Goal: The DIRC Program provides in-depth advanced levels of education to assure the quality and recognition of DIR® competencies.

DIR® Certificates are granted within the discipline or license candidates have already acquired, i.e., DIR® Certificate as a psychologist, occupational or speech therapist, special educator, etc. Certificates are valid for five years and can be extended with continuing education.

Advanced candidates are listed as providers on the ICDL website and graduates can use the DIR® registered trademark to identify their services and provide educational programs. 

Who Can Attend: Professionals from the following disciplines are invited to attend including: education, special education, speech and language pathology, occupational therapy and physical therapy, developmental optometry (visuo-cognitive therapy), art, drama, and music therapy, clinical social work, marriage and family therapists, nursing, pediatrics, developmental pediatrics, child psychiatry, infant mental health, clinical social work, developmental and clinical psychology. Specialization in developmental and learning disorders and infant mental health is welcome.

Pre-Requisites: Participation in the DIRB Program. If you have not participated in the DIRB program and believe you have the necessary experience, you can apply for advanced standing into DIRC. Consider this if you have experience working in a recognized  DIR® setting, have completed the PLAY project, or have been supervised by a recognized DIR® clinician or educator who will recommend you. 

Applying for Advanced Standing: New applicants should submit two brief vignette descriptions of children they have worked with using the DIR® framework and principles of intervention. Please limit this to one single spaced page for each child.  These should be attached to your application.

Qualified persons attending regional DIR® programs can apply for advanced standing to the second summer program. Above vignettes are not needed.

Eligibility: The program is designed for  licensed and credentialed professionals from different disciplines who apply DIR® principles and practices in their existing areas of expertise and specialization in their work with children and adolescents with developmental, learning and infant mental health challenges.

To enter the program you are expected to have some range of experience in your discipline working within the DIR® framework to conduct assessment and intervention, utilizing developmental and sensory processing profiles, and relationship/caregiver patterns. Later, you are expected to demonstrate competencies working long term across a range of children through case presentations and a written case, as well as to complete professional development requirements (individual and group tutoring).

Applicants who have completed their required course of study and are working on post-graduate hours for licensing purposes under supervision, are invited to apply with the understanding they will have to have their license before continuing to the second level of the DIRC program (e.g., a psychologist who has her Ph.D. or Psy.D. but has not yet completed post-doctoral hours for licensing). 

Certificate Requirements:  Acquisition of the Certificate is based on the demonstration of clinical or educational competencies through a sequence of three case presentations at a minimum of two summer Institutes, DIRC 1 and DIRC 2. This is followed by submission of written case (does not require attending the Institute). Cases cannot be repeated and should be identified as early as possible.

Presentation Schedule:

• First Summer:  DIRC 1: Vignette - An assessment and short term treatment  of  8-12 months duration - Click here to review the Vignette guidelines

• Second Summer:  DIRC 2 involves two presentations: 

  • Long Term Case of 18 months duration demonstrating experience integrating DIR® assessments, treatment, work with families, schools, groups, dynamic formulations, and comprehensive case management (if applicable). Click here to review the Long Term Case Guidelines.
  • Clinical/educational challenge –at any point in time defining a problem and conceptualizing possible solutions. Click here to review the Clinical Challenge Guidelines.

• Case Write Up: 24+ months – We recommend this be completed within one year following the second summer. Your tutor will help you prepare  a proposal and review your submission.  Each case is reviewed by two readers who provide feedback  and need to approve your case.  Question & Answer sessions are held at each Institute and phone sessions are offered during the year to further support your efforts.  -  Click here to review the Case Write-up Guideline

• Early Intervention practitionars and educators who do not work with children for more than one year can present a comparison of two cases to meet the long term and case write up requirements.

• Case Presentations and Case Write Up: Include but are not limited to: developmental, sensory processing, and caregiver-family profiles, dynamic clinical and/or educational formulations, short and longer term goals and stages of intervention process, team efforts, work with parents, comprehensive case management (if applicable), and reflective practice. Guidelines are provided. - Click here to review the Case Write-up Guideline

• Tutoring: The Certificate also requires a minimum of 25 individual reflective tutoring hours or group equivalent during the course of study. Tutoring fees are not included in the tuition and vary amongst the faculty and facilitators. Low fees are always available. 

Certification process:

• Finding a Tutor:  Tutoring is often arranged at the Institute once you get to know the faculty and facilitators.  We also help arrange this following each summer Institute.
• Preparations and Feedback: We offer Pre-Institute guidance for preparation of case presentations and videos during May and June. Group and individual feedback and consultation is provided during the Institute and individual phone feedback after the Institute.
• How Long?  It is possible to complete the requirements for the DIR® Clinical or Educational Specialist with attendance at two summer residence programs and completion of individual and or group professional development hours and written requirements during the following year.  Highly experienced applicants can request advanced standing.
• Optional Opportunity:  Institute III will be available to candidates who have submitted their proposals for their written cases and would like the opportunity to present these cases in an advanced group.  Institute III will focus on specific diagnostic subgroups, complex clinical challenges, advanced family work, long term outcomes, writing up cases, providing tutoring, and outcome evaluation.
• Advanced candidates interested in becoming future trainers may be invited to Institute III to present their cases as training models.

