The document discusses key concepts related to inclusion and diversity in early childhood education. It defines inclusion and discusses its goals of meeting all children's needs, challenging them to reach their potential, and creating a positive learning environment. It also covers developmental and culturally appropriate practices, the importance of family-centered services, transition planning, and multidisciplinary support for children with special needs or from diverse backgrounds. Best practices for inclusion focus on functional goals, regular assessment, and supporting all children in inclusive classrooms.

1. Inclusion

2. Definitions Inclusion LRE Mainstreaming/integration Reverse mainstreaming/integration

3. Inclusion Perspective DEC position statement Elements of an Inclusive Program: All children attend the same program, all of the time. Each child is given the support he/she needs to be successful in the setting. For children age 3 to school age, these settings are most often public and private community preschool and childcare programs.

4. Goals of Inclusion Goal 1. Meet the unique educational, curricular, instructional, social, and emotional needs of all children in the classroom. Goal 2. Create a safe and welcoming environment Provide peer support Encourage friendships

5. Goal 3. Challenge every student to fulfill their unique potential Challenge students to complete as far and fast as they can Goal 4. Create and maintain a positive environment that is conducive to learning.

6. Goal 5. Arrange the physical environment, routine organizational factors to accommodate all children. Goal 6. Provide support that is needed.

7. DAP The process of professionals making decisions about the well-being and education of children based on at least three important kinds of information or knowledge.

8. 1. what is known about child development and learning-knowledge of age-related human characteristics that permits general predictions within an age range about what activities, materials, interactions, or experiences will be safe, healthy, interesting, achievable, and also challenging to children.

9. Age Appropriateness Universal, predictable sequences of growth and changes that occur in the early years (birth through 8) Provide a framework for preparing the environment so as to be appropriate and challenging

10. 2. what is known about the strengths, interests and needs of each individual child in the group to be able to adapt for and be responsive to inevitable individual variation

11. Individual Appropriateness Unique patterns and timing of growth, and individual personality, temperament and background Be responsive to the strengths, interests and needs of each child and respond to and adapt for individual variation

12. 3. knowledge of the social and cultural contexts in which children live to ensure that learning experiences are meaningful, respectful and relevant for the participating children and their families

13. Cultural Appropriateness Knowledge of the social and cultural contexts in which children live to ensure meaningful experiences Allows educators to have a better understanding of growth and learning in context to the environment

14. Teacher Perspective of Working with a CLD Population (Holiday, Bitseedy, Russell, Multiple Voices) Being CLD in itself is not a problem; growing up in another cultural environment is frequently a problem. Teachers must seek out Community members from the culture to work with students and assist teachers to link the culture with the learning. The classroom must incorporate routines that are familiar to the students across content areas.

15. Teacher Perspective of Working with a CLD Population (Holiday, Bitseedy, Russell, Multiple Voices) CLD students grow up experiencing at least 2 different views of the world they live in. Must establish self identity and pride for belonging in the culture. Schools oblivious to the traumatic cultural differences & traditions when going to school. Recognize diversity, traditions & its impact on life & experiences & infuse it in the curriculum, not just add on.

16. Teacher Perspective of Working with a CLD Population (Holiday, Bitseedy, Russell, Multiple Voices) Lack of relevant curriculum and does not address what the child already knows. Opportunity to be receptive & expressive in their own language. Establish holisitc strategies that are student driven: cooperative learning, literature, oral traditions For all these do not try to reinvent the wheel. Ask family members or others in the community.

17. Best Practices in Special Education Intervention Focused on Functional Goals A functional skill is one that is essential to participation within a variety of integrated environments. In early childhood settings, functional skills are those that assist children to interact more independently and positively with their physical and social environments. Family-Centered Services The family is the heart of all early childhood programs. Families participate in planning and decision making for all aspects of their children ’s program. A good school-family partnership includes a system for a child ’s family to have regular communication with the classroom staff and have frequent opportunities to participate in their child’s program. Regular Monitoring and Adjustment of Intervention Educators and care providers should systematically monitor the effects of specific interventions. Researchers have shown the effectiveness of using formative assessment data to monitor children ’s progress toward their individual goals and objectives.

18. Transition Planning Educators and child care providers of all children – especially children with disabilities – must plan for transition from one school or child care setting to the next one. Early childhood special educators are particularly concerned with transition from preschool to kindergarten because this move signals a major change for the child and the family from familiar and secure surroundings to a new, unknown setting. Multidisciplinary Services Professionals from many disciplines need to participate in the planning of comprehensive services for children with disabilities and their families. Because many of these children and their families have complex needs, no single professional and no one discipline can provide a full range of services.

19. Rationale for Inclusive Early Education Ethical issue Socialization issue Developmental issue sensitive periods teachable moments imitation Cost issue Recommended Practices Research based or value based Family centered Multicultural Cross disciplinary Developmentally/chronologically appropriate Normalized

20. Supporting Inclusion Individualizing programs Learning environment All children belong Play Balance activities Participation with peers Range of materials Structure child-child interactions Plan classroom activities Professional collaboration

21. Benefits of Inclusion Children with disabilities enhanced experiences developmental scaffolding better opportunities for interaction implicit motivation learn from others Children without disabilities peer tutoring sensitivity individualized instruction for all children Family Society

22. Concerns and Challenges Will special needs be served Inappropriate behaviors