Welcome to the training site for Linking Agents, a service of the Elementary and Middle Schools Technical Assistance Center (EMSTAC). A Linking Agent is an individual in a school system who promotes school improvement by helping individual schools or school districts understand the change process and implement research-based practices. This person may initially work at the school building level prior to initiating more widespread district level work. He or she has strong leadership skills and serves as a catalyst for change and improvement in schools. This person brings school teams together, helps them assess school-wide needs and determine the best use of resources (inside and outside) avaliable to their school system. In this role, you will be responsible for providing ongoing support to strengthen your district's system for improving services to students with disabilities. The Linking Agent also coordinates school-wide efforts, works to ensure the implementation of innovative practice, and collaborates with the EMSTAC Technical Assistance Liaison to collect data to measure the progress in your district. The change process is one that takes collaborative efforts and time. The process of bringing research to practice may take several months of planning and teaming before implementation begins. This on-line training course is designed to prepare you for the challenges and opportunities you will face as you bring about innovation and achievement in your school and school district.

In an effort to meet the typically hectic schedules of our Linking Agents, this on-line training program is divided into 10 separate modules. Each module can probably be completed in 15 to 60 minutes. The modules run chronologically, beginning with an introductory lesson in the basics of the Linking Agent initiative and leading you through a process to develop and strengthen your communications and problem-solving skills. You'll end the training by learning how to promote and replicate your success for the benefit of your peers. The entire training should be completed before beginning your Linking Agent work in your school district.

Included in each module are specified learning goals, along with a series of questions to help you determine how well you've met them. Also included throughout the training are valuable on-line resources you can tap into as you build your capacity to respond to your school or school district needs.

Many modules also include interactive features to enhance your understanding of the tactics and strategies employed by some of our most successful Linking Agents. A Linking Agent from Frederick, Maryland, will accompany you through your Linking Agent training. As an introduction to each module, listen to a linking agent as she frames the key ideas through her experience. We have provided various options for accessing the information provided by a linking agent. To view and hear the clips, you will need to click on one of the following links to access downloading: RealVideo or QuickTime. Note: Be patient when downloading the video clip! They have been known to take awhile . . . but are definitely worth it! If you choose not to download this software, or do not have the capability on your computer, you can read the text by clicking on the View Text link next to the picture of a linking agent. Keep in mind that while we believe that the clips are beneficial and provide a "real" look at the experience and work of a Linking Agent, there is no new information presented in the clips.

To save time, and to ensure that you receive the most important information, it's very important that you go through the training chronologically, and that you complete each module before moving on to the next. It is likely that you will want to print several of the tables and graphics throughout the Linking Agent training. In order to print, you will need to set your printer properties on the landscape option.