Routines-Based Model

Over the past 30 years, Robin McWilliam has developed the Routines-Based Model for working with young children with disabilities and their families. This model consists of practices primarily for use in both home-based supports (indicated on inner circle of the figure) and classroom-based supports (indicated on outer circle of the figure). The practices include what professionals do with children and families, what data are collected for supervision and evaluation, and what methods are used for training, supervision, and evaluation. In the U.S., because the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is divided into Part C (infants and toddlers) and B (preschoolers through school ages), a clear division exists between supports for 0-3 and supports for 3-5, and this is most commonly distinguished by differences in the location of services. The majority of infants and toddlers served under IDEA receive home visits or visits to their child care settings, whereas the majority of preschoolers attend classroom programs. Because home and classroom settings are fundamentally different, the model has some practices designed for the home, others designed for the classroom, but a number designed for both. In organizing the content for RAM Group implementation efforts, we have divided the practices along these lines. The Routines-Based Early Intervention (RBEI) model defines home-based practices, the Engagement Classroom Model defines classroom-based practices.