A Computer-Based System to Prepare Personnel for Family-Centered Interactions in the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) Process

This article presents the Verbal Interaction Analysis System (VIAS), a computer-based system designed to analyze verbal interactions, and describes application of the VIAS in analyzing family/professional interactions during the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) process. The VIAS allows for instant data entry, data analysis, data display, and report writing. The VIAS may prove to be a useful observational tool for (a) measuring the quality and quantity of interactions between professionals and families during the IFSP process, (b) providing an analysis of reciprocal influences in the interactions among professionals and families in the IFSP process, and (c) determining the extent to which those interactions truly represent family-centered principles and practices. Prospective users of the VIAS include: early intervention personnel; higher education faculty; family support and advocacy leaders; researchers interested in the effectiveness family-centered practice; and, researchers interested in interaction analysis. Pilot testing of the VIAS has been completed and further testing is underway.