Jean Moore
(615) 322-2706
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Jan Rosemergy
(615) 322-8240
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Alliance Project to promote diversity in special education moves to Vanderbilt
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Vanderbilt University is the new home of the Alliance Project, an endeavor aimed at increasing the dwindling supply of special education personnel from historically underrepresented ethnic groups. Alliance staff work with historically black colleges and universities and other higher education institutions with 25 percent or higher enrollment of students from historically underrepresented ethnic groups, including Hispanics, African Americans, Native Americans and people with Asian ancestry. Faculty from 380 institutions in the United States and its territories, including Guam and Puerto Rico, participate in the Alliance Project's programs. "We are the only technical assistance provider in the nation for faculty from minority institutions for special education personnel preparation," explained Naomi Tyler, project coordinator for technical assistance and research assistant professor of special education at Vanderbilt's Peabody College. Previously based at the University of New Mexico, the Alliance Project began in 1991. It's funding from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs was recently renewed through 2003 with more than $1.4 million in support for the current year and $1.5 million for each of the next four years. "Because of the large number of children in special education programs from diverse backgrounds, there is a national need for teachers and related services providers," said Deborah D. Smith, project director, research professor of special education and a John F. Kennedy Center scholar. Smith said the Alliance Project's move to Nashville was motivated, in part, by a desire to be more centrally located nationally, closer to Washington, D.C., and closer to colleges and universities that are historically or predominantly African-American. "In addition, we wanted to be with a special education faculty that's on the cutting edge," Smith continued. "To promote the teaching of best practices, we need to be in a place where special education practices are being studied and developed. Being at Vanderbilt, with the Kennedy Center and the Department of Special Education where all this research is going on, provides us with a solid base from which we can extend our work." Smith also emphasized that the work of institutions with minority enrollments can benefit Vanderbilt and other universities. "Faculty members from minority schools are doing marvelous work in recruiting and graduating students, in multicultural assessment, in language diversity - things that faculty in nonminority schools need to know," she said. "Many nonminority schools have terrible attrition rates of diverse students. If they don't graduate, they aren't going to be teachers, we won't have diversity in special education, and we won't be able to increase college faculty diversity." Ann Kaiser, professor and chair of Peabody's Department of Special Education, is equally enthusiastic about the new partnership. "The Alliance Project brings Peabody an opportunity to play an important role in supporting faculty at minority enrollment colleges and universities as they develop training programs in special education," she said. "We're especially excited about new opportunities for collaboration with faculty at these schools and with the Alliance Project." Among other services, project staff provide workshops, seminars and long-term assistance to faculty who are writing grants for personnel preparation programs in order to help them obtain funding for students in special education and related areas like occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech services. Project staff also offer professional development services to faculty at minority colleges and universities relating to transferring research to practice. Nine staff, a number of doctoral candidates and other student workers operate out of the project's headquarters at Vanderbilt, including four staff with faculty appointments in the Department of Special Education. Additional staff and students are affiliated with its operations in Washington, under the direction of Judy Smith-Davis, and four other centers throughout the country. The Alliance Center for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Predominantly Black Colleges is based at Fayetteville State University in North Carolina. The Rural America Initiative Alliance Project for Tribal Communities is located in Wilmot, S.D. The BUENO Center for Multicultural Education in Boulder, Col., services Hispanic colleges and universities, and California State University at Los Angeles provides technical assistance to faculty from institutions with large Asian and Pacific-American student enrollments. Vanderbilt University is a private research university of approximately 5,900 undergraduates and 4,300 graduate and professional students. Founded in 1873, the University comprises 10 schools, a public policy institute, a distinguished medical center and The Freedom Forum First Amendment Center. Vanderbilt offers undergraduate programs in the liberal arts and sciences, education and human development, engineering and music; and a full range of graduate and professional degrees. For more news about Vanderbilt, visit the News and Public Affairs home page on the Internet at www.vanderbilt.edu/News.
For additional information about Project Alliance or its services, call (615) 343-5610 or (800) 831-6134.
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