Early Childhood Tutorial

About the Author: Barbara Hanft

Barbara Hanft MA, OTR, FAOTA has over 30 years experience as a clinician, consultant and lobbyist. As a licensed occupational therapist with a graduate degree in counseling psychology, she has:

  • set-up a children's program in a community mental health center;
  • managed a rural early intervention program;
  • established community-based care for individuals of all ages with developmental disabilities returning home from a large state hospital;
  • directed therapeutic services in an urban special education setting; and
  • developed a private practice as a developmental consultant.

Recognized as a Fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) in 1989 for her leadership and advocacy for children and families, Barbara has consulted with hundreds of family members and early childhood professionals from many disciplines. Using her early childhood stories and experience, Barbara lobbied Congress on behalf of the AOTA in 1986 to amend the IDEA and create the early intervention program. In 1995, she was awarded a Presidential Citation by the AOTA for her development of Promoting Partnerships, a leadership project focused on bringing education and early intervention administrators and occupational therapists together to enhance services and supports to children and their families.

Currently, Barbara teaches, writes and consults nationwide with school, early intervention and related community agencies about family-centered care in natural environments, child development, and special education and related services. Barbara is on the advisory board for NECTAC and has been a member of the editorial board of Infants and Young Children for over 10 years. With over 25 publications in early childhood, The consulting therapist: A guide for occupational and physical therapists in schools, has been a best seller. Barbara's most recent book, Coaching Families and Colleagues in Early Childhood, was co-authored with Dathan Rush and M'Lisa Shelden, and was published with very positive reviews.

Advisory Board Members
An Advisory Board was created to support the development of the Early Childhood Tutorial. Advisory Board members consisted of interdisciplinary respresentatives from jurisdictions across Maryland as well as parents of children with disabilities. The feedback and input from the Advisory Board members was critical to the success and quality of the modules. The jurisdictions who participated are listed below:

  • Baltimore County
  • Charles County
  • Dorchester County
  • Fredrick County
  • Howard County
  • Washington County
  • Wicomico County

Preschool LRE Advisory Board

A group of Preschool Special Education Coordinators from across the state participated in an Advisory Board to identify and share promising practices and strategies for Preschool LRE. This group met monthly with CTE staff through April 2007 to grow a clearinghouse of resources that will be easily accessible on this site.  A special thanks to the following members of the Preschool LRE Advisory Board for helping to develop this website:

Kathy Bailey, Harford County Public Schools

Diane Bonanni, Prince George's County Public Schools

Holly Hatton, Wicomico County Public Schools

Anne Hickey, Howard County Public School System

Phyllis Jones, Maryland State Department of Education

Pam Miller, Maryland State Department of Education

Sandra Miller, Maryland State Department of Education

Mariam Robins, Washington County Public Schools

Nancy Vorobey, Maryland State Department of Education