Vanderbilt, TSU form on-line partnership for child development

The Child Development Center at Vanderbilt University Medical Center has joined forces with Tennessee State University and other groups to link disadvantaged children to a virtual community services network through multimedia conferencing technology.

Vanderbilt and other members of the Tennessee Child Development Partnership will help families of children with disabilities use new technologies to tap into community resources. One example would be hooking up a child's parent or service provider with a child development specialist for a one-on-one conversation.

Another goal of the partnership is to raise public awareness and understanding of how technology can improve services to at-risk children and those with special needs.

The partnership is a new initiative of Project DIANE (Diversified Information & Assistance Network), a nonprofit service network of individuals and groups working together at the grassroots level. DIANE, founded three years ago at Tennessee State University, uses new telephone, video and multimedia computer technologies for the betterment of schools, local economies and the community.

A DIANE Host Committee has been formed to support the new partnership and its efforts to create online linkages between children and child development organizations.

Community and business leaders serving on the committee include: Joe B. Wyatt, Chancellor, Vanderbilt University; James Hefner, president, Tennessee State University; Martha Sundquist, first lady, State of Tennessee; Bryant Milsaps, executive director, Tennessee Higher Education Commission; Owen Shell, president, NationsBank Corp.; former Sen. Howard Baker, Baker, Bearman, Donelson & Caldwell; Kitty Moon, chairman of the board, Country Music Association; and Marguerite Sallee, president, Corporate Child Care Management Services.

A reception to formally announce the Tennessee Child Development Partnership will be hosted by NationsBank Corp. at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct 17. The reception will be on the first floor of the NationsBank Small Business Resource Center at 3401 West End Ave.

In addition to demonstrations of the technology, remarks are scheduled to be given by Sundquist, chair of the host committee; Mark Wolraich, director of the Vanderbilt Child Development Center; Baker and Sallee.

Several demonstrations of child development linkages as well as international applications of DIANE will take place during the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce's Business Expo Oct. 11-12 at the Nashville Convention Center.

For more information on the Tennessee Child Development Partnership or Project DIANE, contact Angie Thompson at 936-0249 or Steve Shao at 963-7171.