Inclusion 2.0: Supports for Success

Danielle J. Jennings, M.S.W.ECA of Florida Conference

September 25, 2009

Learning Outcomes• Share current practices that support including

children with special needs or challenging behaviors successfully

• Explore strategies that allow all children to participate in class or center activities

• Discuss collaboration and communication with therapists and parents

• Identify curriculum and training resources for staff needs

What is inclusion and how is it supported?

Early Childhood Inclusion: A Joint Position Statement, April 2009

NAEYC: National Association for the Education of Young Children

DEC: Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children

Early childhood inclusion embodies the values, policies, and practices that support the right of every infant and young child and his or her family, regardless of ability, to participate in a broad range of activities and contexts as full members of families, communities, and society.

Defining Features of Inclusion• Access– Activities– Environment

• Participation– Multiple methods– Promote engagement– Sense of belonging

• Supports – Communication and collaboration– Professional development

DEC/NAEYC, 2009

How can children with special needs participate in the group?

Supports for Participation• Early intervention outcomes• Therapy goals• Environmental adaptations• Functional outcomes• Educational accommodations• Routines Based Intervention• Recognition and Response• Response to Intervention• Universal Design

Factors Influencing Beliefs About InclusionStoiber, Gettinger, and Goetz (1998)

• Survey of 128 preschool teachers and administrators• Most easy to accommodate for inclusion

– Speech and language delays– Learning disabilities– Mild cognitive disabilities

• Most difficult to accommodate for inclusion– Autism– Challenging Behaviors– Neurological Disorders

• Challenges to inclusion– Limits on time for communication– Infrequent opportunities for collaboration

What about therapists or specialists working with the child?

Communication and Collaboration • Families• Therapists• School District Teachers• Nurses • Other special programs• Within staff and administration• Within early childhood community

Where are resources for curriculum and staff training in inclusion?

Professional Development Resources• Beach Center on Disability• Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early

Learning• National Association for the Education of Young Children• National Dissemination Center for Children with

Disabilities• National Professional Development Center on Inclusion • Natural Resources• SpecialQuest • U.S. DOE What Works Clearinghouse

The Center to Mobilize Early Childhood KnowledgeFoundations of Inclusion Birth to Five (2009)

• Video clip

What supports inclusion?Our desire to provide“…a sense of belonging

and membership, positive social relationships and friendships, and development and learning to reach their full potential.”

DEC/NAEYC, 2009

ReferencesDEC-NAEYC. (2009). Early childhood inclusion: A summary. Chapel Hill:

The University of North Carolina. FPG Child Development Institute.Gould, P., & Sullivan, J. (1999). The inclusive early childhood classroom:

Easy ways to adapt learning centers for all children. Beltsville, MD: Gryphon House.

Sandall, S., Hemmeter, M.L., Smith, B.J., & McLean, M.E. (Eds.) (2005). DEC recommended practices: A comprehensive guide for practical application in early childhood special education. Missoula, MT: DEC.

Stobier, K.C., Gettinger, M., & Goetz, D. (1998). Exploring factors influencing parents and early childhood practitioner’s beliefs about inclusion. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 13, (1), 107-124.