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• IRIS (IDEA and Research for Inclusive Settings) Center

IRIS Activities

• IRIS Collaborates With PACER to Develop a Module About Communicating Effectively With Parents
• IRIS Creates Modules on Response to Intervention for the Tennessee State Improvement Grant
• IRIS Joins Forces With CalState Teach to Integrate IRIS Materials Into California’s Alternate Distance Program
• IRIS Partners With California Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA) to Infuse IRIS Materials Into the Mentor Curriculum
• IRIS Teams With California State University Teacher Education Task Force (TETF) to Develop a Curricular Manual to Assist General Education Faculty in Promoting Inclusive Practices in the Preparation of Future Teachers
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Center Overview

The IRIS (IDEA '04 and Research for Inclusive Settings) Center creates free training enhancement resources for college faculty who are preparing the next generation of school personnel and for professional development providers who are training current school professionals. IRIS training enhancements are designed to equip school personnel with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively teach students with disabilities in general education classrooms. The IRIS array of materials includes online interactive modules, case studies, information briefs, activities, a searchable directory of disability-related Web sites, and an online dictionary of disability-related terms. These materials are available for free at http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu

Methods

The work of the IRIS Center is informed by focus groups for strategic planning and by continuing collaboration with members of each constituent group: faculty members, practitioners, preservice trainees, parents of students with disabilities, related service providers, and professional development providers. Teams of experts are helping to create a range of training enhancements and an array of resources for college faculty and professional development providers. In addition, IRIS is identifying exemplary extant materials developed by professional organizations. The Center also provides technical assistance and training through a variety of formats to ensure the use of the materials. The IRIS Center has three branches: IRIS-Central is located at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN, and handles Modules and Materials Development; based at Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, CA, IRIS-West manages all efforts relating to Technical Assistance and Training; and IRIS-East maintains the Partnerships and Consumer Input branch at its office in Washington, DC.