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Purpose: To meet the demands for trained early interventionists and related service personnel to serve young children from birth through two with low-incidence disabilities, and their families, the University of Alaska Anchorage will conduct a rural personnel preparation program. An estimated 70 qualified applicants from rural Alaskan native communities will receive training.

Method: These 70 early intervention specialists will earn a University of Alaska Anchorage master's degree in Special Education with an emphasis in Early Intervention and a State of Alaska endorsement in Birth-to-Five Special Education. Major features of the program include: 1) recruitment of rural, underrepresented Alaska Native individuals, parents of children with low-incidence disabilities, and individuals who experience disabilities; 2) an innovative distance delivery/instructional technology and summer on-campus delivery approach; 3) State of Alaska endorsement in Birth-to-Five Special Education; 4) commitment of more than 55 percent of the budgeted funds to students; and 5) a total of 70 students (and an additional 14 who will graduate in 2009) who will have the skills necessary to provide effective early childhood services as well as to provide local, rural leadership in shaping policy and programming decisions in the low-incidence early intervention systems and programs in Alaska.