Professional Development to Support Intervention Implementation of the PC TALK for Infants and Toddlers at Risk for or with Disabilities

The goal of this project is to design and test a professional development (PD) framework to support implementation of Promoting Communication Tools for Advancing Language in Kids (PC TALK), an existing intervention aimed at supporting parents in improving the language learning opportunities and outcomes of infants and toddlers with or at risk for disabilities.

Research has documented the association between early opportunities to learn and practice language in daily interactions and later language/literacy development. Although there are evidence-based language strategies for caregivers to use with infants and toddlers, many children and families do not reap the benefits of these interventions due to low levels of implementation fidelity among early intervention providers. PD and coaching are key to ensuring effective implementation of intervention strategies. This project aims to improve provider implementation of PC TALK and, in turn, children's language outcomes, through PD, coaching, and additional technology-based tools. Although PC TALK has demonstrated efficacy in community settings, this study expands upon prior findings by developing a PD framework to support implementation of the intervention in more naturalistic home settings.