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In the field of early childhood education, inclusion describes the practice of including
children with disabilities in a child care setting with typically developing children of
similar ages, with specialized instruction and support when needed. Federal law says
that children with disabilities have a protected right to be educated in the least
restrictive environment. For many children with special needs, being able to enjoy the
experiences and relationships in a child care program isnt out of reach.
Research has shown that inclusion, when done well, can be a very positive experience
for both young children with special needs and their typically developing peers. Child
care providers can play an important role in making inclusive child care successful.
Typically developing children can also benefit from interacting with a child with a
special need in their child care program. Benefits of inclusive child care for typically
developing children include:
Helping children feel comfortable with each other and develop friendships
based on their shared interests.
Facilitating interactions and play between children who are differently abled,
especially if the child with special needs has difficulty communicating in a way
that another child can understand.
Models a positive attitude toward inclusion and toward children with special
needs and their families.
Stays attuned to the quality of the day-to-day experiences of all of the children
in the classroom and provides on-the-spot feedback and coaching to the teacher
based on her/his observations.
Puts supports in place, such as a relief staff member, to help teachers when
the challenges become especially difficult.
Seeks out helpful community resources and professionals, and ensures that
teachers and parents have opportunities to connect with and make use of them.
Creates opportunities for children and parents to get to know one another in
relaxed, family-friendly environments so that relationships can be built on the
ways that they are similar rather than different.
The childs primary caregiver/teacher also should be involved in the formal process of
creating and implementing the plan required by federal law for any child with an
identified disability: the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) for children
younger than three and the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for children three and
older.