Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development (GUCCHD), the District of Columbia’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD), and their partners are conducting Year 2 activities for the Embedding Cultural Diversity and Cultural and Linguistic Competence: A Guide for UCEDD Curricula and Training Activities Project. The project is collaborating with the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) and a national advisory committee composed of self-advocates, family members of individuals with developmental disabilities, and CLC experts to provide guidance and inform its activities. Project partners include:

Center for Leadership in Disabilities, Georgia State University
Institute for Community Inclusion, University of Massachusetts - Boston
Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota
JFK Partners, University of Colorado - Denver
Vermont Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities

Year 1 Resources and Products

The project conducted an array of activities consisting of the following components, which can be accessed on this website:

• An environmental scan of the juried literature on CLC curricula and training focused on developmental disabilities and recommendations for UCEDDs to contribute to this literature.
  
  
• A total of 18 vetting criteria were developed to gauge the extent to which UCEDD curricula and training materials use CLC frameworks and definitions that are widely accepted in the published literature.
  
  
• Structured interviews with 61 of 67 UCEDD Directors to ascertain a baseline of current understanding, commitment, and concerns about integrating cultural diversity and CLC into their programs.  This resulted in a final report of findings, including recommendations for UCEDD leadership.

• The component of the environmental scan used a process to identify and vet only curricula and training materials listed in the AUCD Diversity and Inclusion Toolkit: (1) for quality and consistency using criterion based on widely accepted CLC published frameworks; and (2) to share results of identified training resources that address the intersection of cultural diversity, cultural and linguistic competence, and intellectual and developmental disabilities with the broad UCEDD network. Click here to see the report.
  

• A vetting process and results of the curricula and training materials listed in the AUCD Diversity and Inclusion Toolkit.

• Tools for Practical Implementation - a matrix of recommended curricula content areas across UCEDD core functions to guide curricula and training activities including organizational and individual behavioral change frameworks to effect systemic change.
  

Current Year 2 Activities

The project is using a three-tiered framework and will offer:

Tier 1 - Intensive onsite technical assistance for up to four (4) UCEDDs, including faculty / staff development;

Tier 2 - Individualized consultation to UCEDDs to vet, create, or adapt curricula / training activities; and

Tier 3 - Universal access to resources / tools via webinar, website, and network meetings.