Personnel Resources

Within your local community and at state and national levels, there are knowledgeable individuals who can provide you with information or guidance about selecting or implementing programs or interventions. These individuals may have experience implementing similar programs or may have extensive research knowledge of the field. Think about the personnel resources that you can contact at the local, state, and national level.

Local: You may begin by developing a personnel resource file of individuals in your local community. This may include:

• Educators/practitioners
• Parents/family members
• Research/evaluation personnel
• Personnel at local chapters of professional association

The more resources that you can identify at the local level, the more likely your intervention will be a success.

State: You will want to explore the state-level consultants and state technical assistance systems that can help you in your efforts. Professors at colleges and universities in your state will be able to provide you with valuable information about research-based practices.

National: Personnel at associations and national centers are an excellent source of knowledge. The Office of Special Education Programs funds over 40 technical assistance and dissemination projects. Experts at these projects may be able to advise you, or help you provide effective technical assistance in your district.

Electronic forums also provide an excellent way to interact with experts in the field. For instance, the EMSTAC website enables you to communicate with and pose questions to knowledgeable and nationally recognized leaders in the field of education. Visit the EMSTAC website to learn more about the schedule of forthcoming chat module.