methods course, a course emphasizing collaborative and interdisciplinary services for infants toddlers with high-intensity needs and their families.

May 2018: The PIPs Advisory Council had their first meeting to discuss program goals, next year's Summer Institute, and course syllabi.