Early Intervention
Ryan C. Waddell
ryancwaddell@gmail.com
17 June, 2010
EDTEC 541 Summer 10

Problem, Need, or Opportunity
Parents or family members who have a loved one diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) often realize that they know very little about the disorder and how they can help. Information can be hard to obtain, and certifiable data can be even more difficult to find. These family members and friends could benefit greatly from having access to an online repository of information from board-certified doctors and therapists, including early intervention techniques and practices that can assist the individual that has been diagnosed. The website can leverage on existing multimedia and hypermedia technology to provide an interactive and educational experience.

Audience
The intended audience for the website would be anyone looking to become more knowledgeable in the field of special needs. Specifically, those would seek to learn the benefits of early intervention when a developmental delay such as PDD-NOS has been diagnosed.

User's Needs
After discussing with a number of people who are involved in the special needs community, specifically dealing with autistic children. Of those I spoke with, the same problems were noted by almost everyone:
A lack of knowledge regarding warning signs to look for
Services that are available for children and family members
Support networks and services for families
These needs will be met by creating a page dedicated to identifying behaviors to watch for, including both text listing and vignettes. Another page will be dedicated to describing the benefits of early intervention including testimonials from both medical professionals as well as individuals affected by PDD-NOS. Another method the website will employ to assist users is by providing a forum to discuss current concerns, questions, and lessons learned. In this way the website will be an interactive source for support. The website will also include links to other sights that can further provide assistance to these specific user needs.

Environment
Users of the website will likely be accessing from work or home. Although the website will include video and forum capability, it is not intended to require a large amount of bandwidth or computer processing ability. In this sense the website will be accessible to a large audience regardless of technical hardware or software. The website is intended to be viewed by individuals or small groups at the largest. A simple layout with easy to read navigational tabs along the top of the page will help guide users to the information they are seeking.

Resources and Limitations
Limitation- I am not a specialist in the area of special needs or developmental delays.
Resource- My sister-in-law works for a non-profit organization providing support for families and children affected by developmental delays and special needs.
Limitation- I currently only have access to what is available online and through the SDSU library.
Resource- Leveraging off the ties I have through local San Diego programs and through my interaction with organizations in the Seattle area, I will be able to gather files and information to support the site and the user’s needs.

General Solution
Ideally this website will be a wealth of information for those affected by developmental delays and those in search of ways to promote early intervention. Using a simple home page interface and providing embedded videos and photos will provide a simple approach to viewing the content of the site.