Mary Rugg, Early Intervention Program Coordinator, and Zolinda Stoneman, Institute Director at
IHDD,have been involved in inclusion of person's with disabilities for over 30 years. They share the belief
that engaging families in a positive, strengths-based process from the very beginning can result in
stronger relationships for both children and adults.
The initial idea around the Portfolio grew from the development of a preschool caregiver interview as well
as research on attitudes toward inclusion and responses to young children's questions about disability.
What was found was that there was a strong need for a tool that took the focus off of what a child can't do
and onto what he/she can do. In this way, teachers, caregivers, and service providers
would then be empowered to support an individual based on an understanding of the strengths and
interests of that person, his/her culture, community and resources. From this concept emerged two
versions of the Take a Look at Me Portfolio--an Early Childhood version intended for children and their
families ages 0-6 and an school age version intended for children and adults ages 7-21. We are in the
process of further expanding the scope of this portfolio to include an adult version.
Using words, photos, stickers, drawings and imagination each portfolio becomes a reflection of a unique
individual. In this way, we hope to engage individuals and their families in a positive process which
enhances and supports cultural awareness, literacy, empowerment, and communication. Careproviders,
advocates, parents, teachers, foster care providers, doctors, and family lawyers have all used the portfolio
to gain a window into the true strengths of the family and daily routines of the child in order to better
understand them based on their unique strengths and interests.
