This chapter discusses inclusion in early education. It defines inclusion as children with special needs attending school with typically developing peers and being valued and having choices. Historically, children with disabilities were hidden away in institutions but now laws support their inclusion. The rationale for inclusion is that it is ethical, promotes socialization, supports child development, and reduces costs. Teachers can support inclusion by structuring interactions between children and planning activities incorporating all children's needs. Benefits of inclusion are seen in children with disabilities' development and typical children's acceptance of differences. Concerns about inclusion focus on whether special needs will be met and inappropriate behaviors addressed.

1. Chapter 1
An Inclusive Approach to Early
Education
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2. Inclusion Defined
• Inclusion means that children with special
needs attend school with typically
developing peers.
• Inclusion is belonging, being valued, and
having choices.
• Inclusion is accepting children and families
and supporting their participation.
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3. Historical Perspective of Inclusion
• Forget and hide—children with disabilities
were placed in institutions, and families
were told to forget about them.
• Screen and segregate—people with
disabilities now had civil rights.
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4. Historical Perspective (continued)
• Identify and help—children were now
identified earlier, so treatment could begin
earlier.
• Include and support—Americans with
Disabilities Act is passed and inclusion
begins.
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5. Rationale for Inclusive Early
Education
• Ethical issue—segregated classes for
children with disabilities often do not have
the materials, funding, and support of
regular classrooms, making their
education inadequate.
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6. Rationale for Inclusive Early Education
(continued)
• Socialization issue—through inclusion
equal social status is implied:
– Children of varying abilities grow up together,
and acceptance is mainstream.
– Re-entry into the social norms is not
necessary because they are already a part of
the norm.
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7. Rationale for Inclusive Early Education
(continued)
• Developmental issues
– Children with and without disabilities are
provided lessons that enhance their level of
development.
– Children learn from each other.
– Children model appropriate interactions with
others.
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8. Rationale for Inclusive Early Education
(continued)
• Cost issue—cost is actually reduced,
because existing program structures are
already in place.
– Segregating typical and atypical children
would be a setback.
– Not enough quality programs to serve all
children in segregation.
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9. Supporting Inclusion: Implications for
Teachers
• Structuring child-child interactions
– The teacher needs to structure his/her
activities on encouraging play between
children with and without disabilities.
– After a period of imitating each other’s
behaviors, children will begin to play together
on their own.
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10. Supporting Inclusion: Implications for
Teachers (continued)
• Planning activities
– Activity-based approach has the teacher
develop lessons based on typical preschool
activities and incorporate IFSP and IEP goals
at the same time.
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11. Supporting Inclusion: Implications for
Teachers (continued)
• Professional collaboration
– Interdisciplinary teams are developed and
must work together to meet the needs of the
individual child.
– Interdisciplinary teams partner with families.
– Professionals share their strengths to improve
the child’s educational outcomes.
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12. Benefits of Inclusion
• Benefits for children with disabilities
– Gains are made in
• social competence
• social play
• developmental domains
• higher levels of play
• higher academic achievement
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13. Benefits of Inclusion (continued)
• Benefits for typically developing children
– Developmental progress
• not adversely affected.
• improved quality in teaching has positive impacts.
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14. Benefits of Inclusion (continued)
• Peer tutoring
– Both children receive significant benefits.
– Provides social interactions.
– Promotes acceptable play behaviors.
– Promotes appropriate and enhanced use of
materials.
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15. Benefits of Inclusion (continued)
• Developing sensitivity
– Understanding differences
– Becoming aware of own strengths and
weaknesses
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16. Benefits of Inclusion (continued)
• Benefits for families
– Parents’ attitudes become more positive over
time as they see
• their children become more accepting of
differences
• their children become more comfortable around all
people
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17. Benefits of Inclusion (continued)
• Benefits for society
– As the children grow into adults, they are
• more accepting of individual differences
• more mature in their responses around others
• able to respect others for what they can do
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18. Concerns and Challenges of
Inclusion
• Will special needs be served?
– Parents and professionals often feel that they
cannot meet the needs of the child.
– Are specialized services going to be
available?
– How well are the teachers prepared?
– If so much time is spent on children with
disabilities, will the typical children feel
shortchanged?
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19. Concerns and Challenges of Inclusion
(continued)
• Concerns about inappropriate behaviors
– Typically developing children will begin to
imitate inappropriate behaviors of children
with disabilities.
• This is unfounded and false.
• Children will not imitate unusual or stereotypical
behaviors.
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20. Concerns and Challenges of Inclusion
(continued)
• Will children with special needs be
teased?
– Not if given good role models who answer
questions honestly and support friendships
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21. Final Thoughts
• Inclusion is the law.
• There are more benefits than downfalls.
• Society will be more accepting of all
individuals.
• Cost should not be a deterring factor.
• Try it; you might like it.
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