Difference between the DIRB and DIRC:

The main difference between the DIR®B and DIR®C programs is the extent of experience you have actually had using the DIR® model and your readiness to demonstrate competencies across a range of children and families leading to the DIR® Certificate.  The DIRB program focuses more on learning how to do DIR® work and the DIRC program focuses more on advanced competencies.  Joint activities between the programs include model case presentations, panel discussions, and special presentations.

DIRC Program Features:

• Faculty includes nationally known DIR® experts across disciplines including education, speech and occupational therapies, psychology, psychiatry and pediatrics. Programs vary from year to year but are designed to provide systematic learning experiences over time.  Formats include model case presentations, conversation hours, panel presentations and special lectures. Conversation hours with individual faculty and professional development opportunities with faculty can be explored.
• The following topics are just a few examples of our programs: 
  • Implementation of DIR® based principles and programs in early intervention programs, school programs in special education, inclusion and regular education settings.
  • Introduction to DMIC (ICDL Diagnostic Classification System) and the FEAS
  • The Ins and Outs of Medication Usage
  • Developmental language models and Augmentative Communication
  • Dyspraxia -oral motor, occulo-motor, motor skills and motor planning challenges
  • Feeding Disorders
  • Anxiety and bi-polar disorders
  • DIR Research
  • DIR Advocacy
  • Emerging Sexuality
  • Symbolic and cognitive development
  • Development of Visual Spatial Knowledge
• Continuing Education:  The DIR Institute offers OT continuing education and has applied for APA and other mental health approval.  A certificate of attendance describing the Institute program can be used for maintainance by SLPs and educators.  Since not all participants seek CE units, it has not been built into the tuition to keep this cost as low as possible, and a small separate fee is applied.
• Networking Opportunities – Several hundred participants attend the Institute each summer and you will get to know many in your small case discussion groups.  We also organize opportunities to meet with a wider group of colleagues from your region or your discipline,  during mealtimes and breaks.  International participants are offered meeting times to discus
• New!!  Poster Sessions – We are very interested in the educational, clinical and research programs you have developed and invite you to share these with colleagues and faculty. Please let us know of your interest and we will send further information.
• Evaluation of the DIR Institute Program: We are interested in your feedback and ask all participants to tell us about your experience and suggestions.  You will be asked to complete some evaluation forms while you are at the Institute as well as a follow up online survey.
• Hours: The Institute opens on Weds., July 7 at 1 PM following morning registration and check in.  The morning programs begin at 8 AM and evening programs end between 9-10 PM.  Afternoon breaks are provided to enjoy the facilities, take a walk or swim, or go shopping. The Institute ends on Sunday at 12:30 PM. Further information will be provided after your application has been accepted.

Tuition Categories

• ICDL, a non-profit organization, strives to make tuition as affordable as possible and has not raised rates in three years.  Tuition payments are made on line by credit card and special arrangements can be made for institutions. You may also request two-installment payments with final payment by April 15, 2010.  Limited tuition assistance is available and will be considered upon written request sent to DIRInstitute@icdl.com .
• Early Bird Registration for accepted applicants :
  • You may deduct $100 on or before February 16             
• You may deduct $50 on or before March 9
• Early Bird discounts applied only to tuition paid in full
• Small Group Discounts:  You may deduct an additional $50 for 3 or more applicants working in the same setting and applyingsimultaneously until April 3th application deadline.                                                                                                                                         

• Payment must be received within 7 days of acceptance to reserve space and to obtain discounted rate
• Participants may cancel their enrollment in the DIR® Institute by May 3, 2010. A 25% administrative fee will be applied. After May 4, 2010, there will be no refunds for enrollment.

VI.  Bolger Center Accommodations

Complete meeting package rates include room, all meals and snacks throughout the day. Most special requests can be honored and kosher meals can be arranged.  Rooms can be shared but deluxe rooms and suites are very limited so early application and registration is strongly advised. A deposit is required but will not be charged until participant checks out.

Once accepted, you will be provided further information on how to register at the Bolger Center. Housing costs are not included in the Institute tuition. Please do not register before receiving your acceptance notice. Prices are as followed:

Cost and Deadlines for the DIR® C - Certificate Program:

• Special discounts for early and group registrations:

• Early Bird 1 - applications received by February 16, 2009 receive a $100 Discount and pay $1150.00

• Early Bird 2 – applications received by March 2, 2009 receive a $50 Discount and pay $1200.00

• Application Submission Deadline:  April 25, 2009 (Applications received after this date will be considered on a space available basis only) Applications received postmarked after March 2, 2009 will pay $1250.00

• Click here to access the online application

Please understand that the DIR® Institute is a developing program responsive to the educational needs of its candidates. ICDL reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to alter, amend, expand or otherwise modify the requirements for the Program, at any time, without notice. The determination as to a candidate's successful completion of the Program requirements will be solely that of ICDL and the DIR® Institute.