Postcard from the Australia
From Mary McLean
Professor in the School of Special Education, School Psychology & Early Childhood Studies
Where in the world have you traveled to conduct your work?
Melbourne, Australia
What type of work or partnerships have you engaged in (research, teaching, training, outreach, a keynote)?
Keynote for the Early Childhood Intervention Australia (ECIA) conference in Melbourne, Australia, September 8, 2016. In addition to the keynote, I did a panel discussion session and a half-day workshop. Title of the keynote was “DEC Recommended Practices: Advancing the Practice and Science of Early Childhood Intervention.” (DEC is the Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children which is the professional organization for early intervention and early childhood special education in the U.S.)
Who has benefitted from this work?
The Early Childhood Intervention Australia (ECIA) professional organization is in the process of establishing best practices to guide the work of early intervention and early childhood special education in Australia. I currently chair the DEC Recommended Practices Commission which is charged with developing information about recommended practices for the field. My work was requested for the purpose of providing input on the experiences in the U.S. of similar work.
What is the most interesting aspect of the work you have done?
The most interesting aspect was getting to know professionals in early intervention and early childhood special education in Australia and their current challenges and triumphs.
What type of global work are you currently doing? What’s next?
At UF, I am affiliated with the Anita Zucker Center for Excellence in Early Childhood Studies in the College of Education. Dr. Patricia Snyder, the Director of the Center was first invited to Australia several years ago. We have established connections with ECIA in recent years and have hosted several visitors from Australia here as well. I believe this affiliation will continue.
