Early Childhood Providers' Perceptions of Effective Professional Development Components

A research-to-practice gap exists between evidence-based practices (EBPs) and actual practices implemented with children with developmental disabilities (DD) in early childhood care and education (ECCE) settings. Many ECCE providers lack the training needed to support these children's learning. Ten center-based providers working in inclusive ECCE classrooms participated in the Early Achievements for Child Care Providers Professional Development (EA-CP PD) program to learn to deliver differentiated instruction to children with DD using EBPs. Post-PD focus groups assessed the training's impact on providers' perceptions of the PD program and implementation of the EA-CP instructional strategies. Results of qualitative analysis revealed providers' perceived benefit of job-embedded coaching to support their implementation of the instructional strategies and ability to enhance children's social–communication and language development. Providers desired greater involvement from ECCE directors. Implications are discussed for giving directors more explicit roles in providers' PD to support implementation and enhance child outcomes.