Chapter 1 An Inclusive Approach to Early Education ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

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. ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

What is it? Inclusion is any opportunity for children with disabilities to play & interact with, grow & learn alongside children who are developing in a typical way.

Attitudes Toward Disabilities: Historical Perspectives 1500s Only 50% of children reached adulthood Infanticide, abandonment, exploitation common Public sentiment: Children were full of evil 1.2

1700s Children maimed to be better beggars Strict discipline enforced Public sentiment: Children seen, not heard Children = workers Little thought given to persons with disabilities 1.3

1800s First kindergartens 80% of persons in poor housing had some disability First disability services School for the Deaf (1817) School for the Blind (1832) National Education Association subdivision concerning disabilities (1897) Public sentiment: Protect the handicapped 1.4

early 1900s Institutions – isolated, overcrowded, understaffed Residents – institutionalized for life, provided minimal care Community – developed apathy, fear, distrust Public sentiment – Persons with disabilities = menace 1.5

early 1900s New science of genetics produced faulty studies resulting in misconceptions Mental retardation was mostly hereditary Mental retardation caused social evils New laws removed rights of persons with disabilities Study of children as a science emerged 1.6

mid to late 1900s World wars ended & disabled soldiers returned home New compassion for persons with disabilities Civil rights movement unfolded Federal legislation supports rights of persons with disabilities Public sentiment: People with disabilities are people first 1.7

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. ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

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. ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

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. ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

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. ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

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. ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

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. ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

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. ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

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. ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

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. ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

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 ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Benefits of Inclusion (continued) Benefits for typically developing children Developmental progress not adversely affected. improved quality in teaching has positive impacts. ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

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. ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Benefits of Inclusion (continued) Developing sensitivity Understanding differences Becoming aware of own strengths and weaknesses ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

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 ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

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 ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Practices That Interfere with Positive Attitudes toward Persons with Disabilities Isolating people who have disabilities Treating people with disabilities as incapable & dependent Seeing only the disability, not the person Using language such as cripple, idiot, retarded, deaf & dumb 1.8

Challenges to Implementing Inclusion Negative attitudes of parents, teachers, & community Lack of trained staff Continued physical inaccessibility of some buildings Lack of funding for additional staff, smaller class sizes, specialized materials & equipment 1.10

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? ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

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. ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

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 ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

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. ©2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.