A photo triptych: first, a snippet of a cartoon showing someone shoveling snow off steps and ignoring a ramp; next, a paraprofessional leads a group of children at a brightly lit board; finally, a partial photo of Dr. Michael F. Giangreco

EVOLVE Plus worked with school personnel, self-advocates, families, and service providers to increase the probability that the lives of students with disabilities will be better because they were educated in Vermont schools.

 

Browse the EVOLVE Plus Library of Paraprofessional Research

EVOLVE Plus did this by:

  1. Adhering to values embedded in the Individual with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (2004) (e.g., importance of educating all children, individualization, access to supports, least restrictive environment, access to the general education curriculum, access to qualified personnel);
  2. Pursuing logical practices that help us operationalize those values; and
  3. Researching to determine if our practices have been effective.

Project EVOLVE Plus offered school-based research, training, technical assistance, and collaborative consultation on a fee-for-service basis through the Center on Disability & Community Inclusion at the University of Vermont.

History: Project EVOLVE Plus extends the earlier work of Project EVOLVE (2002-2007), a federally-funded model demonstration project that explored alternatives to overreliance on paraprofessionals to support students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms. EVOLVE Plus services address additional topical areas that have been field-tested and researched by project staff.

A line art drawing of a famous cartoon about shoveling snow off a ramp so everyone can use it. Text: EVOLVE Plus.